Looking good, preparing the bed does sound like a ton of work but worth it now because you can just add plants as you find them.

I haven't seen any bamboo around here as I make my early spring rounds but will keep looking. I know there are lots of places in Houston but not so many in SA. They also seem to find it in Austin easier too.

Shirley, thanks for keeping an eye out for bamboo. But I've been wondering just how drought tolerant it is, other than the common running bamboo that takes over the world, or at least parts of the Hill Country. I'm pretty sure both Austin and Houston get more rain than San Antonio.

Too bad we can't delete double messages

This post was edited by roselee on Fri, Jan 25, 13 at 17:12

The only clumping bamboo I remember is on the tour we saw in October.

St. Francis does look a little disapproving....had a nice chuckle this morning. Love all the blue planters.

Roselee what are the pretty bush-like plants with the red flowers behind St. Francis? Your yard is amazing btw.

I like the coupling of the melancholic naked woman and the saint. It suits my sense of humor and love of surreality. One could read her like a wild fawn, a pagan wood sprite of sorts.

Roselee, I got Greg Starrs book "AGAVES: Livingsculptures for landscapse and containers". I recommend it highly. You might find it useful.

Roselee you have the most interesting plants! I love succulents, cactus and ornamental grasses.

I love the blue that your garden art is sporting, it really draws the eye and is my all time favorite color! The huge manfreda owns that garden and I bet it will really look amazing with that coral honeysuckle behind it! Is that a hesperaloe in the terra cotta pot? I love the white 'threads'. What grass is that on the right? I love that huge ammonite too!

In the second picture, I need to know what that fat agave-looking plant is on the deck. Is it cold hardy? I'm guessing so because it looks too heavy to move in and out.
What grasses are you using in this bed? I need to get more coneflowers going, the butterflies just love them (and so do I). I've never had much luck with any daisies, I water too much but I love to see them in other gardens. I can't wait to see this garden grow in. Where do you find the metal birds? I think you know that I share your love of garden art :-)

St Francis does seem to cast a disapproving stare at the resting lady's lack of attire but I find that humorous as well. What is the sculptural tree in that bed?

Great progress, please keep sharing the pictorial progress!

Pam

I planted Blackfoot daisies at the front of my bed, according to the growth measurements I was given...and they've spilled over onto the sidewalk. It's OK with me, but we'll see if the city/neighbors agree. I planted 6 (I think) quart-sized plants, as that's what the nursery had, and they made a very nice mound! The purple trailing lantana I planted behind it actually worked into it and looked very pretty. And, while I meant to make sure to water them regularly all summer, they got established pretty quick and made it through the summer without a lot of extra water. I definitely recommend them!

They've been pretty green, but after the last cold spell they started acting like the cold was getting to them. I'm waiting until March to see if I need to cut them back or if they'll be OK.

Loved all of your replies about St. Francis and the resting woman. They pretty much mirror my opinion about the placement ... hahaha!

Blackwillow, the plant in question is Red shrimp plant. Unless we have a very hard freeze it blooms all winter. Hummingbirds love it.

Mara, thanks for the tip on the book. I looked it up on Amazon and they let you look through quite a few pages. It would be great to have as a reference book.

Pam, glad you like the blue too. Today Bob painted the rest of the trim on the store room and it really brightened things up!

I finally separated the Macho mocho manfreda that had been growing in a big pot for years. It wasn't easy to get it apart, but I got four big plants and three little ones.

The plant with the white threads is Agave multifiliferia. I have another one in a pot behind the bird bath in the deck bed, but it doesn't have quite as many threads, but both of them really sparkle in the light.

The fat agave on the deck is Agave parrasana 'Meat Claw'. It's one of my favorites because it's very cold tolerant even as a young plant and it stays small. When planted in the ground it produces a lot of off sets so I'm lucky to have gotten several extras from it. I originally bought it from Yuccado years ago. Later I bought one that was labeled Agave parrasana at Lowes, but it died with the first very light freeze so it's good to be aware that there are different strains even if named the same.

The grasses in the bare deck bed are Bunny grass, Dwarf fountain grass and Red buttons fountain grass. I think the centers of cone flowers will pick up the color of Red buttons so will look good with it.

The two clumps of grass in the tower bed are Ruby crystals. In the painted pot on the left of the tower is more Dwarf fountain grass. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the ornamental grasses do.

I got the metal bird by the bird bath (which has a shovel for a body) from the Herb Market several years ago. It was made by a local artisan. Patty got the tall flamingo for me this Christmas. It was made in Mexico and rocks when the wind blows. I just love it! And yes, I gathered that you like garden art too :-)

The tree behind St. Francis is a native Youpon holly. I have three of them, all planted near the house. Their roots are no threat to the foundation and I love the mottled and twisted trunks and limbs. The red birds and mocking birds nest in them every spring and they eat the red berries from the one female tree all winter.

Tex Ag, the combination of Black foot daisies and lavender lantanas sounds wonderful. I'm also glad to hear that Black foot daisies were so drought tolerant for you. They are amazing plants. I've seen them growing wild on the shoulders of highways in the Hill Country.

