05 March 2024
The sweet, grapey smell of Kool-Aid wafts through the breeze this time of year in Texas. Purple clusters of flowers that put wisteria to shame hang from Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora) trees. The bees go crazy for these purple pompoms, and so do I.
Every time I see a Texas mountain laurel in full bloom, I have to stop and smell it.
This, however, was impossible. The bees claimed it for their own.
They buzzed and burrowed into those luscious flowers, collecting all the pollen they could find. Luckily, I got a good whiff of the grape’s sweetness as I stood a few feet away.
In my own garden, the live oaks are shedding their leaves to put out new leaves for spring. “Autumn” is mixed with spring. The Mexican plum is decked out in cottony white, and the orange cross vine on the fence is ready to burst. At the same time, the leaves flutter like confetti in a parade, covering the ground in a slippery, brown layer. Soon the live oaks will turn bright green with new leaves, and then the messy fall of pollen will begin.
It’s a seasonal pattern and all you can do is accept it as you shake the leaves off your hat before heading back inside.
mexican plum (Prunus mexicana), with its spicy-sweet clusters of white flowers along satiny gray branches, is worth a deep sniff every time I pass it.
Bees love these flowers. They were working on the higher branches when I took these photos and left the lower level to me.
The Mexican plum is currently in peak bloom, with a pink blush appearing on the flowers. Soon the green leaves will wash away and the petals will fall.
All the more reason to get outside every day to sniff.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave it. If you read email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward you this email and you want to subscribe? Click here to have Digging delivered straight to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
March 16: To attend the third annual Budding Out Plant Sale & Festival 3/16 at John Fairey Garden in Hempstead. Rare and distinctive plants from the garden nursery and selected plant vendors will be for sale. Additional offerings include art, ceramics, jewelry, food, music and presentations. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members, children 12 and under free. Working hours: from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; members receive early admission at 9am (membership available day of event).
30-31. March: Come see Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Show in the Zilker Botanical Garden on March 30 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Includes a plant display with specimen cacti and succulents, handmade pottery, a daily silent auction and hourly plant raffle, and expert advice. Admission is included with paid Zilker Garden admission, $5 to $8 for adults, $3 to $4 for children (under 2 free).
April 6: Come out to Austin’s Mayfield Park on 4/6 for Mayfield Park Gardening Symposium & Fundraiser, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. This annual park benefit includes a raffle, plant sale and garden speakers.
May 4: Explore “splendid backyards, perfect pools and pergolas, and outdoor rooms and gardens” at ATX outdoor trip 4. 5. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Landscape architects, designers and builders will be on hand to answer questions. Tickets are $33.85 for adults, $17.85 for children 10-17.
May 11: Save the date for Austin Home’s Great Outdoors Tour on 5/11.
June 1-2: Take a two-day bar and garden tour in and around Austin at the annual Austin Pond and Garden Tour, held on February 1 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $25.
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I host in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners several times a year in Austin. These are limited attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and request to be added. Season 8 begins in the fall of 2024. Stay tuned for more information!
All material © 2024 Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.