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Annie in Austin
Welcome! As "Annie in Austin" I blog about gardening in Austin, TX with occasional looks back at our former gardens in Illinois. My husband Philo & I also make videos - some use garden images as background for my original songs, some capture Austin events & sometimes we share videos of birds in our garden. Come talk about gardens, movies, music, genealogy and Austin at the Transplantable Rose and listen to my original songs on YouTube. For an overview read Three Gardens, Twenty Years. Unless noted, these words and photos are my copyrighted work.
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Monday, March 22, 2010

Finally Time for March 2010 GBBD

The Central Austin garden bloggers first called Spring when their redbuds and Texas Mountain Laurels began to bloom on March 11th.

Eleven days later the Texas redbud in my far NW Austin garden has poked out little pink tongues so I'm calling Spring here, too!Annieinaustin, redbud closeup
We've had frost warnings the last 2 nights, with the actual low temperature falling to 34°F/1.11ºC each morning.

Now it's time to once again take off the thermal covers from the Meyer's Lemon and the Mexican Lime and switch off the Christmas lights. The weather looks pretty good for the next week - are we done with freezes?annieinaustin,freeze wraps on citrus
Are there flowers today? Yes! It's a week late but today I'll join Carol of May Dreams Garden for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

The Mexican Lime has buds and tiny new leaves that stayed safe under the thermal coveringAnnieinaustin mexican lime buds
The top branches of the Meyer's Lemon died and most of the leaves fell off, but it's pushing out new leaves and making blossoms, too.Annieinaustin meyer's lemon buds

At their feet Oxalis regnellii 'Atropurpurea' blooms happily after recent rain
Annieinaustin Oxalis burgundy
The Texas Mountain Laurel is a little squashed from the sheet thrown over it last night
Annieinaustin, Tx Mountain laurel buds
One yellow Lady Banks rose shows petalsAnnieinaustin Lady banks rosebuds

The Spiraea on the back fence is in full bloom
Annieinaustin Bridal wreath Spiraea

The Carolina jessamine has passed its peak flowering time but still smells sweetAnnieinaustin Carolina jessamine
There are enough yellow flowers left to please the beesAnnieinaustin, bee in jessamine

Earlier yellow daffodils have wilted - my muse 'Thalia' takes her turnAnnieinaustin Thalia narcissus
Only one of the Pale Peach colored iris has opened but there are many buds
Annieinaustin, pale peach iris
Most of the white 'cemetery' iris, a favorite Austin passalong, are already blooming
Annieinaustin, white iris
Blackfoot daisies are finally happy here, making flowers in the parkway bedAnnieinaustin, blackfoot daisies
The Cherry sage/Salvia greggii blooms there, tooAnnieinaustin, Salvia greggii

A single mutabilis Rosebud is ready for its closeupAnnieinaustin mutabilis rosebud
And there's a hint that the most famous sign of spring in Texas, the Bluebonnet, is on the wayAnnieinaustin, bluebonnet bud

But even without open flowers the garden has been exciting to watch every day

Cedar Waxwings arrived a few weeks ago to strip berries from the evergreen hollies and act like kids in the birdbath fountain (23 seconds)





The song of the Mockingbird called Spring before anyone else was sure it would come (about 1 minute)


Pam/Digging holds Foliage Followup the day after GBBD - my foliage is appearing today not because it is spectacular... but because the leaves bear witness that these plants are alive

I've left the Shell Ginger outside in other years - but it spent this winter in the garage
Annieinaustin Shell Ginger

I was sure the Amaryllis planted outside would be gone after 13°F/-10.5ºC , but MSS of Zanthan Gardens thought they could make it - she was right!Annieinaustin, Amaryllis tips emerge

If my pomegranate is alive maybe that means Rock Rose Jenny's will be alright, too?Annieinaustin, new pomegranate leaves

The Japanese Painted Fern disappeared during last year's heat and drought but it's appeared again, ready to face life in Texas for another year. I hope we humans can do it, too. Annieinaustin, Japanese painted fern

Friday, March 12, 2010

A Figgy Embrace for GGW Picture This Contest

The theme for this month's Gardening Gone Wild photo contest is Awakening - something that's already happening in Austin and coming soon to more Northern gardens, long under snow.

Thalia the Muse of Comedy influences many of my posts and today I'll let her rule my photos, too - this photo of my Celeste Fig Tree waking up amused me because it seems to be stretching and reaching out and declaring, "Embrace Spring!"AnnieinAustin,Figgy EmbraceHappy Spring to all of you!

Monday, March 01, 2010

Pierced by Punctuation on Muse Day

"They say every time u use an ! a fairy dies...." Yolanda Elizabet

Usually Thalia, the muse of Comedy, is the inspiration for Muse Day, but this time any younger or more sensitive viewers can blame Yolanda Elizabet and Kate Smudges, whose twitter conversations about the danger of exclamation points made me look for the sketching pencils.
This post is part of Garden Bloggers Muse Day, hosted by Carolyn at the Sweet Home and Garden Chicago blog.