Exploding Blue Bottle Agave 'Tree' ...
roselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Well, it's supposed to look 'explosive'. It might need a little more work on how they are placed to fulfill that dream ... :-)
Mike and Mizan "MamaChili" brought over a box of blue bottles they've been collecting and this is what I've done with them ... for now.
Mike and Mizan, thank you!
There was enough to add a couple more to the "hanging garden" bottle trees ...
This is why I call it the "hanging garden" ... lol One day I decided to spray paint all the empty hanging baskets white and hang them from the trees along the back fence ...
Actually more explosive are the cobalt blue, grassy foliaged salvia plants passed along by Mara. She can tell you their name ...
The agaves have exploded with new leaves after the hail damaged ones were cut back leaving one single spear ...
My young Caesalpinia Mexicana is also exploding with flowers ...
Baja fairy duster continues its explosive red blooms. Ms. Turtle forages in their shade, but looks around to see if there is a worm for her. Not this time little one ...
We wanna' see what's exploding with flowers in your gardens after all the lovely rain, and now cooler temperatures.
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (19)
roselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoAlfie has been busy helping me critique the posies which I expected were going to be orange mallows, except they are pink! He says he likes them just fine. I'm not so sure. I wanted orange. I didn't even know they came in pink ...
Related Discussions
Any Devices For Squirrels Climbing Trees?
Comments (70)Lucky, That was me who did the Bon Bon test. I wholeheartedly agree a test of one experimental specimen and one control is not conclusive. However, my thought is it's better to draw a conclusion from a test of one than a field test where the causative effects of the test are even more spurious. I'm thinking of "water witching" as an analogy. People swear by it and stories abound how so and so drilled a well an there was no water then so and so witched for water and "voila" the well that was witched was a gusher. It's not a completely fair comparison because there may be some science behind the possibility Bon Bons poison squirrels, whereas there is no science behind water witching. But my point is the means of observation is the same and tells us even less I think than an experiment with one "n" and one control. To me, there seems to be other supporting evidence that Bon Bons don't work. I've read some cases of suicide attempts with Plaster of Paris (human attempts, not squirrels) and it took fairly large amounts of Plaster of Paris to cause gastric blockage, and they ate it straight. I don't recall anyone actually died from it because the pain was so extensive, they sought medical treatment. Additionally, there was someone on this forum who posted he placed rat bait around his orchard and found numerous squirrel carcasses afterward (if memory serves, it was something like 13) from eating the bait, which is something that seems to be missing from the Bon Bon accounts. I'm not advocating one way or the other using rat bait for squirrels, just commenting that there is a significant difference between the two accounts. If some credible person were to report the same results with Bon Bons as has been reported with rat bait (i.e. large numbers of carcasses) then I would definitely re-think my opinion of the possible efficacy of Bon Bons. However, as it stands now I suspect not only are Bon Bons safe from secondary poisonings, but safe for squirrels as well. I do wonder if there could be some conditioning effect with the use of Bon Bons. There is a lot we don't know about squirrel behavior. Is it possible Bon Bons give the creatures enough of a belly ache that they avoid feeding in that area thereafter? Sort of like an electric fence can condition livestock? I don't know....See MoreWhat are some of the odds stacked up against your trees lately?
Comments (27)Thank Citrusnut! I appreciate your kind words and your desire to keep your trees healthy too!:-) With your enthusiasm, they should do great.:-) I really can't say the FE is the secret though, since I never officially did a test/experiment on whether the ones sprayed regularly fare better than those that I do not. What I can tell you is that insects DO attack the plants I neglect with FE I can tell you that when the FE spraying stops come October, they still stay just as green till I start again come the following spring. If I had to guess what helps them stay that way, I would say it is a combination of many factors. I try and stay in 'tune' with their needs as if they were my kids, or even my cat. lol I would say that trial and error along with everyone here helping me to understand them has gotten me to this point too, in which I will always be grateful. It's nice to understand when they rebel to drastic temp swings, lack of vinegar, my faucet water, pest invasion, poor soil, lack of good sun light, ect. I try to make sure that all their needs come together and unite to provide them with a peaceful and happy state. If I were to suggest one thing that I may do far different from many, I would say I am strict with providing vinegar which keeps the pH of my water solutions in check which in turn encourages their nutritional requirements/neesds are met on a regular basis. These two combinations seem to do wonders for my plants. I just counted 22 fruit in all various stages on my Ponderosa and have no idea what to do with it. Of course the right soil mix is still most crucial for me. Mike...See MoreBlue windows..pic..
