Shady Happenings: Oct-Nov 2011

Over the last few weeks, I was able to spend at least a little time in the garden in an attempt to accomplish some of the many needed tasks.

The Water Poppy (Hydrocleys nymphoides) is a lovely aquatic plant - pretty yellow blooms rising from a cover of thick, green leaves.  But I have found that it does a little too well - it's aggressive nature can lead it to taking over a pond.

Since it had completely covered the surface of my small pond, I decided to remove it so that I could enjoy the water.  Only one waterfall was working, but after some pipe-clearing, I was able to get both sides going again.  Likely the Water Poppy will return from roots established in the bottom muck - so I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

After several areas around Austin experienced an early freeze (not in my garden though), I decided it was time to set up my popup greenhouse and move most of my potted Aloes (and a few other plants) inside for safe-keeping.  It has, of course, since warmed up back into the 80s...but at least now I'm ready for colder weather.

Have also reached the limit of my patience with some of my potted plants.  Have moved several over into an area of the garden where they await their eminent demise from lack of water & winter's grasp.

The garden has experienced a really rough summer - extreme high temperatures and horrible drought has certainly taken its toll.  I have read of several other Austin garden bloggers planting shrubs and  trees this fall (the  perfect time to do so here) - but I am likely to let this fall planting season go by without adding any new plants to the garden.

But I am making plans for trying some of the more shade-tolerant Agaves and Aloes in a front yard bed that gets a little bit more sun than my backyard beds.  But I won't be putting anything into the ground until next spring.