Thursday, April 08, 2021
Roll Call for our Backyard potted plants!
Our patio here in Houston is my favorite room in the house! More often than not, you'll catch me watering, trimming, pruning or just relaxing among these plants. It is our third year at this house, and though we don't look at staying here long term, (long story), I am chomping at the bit to improve the conditions back there. Right now I have turf sprinklers but I'd like to expand that system to include another zone to water the planting bed across the sidewalk, but also another watering zone to drip emitters on each pot.
Here in no particular order are all of our potted plants:
Annuals who didn't bloom much last year, but are growing well so far this year.
c'mon blooms!
Mexican Heather we've had for 4 years. It is hearty! Lots of bitty blooms.
Pink Spirea which did not deal with the cold weather well at all. This and all pots were moved into the garage during the February freeze, so they were protected from rain and ice, but the cold was too much. I've cut them back and here they come again! Down but not out!
Beautiful maroon
Pansies which are growing like crazy in the terra cotta pot.
Cactus we have been growing for some time. Originally given to my wife, these cactus are more than 2 years old but have been repotted once. The yellow ball cactus didn't make the move so I replaced it. They are doing well now with new growth from all three of the originals.
Lovely purple and white Pansies which when the blooms are full and upright seem to gape at you as you look at them.
Another Pink Spirea coming back from cold weather damage.
Round Leaf Peperomia, a succulent which went absolutely ape-shit when we replanted it in a larger pot. I call it my Rock Star plant because it's shape reminds me of a rock star hairdo.
Variegated Creeping Ivy. This plant needs a trellis and it will take off!
A Black Diamond Crepe Myrtle, which will bloom red fluffy clusters soon. This plant is 3 years old and was transported from our previous house. It had a bad year last year because of a mold issue all our Crepe Myrtles were stricken with. It seems to have bounced back this year.
"Fernie" is one of our oldest, he is more than 4 years old. He began life in Splendora at our previous house, was transported here and repotted into this giant pot and look what happened! We love Fernie, our favorite!
February Freeze damage on Bogie, a formerly spectacular Bougainvillea. This plant also started life in Splendora, was moved and repotted. When Bogie got his feet under him and a trellis/lattice panel to grow onto, he shot up almost six feet tall. But a week of sub-freezing temperatures (highly unusual here) and several precipitation days which put several inches of snow/sleet on the ground made Bogie go dormant. We are hoping for the best, but he is cut back all the way to the base. No new growth yet. C'mon, Bogie!
More multi color Pansies on a table top planter.
This succulent Aloe plant started out palm sized, with gaudy pink-painted spikes, of which it only had four. Those painted spikes held on for so long! But now they've faded from memory. It is simply a cluster of robust Aloe spikes with an Army of spikes coming up below. my wife loves these types of plants as you'll see
This is a Century plant Heidii has cared for and nurtured for over 10 years. It has been in the yard planted in-ground at several houses. When we didn't have a yard they were moved into pots. When they got too big they were split in two and now they've gotten too big for their pots again. I believe Heidii might keep these for a full Century if she could.
More annuals, potted Pansies which I like to put all over the place. They're so pleasing to the eye.
More potted Pansies. There's never enough. I also have a section of the backyard planting bed covered up by crazy-blooming Pansies, yellow, blue and maroon.
-katykarter
