Just look at my Green Thumb (HA!)

I decided today was the day to do some more work in my garden. I've been wanting to get out there for awhile...itching to get out there really, but the end of the school year kinda controls a teacher's life. But today was my first day of FREEEEEEDOM and I embraced it full force!

I'd heard about a nursery in town that sells native Houston plants only. I decided that was a wise place to start (well, to go...start doesn't really work since I've been to Home Depot like 50 times...but I'm going to use 'start' loosely here to mean 'start for this particular session of garden work' mmmk?)

Joshua's was great! Joshua himself showed me around and helped me find plants that work for all shade, a fountain and let me meander through on my own, too! He was great about checking in on me occasionally, though. Amazing how a little service gets attention now, huh? Anyway, I digress...I came away with lots of goodies!


The fountain mechanism will go in this pot.

He searched, found and gave me a stopper to go in the bottom of the pot and recommended gorilla glue to seal the stopper. I'd never even heard of it, but tried not to look like a complete idiot (though me asking where to purchase it might have given me away.) I waited to ask my dad (after I'd left Joshua's) if it was gorilla the animal or guerrilla the bad guy. Ha!


One quick stop at Lowe's to find this stuff and I was on my way home to unload!



I'd bought a shovel at Home Depot on Friday and after watering my new plants (they were in the trunk, which equals oven this time of year!) immediately began to tackle the cast iron plants that wholeheartedly earn their name! They can withstand anything! I moved four clumps (groupings? plants? how many of them make a plant? *shrug*) to the brick wall of the condo. They were a little difficult to get up, but more so because I had to use the shovel by the fence area and there just wasn't much maneuvering room. The ground was much easier to dig into than I thought it would be!



I've watered them well and am counting on their reputation to come through the trauma of transplantation!

I came across a few tree roots as I was digging. Some were easier to get up than others. I didn't get any pics...because my camera battery died...and because I was really grimy and disgusting....but man, some of those roots were kicking my tail! Some of them were no where near a tree! So I have NO IDEA how long they really were. I pulled up as much of each tendril as possible....but quickly changed my opinion of the tenaciousness of tree roots. Holy Cow! Tentacle is more like it!

I planted the English Ivy where most of the hard core tree roots used to be.



I'll probably end up buying another flat of it, but Joshua suggested (and it made perfect sense to me!) "Buy a little of several things and see what flourishes!"


This is called "Viola something or other." I didn't get it planted today, but plan to first thing in the morning...when it's not quite so hot! I'm not quite sure where it's going to go...so need to be thinking.

When I transplanted the cast iron plants, it quickly became obvious the bird cage- turned-planter-for-begonia needed to move. This is where I have it now. Buuuut, I plan to put the fountain there eventually (as in tomorrow, if I can figure out an extension cord issue) so it will be moving again soon.



These are a couple of additions from a week or so ago when I stopped at Home Depot to replace my dead plants. I had some English Ivy here before...but it had all died. (I just heard your thoughts. "Didn't she just plant English Ivy? Why did she do that if it was all dying?") I told Joshua that and he said "You have to water the s&*! out of English Ivy if it's in the ground....and you have to water it EVERY DAY if you have it in pots." Umm, yeah.. I hadn't done that. So here's hoping Miss "I Like Things to Be Simple and Take Care of Themselves" remembers to water my English Ivy way more often than I had been.



I started this back in October!

First post
Second Step in Patio Progress
For some reason, I thought I'd posted updates more often...oh well, here's the last one...embedded in another post!

That one wasn't the last one after all! I found this one!

And this is as of today!



More pics coming as more work is done!