A Few Shots From my Garden Tour

After hosting somewhere between 600-1500 people through my yard yesterday (it seriously felt like 1500!), I realized that I didn't get a moment to take any photos before or during the tour. Perhaps some folks on the tour got some shots. I know I didn't get a chance to answer everyone's questions, but hopefully, a good time was had by all. I took a few quick photos after the tour last evening, so forgive all the smashed turf and pathways! Click on the photos to enlarge them:

Cardoon and Bronze Fennel were popular in the front yard. Dwarf Bear's Breeches (Acanthus spinosus) drew a lot of attention in the back shade garden.

In the background, you can see Sean doing what he does best. I set the patio table with my botanical china, and I had to laugh at how many ladies were checking out the dishes on a garden tour. Us ladies are like that!

Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus 'Royal Ama') totally stole the show—you can't beat that blue! And in the background, you can see Ramona telling everyone to get out!

I've got lots going on in the veggie garden, so I'll update soon...

Muuuhhhaaahahahahaaaa......but don't worry...I bled plenty for it! LOL

The gals are growing gangbusters and looking great. We got our picture taken together this morning for the Dallas Morning News...LOL...The photographer was a real peach and very patient with all the chicken wrangling required to get those shots! I'm hoping she didn't take any of me crawling into the coop, sunny side up, to grab them. BTW, we now carry the Ark, feeds, waterers & feeders, hay, etc. for backyard chicken keeping at North Haven Gardens, here in Dallas. We're having a chicken keeping program on Saturday, May 23rd, and Dan Probst will be selling juvenile birds that day...I'm just sayin'!!

Here are a few photographic updates...

The "Ark" and run.

Phyllis and Einstein

Behold...the teeny tiny sorrel seedlings that Julie gave me...the ones the chickens immediately destroyed...have been reborn. Against all odds, a few of them managed to come back from the crowns. SHUT UP. I'm sure Julie will be a very proud grandma. Viva la Sorrel!!

that's how much I was paying attention to it...it's sorrel, not spinach..lol

One of the many projects I worked on yesterday was this little patch in the corner of the front yard. This spot is compacted and never seems to absorb much water in the summer...leaving mostly died out grass and bare patches. SO, I thought, why not stick some dry garden succulents there? I found these "stones" on property just outside the back gate when we moved in. They've been sitting there ever since, but I knew I wanted to use them for something. We hauled them upfront and I rolled them around until I found a configuration I liked. Roughed up the soil and added some compost, shale and decomposed granite I had on hand from our pathways and patio work. Planted are an assortment of Agave parryi var. truncata, Agave salmiana var. Ferox, Agave ovatifolia, Aloe 'Pink Blush', and a few other species...I'll have to run out and check later....I call it my Stonehenge.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

And yes...this is life sized...lol

Because I garden organically, there is much wildlife activity in my garden. Anoles are everywhere, especially in the front yard. On the day I took this photo, about a week or so ago, I was surrounded by them in the beds. Babies everywhere! This was my favorite of the shots I got that day. This little guy, or perhaps gal due to the more subdued coloring, decided that this batch of irises was theirs...

(That's an Iris 'Thunderbird' by the way...)

Reptiles and amphibians in your garden are a sign of ecosystem health. When they are abundant you know you are doing something right!

The backyard is starting to shape up these days. Still have a few projects to do before the garden tour next weekend. But overall, it's becoming a nice place to hang out. It's difficult to get good photos due to the size and shape of the space, but here are a few snippets.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/garden/07starter.html

Dallas Observer:http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/05/friend_of_the_show_leslie.php