Author: Brandon Moeller

The first portulaca (moss rose) to bloom this year was one of the ones that volunteered itself from last year. It bloomed a bright yet mellow yellow.

One morning last week, I was driving to work, and I saw this white trellis at the curb — in someone’s trash. The history of the trellis at this house is pretty interesting, I think. The unknown neighbor installed the trellis in their front yard, never removed the tag and never planted something to grow up it.

Kim even let me decide where to put our new treasure, and what to buy to grow up it. I wasn’t sure if I wanted a rose or a climbing vine. I did some research, and I was leaning toward four candidates: A Peggy Martin rose, a Reve d’Or rose, some kind of Honeysuckle (because I love that song by Austin-based The Gourds), or a jasmine. I wanted a climbing vine that added some scent to the garden, something I think is lacking right now.

So, after picking up my daughter from school on Friday, we headed to Plants for All Seasons, located on SH 249 north of Louetta. There, I couldn’t find either of the roses I wanted, and I didn’t see any Honeysuckle that begged me to take it home, however, I did come across this pink jasmine plant that had one small set of blooms but smelled wonderful.

I had a little difficulty getting it out of its pot, however, and broke two large branches on it. I tried taking cuttings of these branches and attempted to get them to root in some left over seed-starting mix I have on the porch, but though I’ve tried to keep them moist, it appears that they’re drying out and wilting. Drat. It was a two-person job but I was too anxious to have anybody help me. Lesson learned.

Regardless, the plant in the ground appears healthy and I’ve secured it to the trellis with some twine.

And there’s even some buds on it, so hopefully it will bloom before the weekend’s forcasted rain-a-thon.

This week, we’ve discovered the earliest stages of fruit on two plants in the garden – Kim’s grape tomato plant and one of my Quinault strawberries.

With luck, we’ll have some good garden eating this year.

Recently, I’ve been transplanting a lot of the seedlings to various places in my original bed and elsewhere in the back and front yards.

There’s another five of these babies between Kim’s new (this year) Peace Rose and the fence, and Kim’s knockout roses and the container garden section of the extended bed.

Not labeled in the photo above are the cosmos along the fence and the portulaca which wraps around the front border of the bed. But you knew that, right?

That really black stuff around the buttons? That’s leaf mold compost I got from Enchanted Forest here in Richmond which was processed in Conroe. Nature’s Way, I believe. My first investment in black gold. But that’s another post.

Three quick pictures of visitors I recently found in the garden.

He looks similar, but not identical, to the frog who liked to call my garden shoes his home last year.

Remember the spider I found the other day? Well, I’ve seen plenty more of them since then, and plenty of green flies, too.

But everybody loves these gals:

I can’t wait to discover all of the visitors I’ll have once my seedlings really take off and bloom.