Miracle Garden in West Texas

Posted on May 22, 2013 by wedd4780

Just outside of Mineral Wells is a 35 acre garden that was created in a pasture filled with mesquite trees. Mesquites are one of the most difficult native trees to eradicate in Texas. Other obstacles for this garden included the hard red clay soil and harsh arid climate.

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Clark’s Gardens was first started to create a nice backdrop for a family wedding. Max and Billie Clark started the landscaping behind their house for their daughter’s wedding in 1971. In 1972, Billie decided she wanted an iris garden. The dream developed and grew.

Mr. Clark, in his late 80′s, still works at the gardens most days. Mrs. Clark was diagnosed with Allzheimer’s sometime in the early 2000′s and died at the House of Hope in Wichita Falls in 2012.

Mr. Clark worked faithfully with his Chocolate Labrador retriever, Mathilda. After the death of that companion, another Labrador works at his side most days checking out new developments at the gardens, planting, and pulling weeds.

The above plaque states: If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.”

In 1999, Max and Billie established the Max and Billie Clark Foundation and donated 143 acres, including the gardens, to this non-profit organization.

Several large covered walkways provide a cool place to stroll and to rest for a spell.

One lonely Amaryllis blooms in a semi-shady spot.

Waterfalls, fountains, and ponds are scattered throughout the gardens. Every time we visit, I wonder where their water source is.

This small pond with waterlilies slowly spills into a small lake at a lower level.

Those small one foot trees the Clarks planted are now mature trees which offer many shady retreats.

There are peacocks, geese, and swans on the grounds, as well as this squirrel. He didn’t seem threatened, at all. And who knows what else lurks behind trees and shrubs.

This is a small portion of the many rose gardens. The massive iris gardens, which they are famous for, is in full sun because that’s what irises require. It was hot and humid this day, so didn’t walk through that area. Besides, the iris blooming season has ended.

There is a lovely wedding chapel. Inside is cool (in the temperature sense) and peaceful.

Weddings and other special events are an important part of the revenue.

A close up of one of the tall pots outside the chapel.

The rose window over the altar area is a strong focal point as you enter the chapel. Note the fleur-de-lis (irises) around the circle edge.

Again, the signature irises in the arched window over the entryway.

My next post will finish our tour of the Clark’s Gardens including their miniature train collection and displays.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.” Marcus Aurelius

Abundant Rain

Posted on May 21, 2013 by wedd4780

The month of May has brought 8.40″ of rain, so far. That is an abundance for us. Of course, all that rain was accompanied by strong winds, hail, and the threat of tornadoes. Last night, one came within 10 miles of us.

But we were spared the tornado. We haven’t been out and about, but the house only had some dents in the roof, a broken window, and some shattered outside lights. Shrubs and plants were battered and lost some leaves and small branches. We consider so little damage a blessing.

It’s difficult to understand why some suffer such horrible circumstances and others do not. We just are so thankful for safety during the storm.

This is obviously not my next planned post. This is to express gratitude for being spared and to offer concern for those who have suffered great losses in recent storms. I am praying for them as recovery begins.

Shades of Red

Posted on May 19, 2013 by wedd4780

The primary colors are a feast for my eyes. As they say on TV decorating programs, “The bright colors will pop against the backgrounds.” These reds do jump out and grab you.

The Red Yuccas (Hesperaloe parviflora) are just starting to bloom. And they do pop against the green of the grass and shrubs and the blue of the sky. Their form also is eye catching.

Red Yuccas are native to Central and West Texas. They flower from late spring through early autumn.

Not only are they pretty, but yuccas are hardy and extremely drought tolerant. Plus they survive freezing temperatures. The flower stalk dies, leaving a striking skeletal shape with large seed pods opened like a flower for the winter. Red Yuccas are one care free plant. In recent years, they are the hot new item in landscaping. It’s like they’ve just been discovered.

The buzzing of bees add to the viewing experience. These are probably honeybees. The hummingbirds love to feed from them, too.

Okay. I did say that I was definitely not going to keep the Poinsettias after January. But they just keep surviving. While they are still red, how could I trash them? Let’s see how long they last outside and in the heat.

This will be a school science experiment.

The last bloom of the Christmas Cactus dropped a few weeks ago.

Rust red seed pods of the native Redbud trees look redder from the road.

The clusters of this particular Kolache is not the usual rounded form of most varieties.