Comments (49)The Etruscans enfluenced the Greeks and vice versa, and later the Romans also used much of both, so there are many similarities in their arts and architectures. Even the later Spanish culture can be traced back to the Etruscans. Culumnar evergreen shrubs in the ground on one side and smaller ones in front in large pots adds heigth to the wall and dimension. The gardens there always have the tall cedars that sway in the wind. Billowy grasses of green, yellow, reddish brown or burgundy in large urns on top of the walls and/or below. Pots on the wall with variegated small-leaved trailing vines. Yucca plants or Agaves below. Rosemary and Lavender bushes for fragrance and texture. I love the idea of Oleanders by a pool. I would set one ocean blue pot in with the terra cotta ones, but only ONE. You have the blue pool, the sky and the windows. One blue pot echoes their colours, but more than one would be too much. A big pot of Red Geraniums...somewhere for contrast. To me what is missing is the terra cotta roof tiles. I agree, a little more space above the windows would have helped. I don't think it is the colour of the windows is what is wrong as much as the width of the window frames. It would look better with the thick walls to have wider window frames...I think. I agree to age them and then add a little ocean blue/aqua colour to that dark blue, maybe outlining the dark. You could paint faux alcoves shadows around the windows so that it looks like they are set way back into the thick walls. At any rate, it is THY garden. Do what pleases thee! ~Annie...See MoreHELP! Dying trees! pics
Comments (43)I don't think there will be a problem of something like disease or pests killing a whole row of these. Part of the appeal is how pest free they are. Mine took off after a couple of years and got very tall in 3 to 4 years (too tall for me to trim the tops without bending down the branches). Extra water will make them grow faster but once established they are very drought tolerant. They are uniform but not so uniform as to make them all need to look exactly alike and if a part is damaged, unlike for a confer type, it will fill back in quickly. Mine have never had any problems, except one outgrew its spot and created too much shade for my purposes in a bed. They are highly recommended in Texas as a drought hardy plant. Also, they are native and that is another plus....See Moreroselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
briaustex
7 years agoroselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years agoroselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoNothing new, nothing exciting, just wanted to share with a few of you the enjoyment felt in the garden this morning.
Bunny grass; so pretty, so easy to grow. Why don't we hear more about it? ...
Esperanza leaning for the light ...
With all this rain the Thyallis must be 20 ft. across. Such a wonderful evergreen shrub that blooms all season with just a few hours of sun a day ...
And of course there's my constant companion, the always happy Alfie.
(Let's ignore the wheel barrow of mulch waiting to be spread ... :-)
En-joy ...
Vulture61
7 years agoroselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoroselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
7 years ago
Related Stories
CHRISTMASReal vs. Fake: How to Choose the Right Christmas Tree
Pitting flexibility and ease against cost and the environment can leave anyone flummoxed. This Christmas tree breakdown can help
Full Story
HOUZZ TV FAVORITESCandy-Colored Collections Wow in Manhattan
Pez dispensers, cheerful toys and pop culture memorabilia bring personality to this apartment
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Eastern Redbud
With romantic pink blooms and heart-shape leaves, this ornamental tree has been inspiring affection since the days of the founding fathers
Full Story
HOLIDAYSHouzz Call: Share Your Favorite Christmas Tradition
Is there one thing you do, watch or eat that heralds the arrival of Christmas? Post a photo and let us know!
Full Story
HOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: A Musical Couple's Home Strikes a Personal Chord
Light, glass and many musical instruments animate this 1905 bucolic Washington farmhouse
Full Story
HOUZZ TVHouzz TV: Color-Happy Country Living in Fort Worth
See how this family’s Texas-sized home celebrates its whimsical, collected style through vibrant textiles and graphic patterns
Full Story
HOLIDAYSHouzz Call: Share Your Personal Holiday Traditions
What winter rituals mean the most to you and yours? Post your stories and pictures
Full Story
KITCHEN DESIGNHouzz Call: Tell Us About Your First Kitchen
Great or godforsaken? Ragtag or refined? We want to hear about your younger self’s cooking space
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESOh, Deer! 10 Native Flowers That Stand Up to the Herds
Keeping a garden amid hungry deer can be hard, but these plants should fare well
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESBackyard Birds: Invite Entertaining Hummingbirds Into Your Garden
Hummingbirds — unique to the Americas — zip through open landscapes seasonally or year-round. Here’s how to attract them
Full Story
MsRed Byrd