New 2007 Garden Acquisitions

[txbeyer]

Let's start a new topic and talk about new things we will be adding to our 2007 garden scene (plants, tools, etc.)

I recently began my spring plant search for new things to try in the garden and luckily found a variegated Butterfly Bush (Buddleya davidii 'Harlequin') at a local nursery. The variegated leaves will add to the bluish lavender color of the blooms this summer.

I also found a source for and will be buying the following from a Houston nursery this March.
Myrtus communis variegata
Agave vilmoriniana (Octopus Agave)
Chamerops humilis var. Cerifera (a blue/silver leafted Med. Fan Palm native to Morocco)

In addition, I purchased on E-bay, a medio-stiated variegated form of Agave murpheyii.

I will be mail ordering soon for a very dwarf form of Murreya paniculata (Orange Jessamine). I have one 6' tall and this one doesn't exceed 2' and blooms as heavily as the species.

I found a pot of white miniature roses marked down after Valentine's day to $2.50. It contained 5 individual plants and I have had excellent luck with growing minnies in Austin.

I won a door prize at a recent Garden Club meeting, an Annona cerimola (Custard Apple). It is a tropical to subtropical and I am offering it to anyone as a trading plant. It will eventually get too big to overwinter in my small GH.

What have any of you found that will be new in your garden this year?

[lcosden]

Gee what do you mean by new.. I have a couple of items I am re-habilitating to put out into the garden this year.. I have a blueberry (Tophat variety) and two dwarf mockoranges from online that I'm planning to plant outside. The blueberry is probably going to transition into an outdoor potted plant though.

[txbeyer]

I mean that most gardeners should be getting spring fever by now and thinking about what they will do to make this year's garden different, better, or have something new in mind to try. Since we all live in very different gardening environments, it's always interesting to learn about what others are planning to do once the weather allows it.

I also added out door solar lighting to reflect on a limestone rear wall behind the raised garden in front of it so anything I plant this year in that location will be silojuetted (sp?) at night against a lighted background.

[PlantSwap]

I'm not as organized as you are Bob. I'll be doing good to get the weeds out of my existing beds, transplant or remove a few existing plants that are crowding things out and get some tomatoes growing. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned!

I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to thin out the orange daylilies that are multiplying like mad in my beds. They are awesome performers, but I don't need them to choke out everything else.

I've also got a pretty large gardenia that I need to move (or remove) because it is overtaking several nearby plants (including meiwa kumquat & meyer lemon trees).

I still have a few plants in pots that I got last year at plant swaps! The root beer plant needs to go in the ground soon. It's drooping every day in the pot.

[txbeyer]

Bernard,

You speak about the root beer plant, talk about invasive . Once that baby is in the ground, it will take over. There's a good reason to keep it pot bound or place it where it can spread out without taking prisoners.

I was surprised that my Meyeri Lemon made it thru the Austin winter with ever so minor damage. I potted it to keep it a reasonable size. I am eating Meiwa kumquats right off my 2' tree - that also made it through our winter without harm of any kind.

It was 87 degrees in Austin yesterday, Feb 26th - can you believe that! In early February, we had 20 degrees. That's why gardening is more challenging in Austin than Houston - greater short term variations to deal with.

Well, go put some icing on that cake

[PlantSwap]

You speak about the root beer plant, talk about invasive . Once that baby is in the ground, it will take over. There's a good reason to keep it pot bound or place it where it can spread out without taking prisoners.

Thanks for the advice. I'll adjust my plans for it accordingly. It'll get a larger pot. That link I posted says the leaves are edible... I'll give it a go...