Conscious Gardening

Yesterday was the first class in a series of 5 all day Saturday classes of the Tree Folks URBAN FOREST STEWARD program.  Below is the list of goals for the class:  After introductions...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/07/tree-folks-urban-forest-steward-program.html

I've been sick about losing my American Elm and a big part of that was thinking that  my tiny pet lawn...it's St. Augustine, would die because it's a shade grass.  Well, since the tree's been ...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/07/oh-what-rain-brings.html

My yard is a CERTIFIED WILDLIFE HABITAT, like so many Austinites (Austin has more habitats than any other city)...which means that I keep my yard filled with blossoms, year round and I change a...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-yard-is-wildlife-habitat-like-so.html

Greg grows the spice...well, he orders the onions and plants the pepper starts, then I do the rest...but once they're on the counter, he usually does the cooking.  I'm more one for eating raw. ...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/06/news-from-hades-tx.html

This is the TEXAS EYED CLICK BEETLE, or Alaus lusciosus, in my front yard on Thursday.  I've seen them before but decided to look him up to learn a little bit about him and why I don't always s...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/06/this-week-at-cg.html

Last year I got out there and snatched up all the chili petin I could before the birds got them...they got some, and the next batch, but I got a nice little Bonne Maman jar full.  Well, I still...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/06/spice-from-earth.html

Meredith O'Reilly was kind enough to have a few of us CAPITAL AREA MASTER NATURALISTS over to her place yesterday for some delicious Mango Margaritas and snacky-poos!  We had a wonderful time t...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/06/warning-this-post-contains-graphic.html

Hello MONDAY.  I'm feeling good...the garden is looking great.  Yesterday I spent the better part of some 5 hours updating my resume and reviewing the past 5 years of my blog entries to prepar...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/06/monday-in-garden.html

I went by Randy's place yesterday for a long over due visit.  We met 5 years ago in the '07 MASTER GARDENER's class, a year later we were both asked to be on the city tour and we started hangin...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/06/east-austin-oasis-case-residence.html

School's out today.  Tonight is the first Blues on the Green at ZILKER PARK, and the CAPITAL AREA MASTER NATURALISTS meet at the Nature and Science Center for our annual pizza party and board e...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/05/end-of-may-update.html

My Crestview home, 15 years ago, when we moved in. Where I live, in the middle of Austin, Texas...directly North of the University by 5 miles, used to be the edge of the Black land Prair...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/05/memorial-day-who-cries-for-flowers-lost.html

For quite some time now, PAM of Digging has been running a catch-on to GARDEN BLOGGER'S BLOOM DAY, entitled "FOLIAGE FOLLOW-UP" and this is the first time that I am participating.  I woke up t...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/05/foliage-follow-upsage-gray.html

I spent the better part of March and April trying to find homes for several shade loving plants, but also trying to rid my yard of "the pink islands."  A patch of Mexican Ruellia that just kept...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/05/mothers-day-project.html

So, here we are...a few months later...Juliette our fair owl left when I went  to Kansas City to be with my Mom.  It's been a busy spring, so we finally got around to taking the rest of the tr...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/05/life-of-tree.html

I got out and watered this morning...I know the water restrictions are coming, so I'm getting the plants used to twice a week waterings...now.  Across from my fruit trees in the West Greens Gar...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/04/today-in-garden.html

April Fool's Day is long gone now but it was my 5-year blogging birthday.  Today, I hardly blog at all...I've learned that I really prefer actual gardening, rather than writing about it.  I st...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/04/earth-day.html

I wanted to take a few photos of the storm damage and the American Elm that was being taken out. I walked out into the yard to snap a few shots and this is how the garden looked... An...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/04/owls-love-story-and-my-tree.html

Soooo, it's been 3 months since I've blogged...oh well. I've been busy birding, camping, reading, making things, hanging out with some of the coolest people I've ever met, planting and planning....

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentine-blossoms-for-bloomday.html

Here's a little photo journal of what's blooming here at CG this Thanksgiving holiday! Yum...and so pretty! Greg's greens garden is coming along. He decided to try 'no till' method of planti...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2011/11/giving-thanks.html

Even in a horrible drought year...somethings are improving in spite of neglect...Mother Nature prevails! This is one of the before shots, taken in 2008...horrible ugly square building. My goa...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2011/11/cbc-update.html

So, this was yesterday...I got home from work and popped open a RANGERIPA, headed out to my favorite spot in the back~back yard. I sit in that green chair in the middle, It's my favorite view of ...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2011/10/miraculous-recoveries.html

I'm going to try to be more present with my idea of an online journal about my yard and ideas. So, last blog entry I mentioned that we were planting without disturbing the soil in our raised beds...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2011/10/baby-greens.html

It's been so long since I blogged, mainly because I've gone back to teaching art...temporarily that is. Anyway, the summer nearly killed us all, the hottest one on record...since record taking be...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-update.html

Bob Pool came to my house 3 years ago when we were on the Master Gardener Tour in '08...I think it was '08. Anyway, he marched up and introduced himself and his lovely wife and reminded me of our...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2011/07/fabulous-bob-pool.html

I just had to take a stroll this morning and catch the blossoms before they wilt n' melt in the sun! Datura Plumbago Crown of thorns. Not a great shot, I know, but I was trying to ge...

http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/2011/07/blooms-of-july.html