08/03/2023 Thursday

The last few weeks have been a bit chaotic. Nonetheless, Briar says it’s important to take time to smell the inland sea oats!

07/24/2023 blackjack oak!

A blackjack oak seedling has six leaves on its thin and barely visible stem. It is growing in the shade surrounded by dry red oak leaves from last season.
This beautiful young friend has obviously been growing for a while since it has half a dozen leaves, but I only spotted it recently. We had planted blackjack acorns under the red oak in several places in hopes of starting a grove (they’ll probably stay understory height until the red oak dies in the hopefully long-distant future). this one is north of the blackberries and south of the one beautyberry.

07/20/2023 summer continues

Green grasses have broad round seedheads forming. The grass are in front of a wooden fence dappled with sun and shade.
The sea oats that came up a few years ago from purchased seeds. They finally bloomed!
Three pink lily flowers blooming at the end of a long bare green stalk. The weathered wooden fence in the background is draped with a few five-leaved vines called Virginia Creeper.
There are three surprise amaryllis in the yard! They are all this shade of pink. Not native, but obviously tough, and not spreading so it can stay for now.
A brilliant scarlet red flower peels out from behind fuzzy green leaves. The flower petals are folded around a long red-pink flower part whose name I can’t remember.
The Texas mallows have begun to bloom! I love how bright they are in the shade.
A flower bud with a domed greenish center has tiny skinny yellow petals begin to emerge around it.
Rudbeckia lacinata from Abby is very happy this wet summer and has started to bloom.
Pale fingers with a wedding band hold a small sunflower blossom and three pointy green leaves still for the camera. The sunflower has clean yellow petals and a brownish center. There are various green leaves in the background.
Helianthus petiolaris from seeds are starting to bloom! There is a crab spider hiding behind one petal that you can just see their legs.

07/08/2023 too much for baby yucca

We planted two baby Arkansas yuccas a week or so ago in front of the house. The bigger one (see next picture) is doing fine. this little one, which I am pointing at, has been struggling hard and has about half a leaf remaining. At first I just watered it extra but now I have added a shade and moisture retention barrier on the west side consisting of a wall of sticks and leaves about 2 inches high.
I point at the bigger yucca seedling. It has three skinny blue-green leaves. A stray strawberry leaf is visible in the back.