Native Discoveries

I’ve been so busy planting natives that you’d think I’d know a little more about the natives growing, ya know, natively in my yard. But the other day I posted about my little gem Eve’s Necklace, and now I get to report on some others I’ve since discovered growing mere feet away.

If you still wonder how in the world I might have missed them, I have two words for you. POOP ZONE. Yes, it’s the area of the yard that we’ve long left to the dogs. All three of them. How’s that picture in your head now?  <grins>

So… Silk Tassel. Several months ago, this wonderful shrub was hidden by evil nandinas that sought to obscure this jewel from our sight and mind. But we slew the dragons, and our treasure we never knew we had was rescued. Of course, I did actually purchase two saplings of Silk Tassel this past winter, never knowing I already had it on the property. Now I’ve got a set! Birds eat the berries, by the way. Yay for wildlife value!

silktassel05-06-10.jpgSee the soft velvety underside to the leaves? It’s a great identifying feature, and it’s a delight to the tactilely sensitive. Mmmmm, soft…

Next is a mulberry tree. I was always worried that this large-leafed tree was an invasive and it turns out it’s a native Red Mulberry tree — native to central Texas, in fact! It’s even a caterpillar larval host — Mourning Cloak butterfly.

mulberryb05-06-10.jpgI love, love, love the green leaves.

mulberryd05-06-10.jpgAnd look, it has berries! I hear they’re tasty.

 
mulberrya05-06-10.jpgThird discovery in my garden — Ashe Juniper — tremendous wildlife value for this plant. Birds love its berries, our endangered golden-cheeked warbler relies on its bark for nesting material, and it’s a larval host to the beautiful Juniper Hairstreak butterfly. This wonderful plant has a bad reputation for causing allergies in central Texas, and it’s often mistakenly referred to as cedar. But it’s okay in my book for all that it does for da birdies and flutterbies.

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And lastly, a creeeeeeeeper. That’s how I like to say the word. Say it with me in that dark, almost evil voice of a mad scientist, creeeeeeeper. Good.

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Specifically, it’s a Virginia Creeper. Typically they have 5 leaflets, but sometimes you’ll see 3 or 7.

creeperb05-06-10.jpgSome people confuse it with poison ivy when it grows wild in the woods. While it’s not poison ivy nor poison oak, I should point out that you shouldn’t roll in it. Some people are as sensitive to it as if it were poison ivy or oak, and they get a similar rash.

But guess what, it’s a larval host, too, baby! Several species of sphinx moths begin their lives on these plants.

I’m a happy habitat mama!

Natural Landmarks of the Texas Hill Country

This past weekend, we were joined by friends from Florida and California, with everyone gathering in the (approximate) continental middle right here in the heart of Texas. Last year we introduced our friends to Mount Bonnell and Pedernales Falls, and this year we decided to venture down near San Antonio for a tour of Natural Bridge Caverns and back up to the Austin area for a dip at Hamilton Pool.

Natural Bridge Caverns are named for the 60-foot natural limestone bridge just above the main entrance to the cave. It really is picturesque.

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Below the bridge lies a gem of a natural landmark– more than a 1/2-mile of large dark and humid chambers filled with fantastic stalactites and stalagmites and other formations.

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The caverns were formed after the warm sea covering Texas in the Cretaceous period began to recede. About 20 million years ago, movement along the Balcones Fault created joints in the limestone, and water along the joints began to shape the caverns, causing (and then in turn helped by) the occasional collapse of limestone that ultimately created the caverns of Natural Bridge. 

natbridgecavb05-02-10.jpgDue to unfortunate ill planning on my part, my large camera’s battery was in need of a recharge, so all I had to document the cave was my little but ever-reliable pocket camera. Reliable yes, but its light was too weak to show the magnificense of the largest chambers and their truly majestic columns. But I offer these few glimpses of the cavern’s beauty.

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It had been many years since I’d last visited the cavern, but the gardener in me this time appreciated the rugged scene of Texas terrain and native flowers highlighted along the outside grounds on the property. Here’s a lone Firewheel among a bed of Pink Evening Primrose.

firewheel05-05-10.jpgOn the way back to Austin, we did stop for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, the Gristmill, in the historic and truly Texas town of Gruene. The Gristmill overlooks some of the rapids of the Guadalupe River, but as hungry as I was, I forgot to take pictures until later when, well-fed, I paused to admire containers of flowers near the ever-famous dance hall.

I know some people don’t care for the barrel-style planters, but the mass of flowers they offer for planting just might sway some gardeners back to new appreciation.

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On Sunday we headed out for a late-morning visit to Hamilton Pool. I’d last visited with the boys just a few months ago in the winter. What a difference a season can make! Gorgeous no matter the time of year, it’s still interesting to note the differences in the foliage from winter to spring.

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The peaceful sounds of the waterfall, the antics of the cliff swallows zipping about their mud nests on the limestone walls, the lovely greenery of the natural fern beds, the coolness of the cavern, and the unusual bird calls of several unidentified species all brought a tranquil, content feeling to our group. What a lovely place to take a pause from our busy lives.

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 This natural Texas landmark is a collapsed grotto with a 50-foot waterfall that plunges into the swimming hole it forms below. The boys were more prepared for their swim this time than last — we had towels!

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And on the walk back, a treat of wild columbines.

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Just as we were leaving, a few large groups of people showed up. I highly recommend a morning visit, both for the best light and to enjoy the serenity of the pool before the picnickers arrive.

Our friends are back on their respective coasts now. We miss them already!

Completing the Set

We had company in town for several days, so in preparation the family and I got the garden all cleaned up and presentable. It actually looks great, in my humble opinion, ha. But did I have time to get out there and enjoy it, camera in hand? Nope — we were too busy with said company. However, I did sneak out and get these pictures of a Black Swallowtail butterfly, to complete the life cycle set.

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swallowtailb05-02-10.jpgWe did take our company to a few local outdoor favorites, so I’ll check the camera for any photo gems worthy of a post tomorrow. In the meantime, I’m ready for more butterflies!