One parting shot of a bee enjoying the nectar of a Red Yucca.

Sometimes it’s hard to choose one’s favorite color of flowers. But you don’t have to. I love red ones, yellow ones, purple ones, etc.

“How would you like a job where when you made a mistake, a big red light comes on and 18,000 people boo?” Jacques Plante, Canadian ice hockey goaltender

Tall and Striking

Posted on May 16, 2013 by wedd4780

There are several plants that shout southwest to me. One of them is the Yucca. Having been around them all my life, I have always them for granted. Lately, their beauty has caught my eye.

It surprises me to learn that they grow in so many different environments – rocky deserts, prairies, mountains, grasslands, coastal sands, and woodlands.

“It is nearly impossible for the amateur to distinguish between the species (of yuccas).” according to Texas Wildflowers by Campbell and Lynn Boughmiller. That sounded like a challenge to me. But after reading several different sources, I concede that they are probably right.

It’s wild how they can hug the embankment beside the road, leaning over and top heavy.

The late afternoon sun gives their creamy color a yellow cast.

Yuccas have a specialized pollination system. Yucca moths transfer the pollen from the stamen of one plant to the stigma of another plant. Then they lay an egg in the flower. The resulting moth larva feeds on the developing seeds. This is where it gets crazy: they leave enough seeds to perpetuate the species. What? They just get full before the seed supply ends? I know, I know – DNA.

This symbiotic relationship is estimated to have been around for 40 million years.

Queen Anne’s Lace or Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) is from the parsley family. Its taproot can be cooked and eaten. Queen Anne’s Lace is considered a weed because they spread rapidly. That’s why they cover large areas beside the roadways.

Legend says that Queen Anne, the wife of King James I of England was challenged to create lace as beautiful as a flower. The picture of the British queen with the high lace collar that has always been in my mind is not Anne, atfter all.

But rather, Mary, Queen of Scots. Also, known as Bloody Mary. So much for my logic about the origin of this plant. But the image of the intricate lacework still lingers every time I think of Queen Anne’s Lace flowers.

Bold stands the yuccas with their masses of flowers in the wild. While the delicate Queen Anne’s Lace provides a blanket of white as traffic speeds along. Close inspection shows the delicate clusters of tiny flowers.

“Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wild in Spring

Posted on May 10, 2013 by wedd4780

For those of us who were skeptical about the prospect of wildflowers this year, we are happily having to eat our words. The variety isn’t as wide as some years, but the beauty is terrific.

Even before the Bluebonnets start to fade, all kinds of yellow daisies and asters appear in large swatches.

The differences in their flowers are subtle and require close inspection and knowledge to identify them.

Usually mixed in among the groups of yellow flowers are other wildflowers and weeds. In the above picture Sweet William or Wild Verbena add some purple.

The next wildflower in succession is the Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella).

In an undisturbed field, they can cover acres providing brilliant color.

Sometimes it’s called a Firewheel.

Like most Texas wildflowers, they are hardy. I personally think that God provides this spring show to encourage us as we face the unbearable summer temperatures.

This is a Buffalo Gourd or Stinking Gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) vine. They grow in pastures and produce a small round gourd that is light yellow when ripe.

The Evening Primrose or Showy Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) starts blooming in late March. They often grow in massive groups along the roadsides.

Their toughness and ability to grow in many types of soils and conditions seems incongruent with their delicate looks.

Because their petals form a cup shape, they are also known as buttercups. Aren’t they a sweet flower that looks like it should be in a wedding bouquet?

It has been a good year for a kaleidscope of color in the fields and bar ditches of central Texas. What a pleasure.

“She attended the Nation’s great needs,
Was admired by Persians and Medes,
But acquired, sad to say,
Somewhere on the way
An unhealthy attachment to weeds.”

Harry Middleton toasting Lady Bird Johnson

Zipping through the Air

Posted on May 5, 2013 by wedd4780

Every year around the middle of March, the hummingbirds return like the swallows to Capistrano. March is really too early many years because of our late freezes. One year almost the entire group of early arrivers froze.

With temperatures in the high 30′s the second of May this year, it was a close call. This is taken through a window to show how they cluster to a feeder. Each day I fill four feeders. I’ve found that if I put more feeders out, then more birds come. So four a day is all I want to manage. Then when we leave town for a few days, we hang 15 – 18 feeders.

