~photo by Suzanne * February 28, 2014 * Fort Worth, Texas
Here we are in the midst of ...well, we're being told it's Spring! What a HARD winter it was for a lot of us. Not so bad for Texas as was other parts of the country. And, I certainly hope it's coming around to being green for everyone at this point!
This is Earth Week, isn't it? We've had Earth Day, and then Arbor Day all in one week-hey, I almost forgot! Karo planted an apple tree today. He started this tree a couple of years ago from the seed of an apple he was eating. Oddly enough the little seed had a root on it. This was a Gala apple from the grocery store, and it has been in a small plastic pot for two years, braving the stifling Texas heat and the bitter Texas frost! And, Karo's friend Ron says that apple trees cannot survive the Texas heat. But, I guess time will tell all...the job is not complete...the tree will have to be nurtured and protected in order to ensure it's success. And, Karo is just the man for this job! He says, "Anything that can live in 4 inches of dirt for two years can surely survive the true element of our Texas soil."
photo by Suzanne * Karo's Gala Apple tree * April 24, 2014
Soooo...moving right along! How are you all doing lately? At MyTexasGardens, we're spinning our wheels, hoping for the best showing of our plants and flowers this year.
Here are some early signs of Spring in my neck of the woods.
~photo by Suzanne * April 13, 2014 * Fort Worth, Texas
Large white Iris, pink Dianthus, and yellow Violas
~photo by Suzanne * April 11, 2014
~a lovely peasant girl * Violas, Vinca Major, Day Lilies and,
all the way down is a Loropetalum !
As always, I like to refresh my 'Private Garden'. It is so much fun to spruce it up, and, add new elements and trinkets each year. The photo below is just the beginning of this process!
~photo by Suzanne * Easter Sunday * April 20, 2014
***Remember, the earth is God's gift to us. It is ours to enjoy, to lavish with beautiful colors of our own personal choosings, and, to roam through and through as our hearts desire.
It is our responsibility to serve and protect our earth. Let's keep it picked up and beautiful!
And, I'm talking about everyday, NOT just April, once a year!
~Mother Earth * Cool, huh?
"Like the trees, we are visitors,
Guests of the earth."
~Kim Stafford
"Like the trees, we are visitors,
Guests of the earth."
~Kim Stafford
thanks Google and Yahoo!
And, the biggest thank you goes out to you, my dearest readers! Please stop in and say hello if you get the chance. I accept kindness from all...and, I strive to pass out all the kindness I can! Our hearts can give and receive more love than we know!
***
Please be safe, laugh a lot, and give love!
Til next time, I remain your faithful blogger servant!
Hi, dear Suzanne!
ReplyDeleteYou can be very proud of this post because your floral displays are fabulous! Everything you planted looks like it's thriving including Karo's apple tree. Time will tell if it can endure those summer temps of 100 degrees. I hope it survives. That kitty cat is so cute! You really have a knack for arranging your beds so that the combination of foliage, flowers, rocks and other accents looks natural, harmonious and satisfying. Well done, dear friend!
Here in Central Florida we are moving beyond green to brown again because the hot sun is beating down and the lawns are baking. We could use a good long soaking rain but the forecast calls for a dry weekend and a dry week ahead. Water restrictions will soon go into effect if we don't get significant precip soon.
You have a good heart, Suzanne. You are a fine citizen of the world. I love how you expressed yourself at the end of this post. The world needs more caring, visionary people like you and Karo. As you stated we need to remember that we have a responsibility to respect and preserve Mother Earth, not just one day or one week out of the year but every day. At the moment she's all we've got. We also have a responsibility to mankind to spread love and goodwill in our daily lives.
Thank you very much for showing us around your Texas gardens, dear friend Suzanne. Margaret's back on the blog tomorrow morning and I hope you can stop by to warm her heart with your cheery words. Good night and God bless!
Gosh Shady, you are too kind! Thank you so much for your compliments to my gardens, thus far. I only wish the temps would stay as they are now, 60's and sometimes 80's. I feel for you and your strange weather! I always though Florida would be more moderate, and tropical. I know, my turn to whine about muggy weather is coming soon-we've been spoiled from the cooler winter and later spring. And, some parts of Texas are already under water restrictions, so our fingers are crossed. I think we'll be able to spare enough for the young apple tree though!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely try to get by your blog tomorrow. I really enjoy reading about Margaret's young life and family days at the Dell. And, her Birthday photo was so lovely. A wonderful lady!
Well, I'll put on my rain hat for you Shady, and start the dance! Here's wishing a nice, tropical rain soon. Thank you so much for your continued friendship! ♫
Hi Suzanne. That Shady certainly knows how to treat a gal, doesn't he, showering us poor mortals with compliments, as he always does. Still, he knows how to make us feel good! What a really beautiful post , my Texan friend. I loved the sentiment behind it, and how wonderful to see all those signs of Spring appearing in your pretty garden. They do say that you are nearer to God in a garden, than anywhere else on earth. I wish Karo's little apple tree all the luck in the world. I'm sure he's the man for the job! Sending hugs across the pond.
ReplyDeleteHi Thisisme. I agree with you about Shady! He sure knows how to win a girl's heart! And he is a brave sole for putting up with us ladies too!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed this post. I told my son that a lot of our gardening is actually English gardening! Oh, I love a good ole Texas cactus, but, there's a certain freshness and fragrant beauty about an English garden! And, I believe you are nearer to God in a garden...my private garden, though small, just lifts me up and makes me smile.
