Linda M just sent me this precious picture of something I've never seen in the birdbath on my morning stroll!

Living in the country she gets some unusual visitors :-)

If there is anything seen on your garden strolls that you'd like to share with us you are welcome to add it to this thread.

Very pretty, Roselee. I really like the little Rock rose.

I'm afraid the pink variety of dwarf Mex. petunias, are as invasive as the purple ones, in my garden.

The owl in the birdbath reminded me of this picture that was posted a while back on Houston Chronicle Gardening by another gardener.

Oh my! Now that racoon knows a good thing when he finds it for sure!

Thanks Jim for the warning about the pink ... oh but wait a minute. Your talking about the dwarf and all the colors do multiply about the same in my yard too, except they all finally revert to purple, but I don't mind them.

You can't tell from the picture, but this is the tall Mex. Petunia. I may be taking a chance with it, but my soil isn't all that great in spite of all the compost I've put down, so 'medium invasive', if there is such a thing, works for me.

Thanks again for the great photo. Linda M. is going to enjoy it.

The invitation is still open to add pictures of anyone's morning strolls -- with or without critters :-)

Jim, we haven't seen much of your yard for a while and I'm really missing it. How about some pictures?

Oh my! Now that racoon knows a good thing when he finds it for sure!

Thanks Jim for the warning about the pink ... oh but wait a minute. Your talking about the dwarf and all the colors do multiply about the same in my yard too, except they all finally revert to purple, but I don't mind them.

You can't tell from the picture, but this is the tall Mex. Petunia. I may be taking a chance with it, but my soil isn't all that great in spite of all the compost I've put down, so 'medium invasive', if there is such a thing, works for me.

Thanks again for the great photo. Linda M. is going to enjoy it.

The invitation is still open to add pictures of anyone's morning strolls -- with or without critters :-)

Jim, we haven't seen much of your yard for a while and I'm really missing it. How about some pictures?

In case anyone is interested here is the picture of the tall Pink Mexican Petunia.

Patty said she had observed that the pink one doesn't travel around by root sprouts like the purple one does. It stays in one clump making it much better behaved in the garden. It will seed itself around, but not much and is easy to pull or move.

It's very drought tolerant and will take sun or bright shade. I really like it and if anyone wants some I'll see if I can bring some plants to the San Antonio Plant Swap Oct. 9.

Ha! No wonder I didn't understand why people hated the pink ruellia so much! I guess I have the well behaved one.

Omar

Hi Omar! Yes, the tall purple one is soooo 'bad' even such a one as myself, who appreciates easy to grow plants in my dry location, won't allow it in my yard.

However, I do like the dwarf purple one that seeds itself around with abandon, but then I have a rather casual garden where if it blooms and doesn't require a lot of care -- it stays. LOL

Here's the dwarf purple Mexican petunia blooming in a dry rocky place where it rarely gets extra water ...

Omar, are you coming to the swap in San Antonio? I have some things I want to give you if you don't already have them.

Here's my morning contribution. We get a lot of the Tiger Swallowtails but not too many of the Black Swallowtails. I think they're beautiful.

Wow -- I love your butterfly with all that blue flash on his back wings. Thank you for posting the pictures :-)

Roselee,
My caliche soil is so bad that not even the tall purple ruellia is invasive (at least during the first year). Your short purple one looks nice too.

I don't know if I'm going to the swap yet. When is it again? The truth of the matter that I really don't need more plants and every time I go to a swap I come back with a bunch of plants. It's an adiction I need to control :D. Thanks a lot for the offer, though.

Omar

I think the reason more people like the dwarf ruellia is because being small, it can't throw its seeds as far. I have had the pink one and ended up ripping it out of its spot next to my mailbox because I was getting new plants 20 feet away! I am still finding occasional seedlings from that silly plant!