This was Thursday as the temperatures dropped. They were feeding more than usual to keep warm. So all 4 feeders were filled twice that day.

Two feeders are visible from the kitchen sink, so it’s easy to be reminded when they’re empty.

This was taken during the summertime.

Most of hummers here aren’t that colorful unless the sun strikes the iridescent greens and golds on their backs. But occasionally, we get a Black-chinned one like the one above with a purple throat.

It’s well known that hummingbirds hover and are the only birds that can fly backwards. But a surprising fact, at least to me, was that they only live in the western hemisphere from southeastern Alaska to southern Chile. Most live in the tropical areas within that range.

These are Broad-tailed or Rufous Hummingbirds.

In all of the years we’ve had hummers, I’ve never been able to find one of their nests. I know they’re tiny, but many of the trees they rest in here are rather short. Near one feeder, a favorite perch is a Yaupon Holly. From there, they can view the feeder and other birds.

They use sticky spider webs to hold their nests together. The stretchiness of the natural materials also allows the nest to increase in size as the nestlings grow.

By summertime, we will have 60 or more birds consistently in our yard. We do have some plants to provide nectar. But they can lick feeders dry in hours. They use their tongues to lap up the sugar water.

Filling feeders also involves scrubbing the bottles and the holding containers that screw on. I’ve tried different kinds of brushes. The ones on long handles with curved brushes work the best.

The birds also consume spiders and other insects and feed digested insects, regurgitated, to their babies.

Sitting quietly outside, one can hear their tweets that sound like squeaks as well as the humming of their wings. And, sometimes, one noisy hummer will hover in front of your face.

Hummers can keep a group of adults and children mesmerized with their fighting, zipping through the air, and other antics. It’s all about getting the nectar or sugar water, even if you have to poke a fellow in the back with your beak to get him to move out of the way.

“Both the cockroach and the bird would get along very well without us, although the cockroach would miss us most.” Joseph Wood Krutch

Not Another Freeze, Please

Posted on May 2, 2013 by wedd4780

Since our last cold spell, several plants have bloomed or re-bloomed from earlier freezes. The temperatures have been in the mid to high 80′s recently. Meteorologists have predicted mid 30′s tonight on May 1. That would be the lowest temperature ever recorded in this area in May. Since trees are fully leafed out, surely they would lose their leaves again.

The early morning temperatures started in the 50′s today and are steadily going down. I really doubt that it will drop to freezing. But stranger things have happened.

The Bottle Brush (Callistemon) is looking good.

The leaves on this bush are hard and very sharp. If your bare arms hit against them, you get a poke or prick. These hard leathery leaves are probably the reason they do so well here. They retain their water, like the leaves of native bushes.

Spider Worts (Tradescantia x andersonia) are flourishing. These are reliable perennials. Mine had a difficult start because jackrabbits kept eating the tender shots down to the ground. I finally caged the plants so they couldn’t reach them.

Ox Eye Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) are opening up, but don’t have much height, yet. This is considered a weed, and I’ve read that it’s illegal to sell the seeds in the state of Washington. But around here, it’s a pass-along plant, which is how I got mine.

The native False Foxglove (Penstemon cobaea) have really filled out and spread in one year.

When I dug up those little scrawny plants out of the hard caliche beside the road, I never dreamed that they would be such a pretty sight in my yard.

The Oso Easy Paprika rose bushes are covered with blooms. They have proved to be a really good investment. But I never see them for sale anymore.

Knockout Roses are blooming with their small flowers. But a bush full of the flowers is stunning.

Now, what will changing weather do to all the plants? It’s definitely out of our hands.

“Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God.” George Washington Carver

Givers and Doers

Posted on April 28, 2013 by wedd4780

The events in the news these past two weeks remind me of all of the heroes in our communities. The ones that have been recognized for their specific heroic acts to save others deserve the recognition. But this is about the everyday heroes who do the mundane work that keeps a community alive, safe, and cared for.

When we left a large city to live in a rural community, it became more evident how individuals make the difference. The volunteer firemen are on call 24/7 and need to jump in at a moment’s notice. Their jobs are hampered by rough terrain and low water supplies.

In fact, donations and volunteers are strong backbones for small towns. The local counties have a high poverty level – about 30% live below that. Several locally financed organizations have been founded to help meet their needs. They provide food and clothing.