Again, thanks to everyone for expressing an interest in the make over. You know me and pictures, so you know I'll keep y'all updated.

Here is a link that might be useful: Agave Parrasana at Yuccado ...

I noticed that your shrimp plant was still blooming, and could not believe what a difference a few hundred miles make. Mine get killed back with the first hard freeze, and don't come back until Spring. That is why I keep a few in containers so I can have early blooms. Not being a big fan of succulents, I liked your garden better the way it was before, but you are doing a great job with the make over, and I know it will reflect your flair for making things beautiful whether we like them or not.

That's amazing about the Shrimp plant. I just love your garden art.

I googled the grasses and they are all so pretty! I like the red buttons the best and agree that the coneflowers will be very striking there next to them. I know that I can grow the dwarf fountain and the bunny grass here, we had those in the demo garden in Granbury. I have a boatload of mexican feather and want to add some variety.

You sent me a Meat Claw Agave offset a couple of years ago and it's planted in my cactus garden! It's still small and I didn't realize that it was the same plant!

Wow, you've done a great job. I especially like the deck area. The three touches of blue on the pots and the shutters look so good, and the middle agave on the deck has a lovely shape. I look forward to seeing how the grasses, cone flowers & blackfoot daisies fill in.

St. Francis needs to be a bit more tolerant of unclothed women. ;-)

Carrie, thanks. I dearly loved the old garden too, but am really liking the new direction the garden is taking. Bob is on board and though he likes grass (what is it about men and their grass?) he decided to take out the section of grass in front of the cedar swing. It gets west sun so is hard to keep watered. There will still be plenty of grass for the dogs to run on and lay to chew their bones.

Black Willow, thanks again.

Pam, I had forgotten I sent a baby 'Meat claw' to you. In case you want more, it seems they off set more often, even when they are small, if they are in a small pot. However, they will offset in the ground. It just seems to take longer.

Laura, thanks for looking and commenting. I'm still inspired when I think of your wonderfully designed garden with all your great pieces of garden art. Here's a post about Laura's "Hairy Toe" garden:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/txgard/gal0418383532271.html

Well, it's back outside. I'm in the process of removing some of the tropicals from the washing machine tubs and replacing with succulents and/or the drought tolerant flowering plants I got at the last SABG plant sale.

Here is a link that might be useful: In case anyone doesn't know here's why I was pressed to change the garden -- post about chilli thrips ...

You notice I have resisted comenting until now? lol
If the chillllllli thrips vanish you are going to slit your throat.
I think I am going to do more shrubs. I want move the dwarf barbados cherry to the front west side. And add so rock rose. That bed has sat there stagnent for 4 years.

Kathy, that thought has entered my mind. Hahahaha! Not exactly that I'd slit my throat ... LOL, but am I going to regret giving up most of the roses and many other plants if the chilllli thrips infestation abates? I've given this a lot of thought and the truth is: actually not. They just pushed me into doing what I'd been thinking about doing anyway; making the yard easier care, less water, etc.

Another goal is to make the house easier to sell for our heirs, or if/when Bob or I exit before the other leaving only one to take care of things, or face the need to sell. I've read on other forums how hard it is for a house to sell if it has an extensive ornamental garden, especially if there are a lot of roses which the public views as hard to grow. In a way they are as they need more water, more fertilizer, twice yearly pruning, and on and on. Anyway I've kept a few roses just in case.

Besides it's not as if the garden is turning into a desert. There's still a lot of plants here, but the goal is to get it where when we take a few days summer vacation I won't have to bribe the kids, or pay someone to water. Another consideration is I just feel better about helping to conserve what fresh water the city/state/country/planet has.

Also I enjoy the creative process of redesign and sharing it with all of you. I very much appreciate everyone's input :-)

Sorry, another double post ...

This post was edited by roselee on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 10:31

If one wants shrubs and xeric shade loving stuff, one can feast ones eyes on some of the different Mexican silk tassels (Garrya) that exist. They are not the easiest things to get a hold of, but they do make beautiful flowers. It is not a either or proposition. I understand the need to do something different and the brutal step back from established beauty to move in such a different direction. Things are in that awkward stage and you are hoping for the next stage to come and , thes succulents are so slow growing comparatively.

Mara, great suggestion! I did buy Lindheimer's silktassel, Garrya ovata, which is a subspecies of Silk tassel, from the San Antonio Botanical Center plant sale. It seems this species doesn't have as showy flowers as some others do. One site said:

"Can be temperamental and typically grows in limestone of the Glen Rose formation in the Texas Hill Country"

It's pretty small and I get the idea it's pretty slow growing so we'll see. I'd love to have a larger speciment of the larger flowered subspecies so if anybody sees one for sale let me know.

Yep, succulents take a few years to look their best, but I'm patient -- as long as I have some other things to look at while I'm waiting :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: About Lindheimer's silktassel from Ladybird's garden site ....

Yucado used to have a really long tasseled variety from Mexico. I have the Lindheimers garrya in the back of my canyon.