Is that lizard real?!?! He's gorgeous! What are you planning to do next? Why? Are you tired of things the way they are? Just wondering because it looks like you put so much heart and soul into your yard to be making a radical change. I don't think I could do it! You are gutsy!

I'm glad he looks real, but he's not :-( He was a gift from my daughter who knows I love reptiles. He was just plain gray until I looked up 'colored lizards' on the internet and painted him to match.

My heart and soul has gone into the garden - that's for sure! But as they say; the pleasure is in the journey and not the destination.

There are several reasons why it's being changed. Discovery of chili thrips on the roses, and LOTS of other lush type plants, pushed me into something I'd been thinking about doing anyway, and that is to redesign the garden to be more drought tolerant and easier care while I am still young and able enough to enjoy doing it. That means removing most of the roses (I'll keep a few) and other plants that are especially subject to chilli thrips damage and replacing them with succulents and other dry climate plants that are none or less subject to them. I can hardly wait to get started.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chili thrips in San Antonio ...

Use this one:

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's the right llink ....

Roselee I always love looking at pictures of your garden. I don't think I ever saw the "starting point" pics. In a weird way they're as much if not more inspirational to me because I can see where the journey took you. It gives me hope for my planning.

I can see how it would be a little sad to do a big makeover, but there's no doubt it will end up just as lovely as this garden. Plus we get to watch :-)

Lisa

Thank you for your kind words Lisa. It will take two or three years for things to fill in again with different plants, plus some of the succulent plants will not be as full and lush, but I think it will be just as enjoyable -- or more so since it will need less water and attention.

Do I dare publish pictures after the 'carnage' of removing the roses and other plants? LOL ... sure, why not? It does serve as an encouragement so I'll post the progress of the 'new' garden in case anyone want to see them.

I love seeing the transformation of where it all started and where it is now and will love viewing the 'carnage' of redesigning. I really appreciate the time you spend sharing the pictures and stories of your very lovely garden! The garden art really rivals the plants :-)

We just experienced our first killing frost/freeze here at our house and it seems that our gardens always look their best just before fall ends. It is kinda sad to see the brugmansia leaves hanging like steamed spinach. I so wish that the moderate weather lasted as long as the heat but I do love living and gardening here in Texas so won't complain too much. We have a record low number of tropicals to bring inside this year, I am also moving more toward natives that sleep in winter and recover in the spring. We had a lot more rain this summer than you did, but we are looking to not only reduce the water consumption but also the labor involved in watering a large garden. I'm really not planning on bringing any brug cuttings in this winter, just a few special plants. I don't grow roses but have become a brugmansia enthusiast over the past few years and they just need too much water and attention. The blooms are lovely, but I too need a change of pace.

Pam

When is he going to get the roses? I love your "stuff" in the garden...... critters etc.

Pam, I like before and after pictures too so I'll be posting some and hope they won't be too boring.

Making a flower garden from the fence to fence St. Augustine grass we began with has been fun, but probably like you I've reached the peak on the number of plants I'm willing to water so now I'm heading back down the mountain. As they say "less is more". Of course it's easy to see I've never gone along with that adage before now ... LOL.

Kathy, he'll be getting the roses when the weather cools a bit more. I'm eager to have it happen so I can see the spaces that will be freed up. I'll still use pots because I like the way they look (plus for the original reason -- it's hard to dig holes in the rock) but instead of roses I'll be using more structual plants and concentrate on shapes and forms rather than profuse abundance.

The center bed will be left pretty much as it is for awhile and the re-do will begin on the other areas first. I'd like to gravel a little more of the back, but Bob likes the grass, which is okay I guess since the Floratam St. Augustine we plugged in a few years ago takes much less water than what was here before.

If you are planting Xeric plants , one can build up mounds of sand and pea gravel added on top of the soil on your beds and avoid the rocks and create good drainage.

It is sad and hopeful all at the same time. I am jealous at the time to spend in the garden.

I bought some broken bags of decomposed gratite at Lowes today. Will that work? Should a little soil be dug into it or not? Not sure how much sustenance is in pure decomposed granite, or do some roots reach down past it?

Yes, it nice to be retired (about four or five years now) and have more free time for things that you love. I wish it for every one.

I would mix it into the dirt and make a mound. Decomposed granit has what caliche based soils lack. MINERALS and a little iron clay. Xerics love decomposed granite. I put it in my dirt whenever I plant anything. But one can create a mound. It will help when one has those WET years. AGaves need the extra drainage. I buy decomposed granite by bulk. IT is a lot cheaper than from the HD and Lowes. I always need more. My dirt is so infertile and it perks up after I give it decomposed granite and compost. Some xeric dirt mixes from stores that make xeric bulk dirts combine compost sands, and decomposed granite and probably a few other things but mostly those three things. I need another half yard. They let me buy it in half yards and then I get it bag by bag if my trailer is not working . My husband has not fixed the lights on it.Actually I would like to get a cubic yard or two.

Rosalee, not sure if I ever had a chance to thank you for sharing your lovely garden with us this last plant swap. It was very inspirational. Thanks so much