November 09, 2012

Clearing the way for an orchard

November 09, 2012/ DFG

We spent the last weekend clearing away a section of the yard for my new citrus orchard. It's the prefect time of year to plant citrus. I'm excited for next spring and summer!

October 24, 2012

Preparing for all hollows eve!

October 24, 2012/ DFG

Thoroughly enjoyed decorating this year...

May 11, 2012

Frog in the Pond

May 11, 2012/ DFG

After such a nice rain last night, I met a new friend in the pond this morning. Good Morning Frog!

April 16, 2012

Mosaic Bird Feeder

April 16, 2012/ DFG

Since the big installation at SHSU, Kate and I have been enjoying the garden and the lovely spring we are having here in Houston. We even got our hands dirty making a mosaic bird feeder for the garden. It's up and attracting wildlife! Check out the pictures below along with a few garden vignettes.

Before

After

December 20, 2011

A Christmas Bunny

December 20, 2011/ DFG

Last week Kate found a rabbit in the yard. She approached it and it sniffed her! Since then Garland and I have both hand fed it and it is currently living under the trailer in the back yard. He doesn't really like celery but he loves carrots! Tops and all!

November 16, 2011

Fall Flowers in the Garden

November 16, 2011/ DFG

Rick Rack Cactus (Selenicereus anthonyanus)

Don Juan Rose (Rosa spp.) Thryallis (Glaphimia glauca)

Mexican Butterfly Weed (Asclepias curassavica)

Spicy Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima)

Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus) Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)

Fairy Duster (Calliandra haematocephala)

Portulaca (Portulaca spp.)

Firespike (Odontonema strictum)

Night Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)

Gomphrena (Gomphrena globosa)

Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia pulchara)

Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida)

Pink Buttons (Polygonum capitatum)

Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia spp.)

Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri)

Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)

Cigar Plant (Cuphea ignea)

Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes spp.)

Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana)

Turkscap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)

Canna (Canna spp.)

Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)

Sweet Memory Duranta (Duranta erecta)

Shrubby Allamanda (Allamanda schottii)

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.)

Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) with

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

September 29, 2011

Backyard Beehive Adventures

September 29, 2011/ DFG

We had a very adventurous day at the studio Monday! Jennifer the Bee Wrangler came over to help move a bee hive that was living in a tree in the yard. The tree has been dropping limbs and badly needs to be trimmed but the tree guys will not go near it until the bees are gone. I have been interested in bee keeping for a while and really wanted to keep the hive. I've even been making honey comb like sculptures, subconsciously inviting bees into my life. Miraculously, a friend pointed me to Jennifer, a local Houston bee wrangler, who will come and take the bees, allowing them 2 months to regenerate their hive and then bring them back to install in a new box hive in my yard. Check out Jennifer's site and blog at www.thebeewrangler.com. The images below to give a glimpse of the amazing process she uses to get the bees out of the hive. Here's a hint: it involves a shop-vac!

subconscious sculpture

Step 1: making smoke to calm the bees

Step 2: Cutting off the honeycombs

Step 3: The vacuum

Step 4: Cutting the hole bigger

Step 5: Searching for the queen and pulling out more honeycombs from inside the hole

Step 6: Making sure the queen did not fall out!

making sure the queen did not fall on the ground

Step 7: Checking out the honeycombs

Looks like the queen is in there!

Hive relocation SUCCESS!! Thank you Jennifer!!

May 26, 2011

Evening light

May 26, 2011/ DFG

The light is magical this evening

Gypsy Cat

May 16, 2011

Garden Delights

May 16, 2011/ DFG

The first Daylily of the season.

June 17, 2009

A Walk in the Garden (Part 3)

June 17, 2009/ DFG

Plumeria Frangipani

Desert Rose

Miklkweed

Bleeding Heart Vine, Clerodendrum Thomsoniae

Pride of India, glorious peonies

Dragonfruit blossom, Hylocereus undatus

Dragonfruit blossom, Hylocereus undatus

Dragonfruit blossom, Hylocereus undatus

Dragonfruit blossom, Hylocereus undatus

May 19, 2008

ANOTHER WALK IN THE GARDEN

May 19, 2008/ DFG

Walkway with Duranta and Allamanda

Allamanda, Parrot Lily, and Duranta

Sweet Memory Duranta (Duranta erecta) blooms

Shrub Allamanda (Allamanda schottii)

Red Passionvine (Passiflora vitifolia)

Dahlberg Daisy (Thymophylla tenuiloba) has foliage that smells somewhat like parsley

Geranium (Pelargonium spp.)

Four-o-clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) can be trained to bloom in the morning if they only get morning sun

Blue Shade Ruellia (Ruellia humilis)

Tangerine Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens) stalk

Golden Kaleidoscope Abutilon (Abutilon pictum)

Palm Grass (Curculigo capitulata) Blooms at the base of the plant

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

Canna (Canna spp.) bloom and seedpod

Bog Sage (Salvia uliginosa) is a unique salvia that likes wet feat

Blue Butterfly Clerodendrum (Clerodendrum ugandense)

Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

Blue Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus africanus)

Angelwing Jasmine (Jasminum nitidum)

Hardy Calathea (Calathea louisae)

Giant Star Potato Tree (Solanum marcanthum) blooms start out dark purple then fade to white in a similar manner to Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (Brunfelsia latifolia)

Potato Shrub (Solanum spp.)

Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossypifolia)

Buddha's Belly Jatropha (Jatropha podagrica)

Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis)

Marilyn's Choice Abutilon (Abutilon spp.)

Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet)

Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Desert Cassia/Senna (Senna polyphylla)

Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria) buds

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Annual Dianthus (Dianthus spp.)

Gladiola (Gladiolus spp.)

Shrubby Senna (Senna corymbosa)

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Oxalis (Oxalis spp.)

Crococosmia (Crocosmia spp.)

Stiff Bottlebrush (Callistemon rigidus)

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis)

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) with galls caused by the cypress twig gall midge (Taxodiomya cupressiananassa)

"Happy Orange" Geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum)

Pink Buttons (Polygonum capitatum)

Zebra False Aloe (Haworthia fasciata)

Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis spp.)

Orchids

White Shrimp Plant (Justicia betonica)

Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) with buds

Night Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.)

Goldfinger (Juanulloa aurantiaca) budding out

Dwarf Barbados Cherry (Malpighia punicifolia)

Purple Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevedensis)

Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)

Red Bleeding Heart Vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)

Hall's Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

Peperomia (Peperomia caperata)

"Silver Spot" Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia pulchra) just emerging from dormancy

Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)

Steps leading down the bank

A future project

May 17, 2008

A WALK IN THE GARDEN

May 17, 2008/ DFG

Courtyard garden with Lee Littlefield sculpture.

February, March, April and May are glorious months in the garden. These photos were taken May 17, 2008. The cool weather has prolonged the blooming season. The fragrances are intoxicating. The Night Blooming Jasmine makes visitors euphoric.