Living on roughly 1/2 acre has its advantages, but of late I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer size of it all. The property has about 65 trees on it, but they are mostly on the sides and back of the property. The rest of the yard has been fairly empty, except for a few volunteer shrubs and invasives and weeds. So now that I’m finally gardening — I’d call it landscaping, but I don’t like to think of it that way — I feel like I’ll never be able to get enough plants to fill it.
Today was the biannual plant sale at the Wildflower Center, one of my favorite local places to visit. Normally a visit brings peace and tranquility to one’s soul when walking through the colorful displays of butterflies fluttering among flowers, listening to the sounds of buzzing bees and trickling waterfalls. But today was a madhouse of mayhem — local Wildflower Center members all fighting their way to their desired native plants in order to claim them and place them on their cart. It was quite an experience– and fun getting caught up in the selection of plants. I bought 5 trees: 2 Mexican Redbuds, a Lacey Oak, a Wafer Ash, and a Texas Persimmon. Perennials and shrubs included Hill Country Penstemon, Salvia coccinea, Salvia greggii, Purple Coneflower, Mealy Blue Sage, TX Lantana, Wood Fern, Yellowbells, Mexican Feathergrass, and Red Columbine — I think that’s everything. But did I buy enough? Nope. I still need another big tree and some more plants for the butterfly garden. I still need to buy shrubs for… everywhere. I have so much I’d like to get in the ground now so that I don’t have to wait again until next fall. But I have so much yard!