Saturday, March 7, 2009

Leaf ’Em Laughing



This pile cost me $75. That was what I paid to have someone blow all the accumulated leaves from last spring and fall’s historic oak drop (following on the crazy wet summer of ’07 which now seems a dream) into my back-of-the-shed dump.


And now of course, it’s starting all over again. I swept this corner yesterday and this morning a new pile has accumulated. Live oaks. Yes, indeedy.


Doing my part to stimulate the economy, I bought three dripper hoses to deploy in the rose beds. I love dripper hoses; they function well and seem to last forever.


This pretty little verbena, an annual variety, survived the winter and is blooming.


Brug. Charles Grimaldi has emerged unscathed from his winter slumbers. He has a new companion, St. Francis. Do they not make a fine couple?


The loquat topiaries are doing well and if I can just keep...



...him and his brethren from gnawing the bejeezus out of them, all will be well. The loquats, in case you’re wondering, are about 5 years old. They self-sowed from fruit dropped by a tree at my old house. Sledd’s has loquat topiaries that are not as big and not as well shaped for $150. Yowza.


No pictures ever do justice to the Rainbow Knockouts, which honestly, are on many days, the only reason I get out of bed. They bloomed throughout the winter, and were actually more true to their real coral and yellow colors.


5 comments:

Cindy, MCOK said...

Libby, just as my water oak and willow oak finish shedding leaves, they start shedding tassels! Spring can be messy here in Central Texas.

Unknown said...

Oh lord, the oak leaves! There is a carpet of them every day now and the filter on the pool has to be emptied about 4 times a day. But I ran them all over with my lawnmower and composted them so that made me feel better.

Rock rose said...

Know what you mean about those leaves. Last year they continued to fall all year. I have already started clearing some but it turns into a daily job and where to put them! They just don't break down very well and if you don't get rid of them they blow right back. Nice trees though except when the caterpillars start eating them!

Becky M said...

I love the rainbow knockouts - never seen them before. After years of sticking to antique roses, i recently planted a sunny knockout. Couldn't resist the lovely yellow. My first bare root planting, seems to be leafing out nicely. The (water) oak leaves are a constant plague - still have piles left from Ike. But the tassels are worse now - the cats and dogs bring them in the house on their furry paws and leg feathers. But what can you do?

Lori said...

Your drip hoses last forever? What brand are you using? I've gone through 4 drip hoses in the last 2 years! They always seem to get brittle and crack in half on me, but I do tend to buy the cheap brands.