Karo's apple tree is still standing tall today, we're hoping for a winner. Thank you so much Thisisme for coming by- I hope you enjoyed some of those luscious treats at your favorite deli! See you later, dear friend. ♥
Your Texas garden(s) are sow offs with brilliance. Especially like your private garden. You must be amending your soils for such good looking flowers and foliage. Pretty! Can't believe that apple seed is still going after two years...amazing.
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy! If that apple tree would have been planted over a year ago, it would probably be a lot bigger by now. We just kept it watered in its little pot.
DeleteThank you for your compliments on my gardens. We had such a cool winter, and, the plants here seem to thrive on the cool March breezes. Oh, my private garden is fun...it's like a whole different little township. Some plants and flowers are potted, and others are planted in the ground.
I hope you are doing well. Thank you so much for coming by. Your comments mean a lot. Have a wonderful weekend, hugs to you! ♥
Hi, just thought I would stop by and say hello. I think you give me too much credit for the apple tree. All I did was stick the seed in some dirt, and let God and Mother Nature take over. It is now in their hands...I will, however, provide water! And, I will post updates on it. I, too, hope it takes off! Thanks for all your confidence! See you soon!
ReplyDeleteMethinks you are far too modest, Karo!! You obviously put love into it as well, and we all thrive with a little love! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Thisisme! ☺
DeleteHave mint growing all over the yard, can't seem to keep it
ReplyDeletecontained in the flower bed, so pulled some of it up and replanted it where it belongs!
I loved your garden blog, wish our winter was milder, the
rosemary that had survived two winters, finally bit the dust,
they had grown up a good 3-5 ft tall, now I have to try to pull
and/or dig the darn dead plants up guess it was too good to
be true, and usually the dill and parsley come up early, but
I don't see anything.
Hi Suzanne - oh dear, excuse me for being so late in responding to your lovely post. We have been offline for a few days while we travel back from Canberra where we've been visiting our darling children and grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI love your private garden. I also love your happy and uplifting words (and those of your Commentors) about gardens in general. They really are a source of happiness and contentment and that's what has drawn us all together to meet at your blog - we know when we see a fresh post from 'mytexasgardens' it will put a smile on our faces and in our hearts.
Karo - well done! I have long held the theory that plants don't read the Rule Books on how they should behave in a garden! They jolly well do what they like and when they know they're being tended with care, they respond. Your apple tree looks very healthy and full of vigour. I look forward to updates on its progress.
I once rescued a cycad from a load of rubbish destined for the Tip. It looked totally dead and gone - brittle and brown. I happen to love them and I can't tell you why but I took it home, stuck it in a pot of good soil and watered it (nothing to lose was my reckoning). It took a year but I was thrilled to see a fresh little blob of new life in its middle. I must try and find some photos which I took of it. It is now back at our Daughter's place and growing well. It too hadn't read the Rule Book ;D)
Suzanne, I do love that picture of Mother Earth - it's brilliant! The artist is spot on, it's such an appealing work of art.
Thank you again for your lovely post and for brightening our day. Cheerio for now :D) xx
Oh Susan, what can I say? You can be as late as you need to be...I am so blessed to have you and my commentors as friends and comrades! It is my goal to put a smile on your faces, and, I love knowing that I accomplish just that!
DeleteI hope you had a wonderful trip to Canberra and great visit with your children and grandchildren. And, I hope your weather is quite pleasant at home these days. I had never heard of the Cycad plant until you talked about it. I looked it up, and, how neat those plants are! I have never seen the likes, and the gorgeous centers are like colored pine cones! It is almost like a tropical palm tree, isn't it? And, it may very well have a long life span. Well, we will do what we can for the little apple tree. We had some at home in Kansas on our property, and they did bear fruit every year, but the summers don't get so hot in Kansas.
Thank you so much for stopping by Susan, and, for such kind comments-sometimes, just when you need a hug, it comes right through with flying colors, and just makes the day! It is so good to hear from you, take care dear friend, see you soon! ♥
Hi Suzanne, thank you for your lovely reply. Just popping over to give my good wishes to you for a Very Happy Mother's Day and also to your Mom :D) xx
DeleteThank you for the Mother's Day wishes Susan, hope your day has been joyful as well. I sent your Mother's Day greetings to my mom as well. She has planted a lot of mint and dill this spring, and uses it a lot in her cooking. Have a good week, Susan! See you soon. ♥
DeleteMe again Suzanne, I couldn't see your email so am popping in here just to say thanks so much for all your comments to my various posts. It's always lovely to see you arrive :D)
DeleteEnjoy the rest of your week and with my kindest regards xx
Hi Susan, thanks for coming by! I have enjoyed your posts-love the duck feet and the painted fences! Hope you and MD are doing well. See you soon, dear friend! ♥
DeleteTruly amazing that Karo got the Gala apple seed to grow into that height. You two definitely have green thumbs. Pretty dianthus...I can' together them to grow, probably too much sun or too much water. Some day!
ReplyDeleteHi Suzanne, it may just be my computer (I have been tinkering with my blog over the past while), but on my sideboard your blogspot has shown a post called "Magnolia Mile" but when I try to access it, it doesn't appear. That post also shows in my Readers List but again when I click on it, it brings me to this post.
ReplyDeleteJust letting you know in case it's happening elsewhere too.
Kindest regards, Susan :D)
Hi Susan, I'm so sorry I've not been over here for a while. I did start a post called the Magnolia Mile, accidentally published it before I was half done with it, and took it back, I have yet to finish it-hopefully in a couple of days. Our little grandson is visiting. We haven't seen him in months, so we've been pretty busy. Thanks for coming by. I will visit your newest post soon. Hugs!
DeleteOh those times are just so precious aren't they, and real life always takes priority over our blogs. Enjoy your time with your cutie grandson. Cheers now :D)
Delete