In addition, many bake sales, BBQ meals, or some other fundraisers reach out to help with specific medical costs, losses from fires, or other tragedies.

Local hunters donate deer meat to an organization that provides groceries for families. A group of ranchers provide a special deer hunt for wounded warriors. They bring in soldiers from a nearby base and give them a day to remember. The list goes on and on.

This post is to acknowledge the fulfilled dream of a few people for a community garden. The Brownwood Community Garden is a 22,000 sq. ft. garden on a piece of land behind the Salvation Army with public housing on one side. It has 65 raised beds, each 20 ft. long with their own drip irrigation pipes and a 6,000 gallon rainwater collection system.

There is a shade arbor for an outdoor classroom and socializing, hot and cool composting bins, and a small orchard with fruit trees, pomegranates, and black berries and blueberries.

The Garden’s primary mission is to provide fresh, naturally grown produce to area food pantries to feed the hungry. The Garden also provides space for residents who wish to garden according to natural, chemical-free methods.

Children and others who have not been exposed to gardening are educated in sustainable gardening practices. The Boys and Girls Club utilizes the Master Gardeners who teach there. Finally, the goal is to provide employment and on-the-job training opportunities for low-income workers.

If this doesn’t sound like a massive undertaking, consider the climate conditions involved and the number of volunteers needed.

This might look like a small thing to those who live in cities with resources. But it’s a big project for smaller communities with stretched budgets.

I salute all those who donate resources, time, and themselves. It’s what life is all about.

“If you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you’ll end up doing nothing for nobody.” Malcolm Bane

PS. I really do know that photography should be done before 9 am (or earlier in our harsh sun), but it’s not always possible when you live remote.

Iris Time

Posted on April 23, 2013 by wedd4780

Twelve years ago I planted heirloom irises in the field. These hardy souls can be found at old abandoned homesteads. Even if they do not get enough water to bloom, the bulbs lay dormant to return another year when there is rain.

Most of mine came from family or friends. I hate to admit it, but they’ve been sadly neglected.

They need to be divided. I’ve avoided trying to dig them out of the hard clay. Just weeding around them is a chore. Also, they should be fertilized twice a year – near Valentine’s Day and near Halloween. It’s easy to remember, but not easy to hook up three hoses and drag them out to the field.

Heirloom iris have deep colors.

Three years ago I ordered some reblooming iris bulbs. Their colors are lighter than heirlooms. These should be divided, also.

Their flower size tends to be larger than most heirlooms. The reblooming ones are also reliable. They bloom several times in the spring and once in the fall, if the weather gets cool enough. They do need regular watering, so they do well in a flowerbed with a drip system.

Because the wind is so strong here, I usually cut the iris blooms and put them in vases inside. Since they don’t smell so good, it’s better not to bring in too many at once or at least, not all in in one room.

“The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.” Benjamin Franklin

Mellow Yellow

Posted on April 19, 2013 by wedd4780

Whether you prefer the soft colors or the bright bold colors for flowers, they bring a special lift to those who take time to enjoy garden sights.

Early spring brings the delightful Columbine (Aquilegia) blossoms.

Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for “eagle” because the shape of the flower petals, which are said to resemble an eagle’s claw. I’m guessing that refers to the long antenna-like spikes shown above.

The common name “columbine” comes from the Latin for “dove” due to the resemblance of the flower to five doves clustered together. Some wild imaginations those botanists had.

To me, they look more like tiny comets zooming in the wind. They are very hardy perennials. I’ve seen pictures of purple and deep red columbines. But only two varieties survive in Texas – this yellow one and one that is called red. But the red one is really a combination of red and yellow. This solid yellow one is the more common here and the hardiest.

Columbine are invasive. Mine have scattered all around and are in pots and several flowerbeds. If it really bothered me, I would pull them up. For s couple of years I have dug them out of a flowerbed that I want designated for wood fern only.

All of mine get morning or diffused sunlight and shade in the afternoon. They don’t seem to be particular about soil.

In the past other gardeners have told me to cut off the stems that flower on certain plants. For instance, an ornamental cabbage, like the one above. This year I decided to forget that advice and see what the flowers look like. They’re more impressive than the plant itself.

“Spending an evening on the World Wide Web is much like sitting down to a dinner of Cheetos. Two hours later your fingers are yellow and you’re no longer hungry, but you haven’t been nourished.” Clifford Stoll