…Oh.
Last year I let some poppies turn super brown and crusty at the front of the Patch.
When I couldn’t stand to look at them any more I pulled them from the ground, and started to flay them to facilitate seed dispersion. The over the shoulder technique I adopted from a distance resembled some masochistic religious affair, especially when combined with the sporadic lurching and occasional incantation that I would blurt out whenever a scooter would pass close by…(pre-lock-down obviously).
If someone gets too close to the house now, we start shooting them with my son’s Nerf-guns whilst I jump on my trucks PA to yell at the good folks to move right along.
When I say “yell”, it is more of a mumble due to general discomfort and facial irritation of my new fuzzy Mullein Mask™ .
I cannot imagine wearing this AND an iced-turban™.
Having 4 very large Mullein plants (top) means we also have plenty of cowboy toilet paper.
“There’s no way I’m wiping with that, Dad!”
“I would suggest picking it early morning when there is a hint of dew on the leaves, get the smaller new leaves in the middle they are softer?” (Besides, everyone knows you are not really clean without water).
…Walks away in disgust.
The poppies have completely taken over the front of the Patch, I wonder how the little barrel cacti are doing under there?
The Yucca Rostrata are struggling to keep their punk heads above water.
Long after they have finished blooming – which is a pretty quick cycle – the small crowns keep adding their own unique aesthetic.
Prolific seeders, one poppy crown has about this many seeds!
After cleaning the poppies out, a bit more flaying around, and sweating behind my Mullein Mask™, the area was almost back to its normal self.
I plan to add flagstone throughout this area.
Note to self…also wear some Mullein Mufflers™ next year to avoid wayward seeds getting into ears.
Moving Along…
I accidentally uncovered this caterpillar as I was picking up leaves under my post-oak. When uncovered, it went into really quick spasms like a shrimp.
Feet and pincers a-wigglin’.
The underside was really exotic looking.
I believe this is the caterpillar of an Underwing Moth (not sure which one, maybe Catocala ilia?).
They are large moths that rest on tree trunks during the day, blending right into the bark (just like the topside of the caterpillar).
Here is something I have been painfully tracking on one of my needle palms…they don’t call it needle or hedgehog palm for nothing.
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Greek meaning sharp (rhapis) and leaf (phylum).
This palm is as tough as it is lethal. I go in knowing to be careful around it, but it always gets me regardless. The needles facing straight on are practically invisible.
It started off as a small pale shell,
then it split open, a furry paw clawing out of it.
Over the last week or so, it continued to grow with the initial shell darkening in color.
It looks like a piece of coral but they are in fact the flowers of the palm, the male inflorescence to be precise.
After flicking around with a stick in my other needle palm, I uncovered what I suspect is the female inflorescence?
This palm is supposed to be dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants).
“Look at all that inflorescence lads!”
Finally:
Temperatures are starting to rise, and air-plants are starting to fall…
This was a particularly fine example. It had been perched on top of my wind chimes for the longest time, I guess the recent storm dislodged it.
Edit: Leah knocked it out of the chimes.
I will finish with a recent design I executed for a backyard in Northwest Austin.
The property was on a seriously steep slope, a slope with seriously bad soil, in fact hardly any soil at all! (Say that 5x fast wearing a Mullein Mask™!)
You can see the ‘before’ images (lower-right).
The intent here was to design a solution to allow the home owner, and their dogs to access the lower reaches of their yard, currently inaccessible.
The project was a logistic challenge. Due to the particularly harsh terrain, the design revolves around elevated structures, and raised planters. The goal was instead to work with the terrain instead trying to fight it.
A series of steel planters and panels are positioned throughout the scheme to visually screen utilities whilst providing an industrial aesthetic and backdrop.
Stay Tuned For:
“A Spider in Wolf’s Clothing”
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