It happens every season. Our gardens give us a show-stopping presentation and then, poof, it’s over! So, what’s a good way to prepare for the transition? My advice, let the garden inspire you.
How about an artful arrangement of garden gifts for a dinner party buffet centerpiece?
A simple white ceramic pitcher was the perfect vessel for displaying the following “end of season” blossoms and greenery. Once completed, it had become a tapestry of seasonal beauty.
Cilantro in its “bolting” stage, curly and flat-leaf parsley, radish leaves, beet leaves, cornflower (bachelor’s buttons) and lots of blooming oregano stems for “filler”. A sprinkling of German Chamomile lightened the look. Guests were mesmerized by the natural beauty that a “fresh from the garden” look offered. Some couldn’t resist sampling a few sprigs!
A few days following our buffet dinner, the delightful arrangement was carried outside to be composted. As one master gardener remarked, “this is liquid gold for the compost bin!” I agree!
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
What a great plant larkspur is. Coming up from the seeds of last springs plants–living all winter as little fluffy greenery and suddenly growing tall and blooming before most other flowers.
Winter can be a challenge but finding the tiny larkspur seedlings and thinking of whats to come lifts the spirits. What a bonus that they honestly do not need a great deal of help from the gardener to grow and thrive.
As with most self seeding plants they come up where they wish to and may require some editing. If they are too crowded they won’t be their best so don’t hesitate to thin out the smaller ones. This will allow the remaining plants to grow tall. This adds structure to the spring garden. The color honestly goes with everything. Pink poppies–nigella–combined with the blues and purples of the larkspur–its a picture waiting to be painted–at least admired by you and anyone lucky enough to pass by.
Watch carefully larkspur is a magnet for native bumblebees. As we know bumblebees have been struggling. Seeing so many enjoying the larkspur makes growing them worthwhile in itself.
But wait–there is more!! When you grow larkspur you are growing a plant that has been grown by gardeners for hundreds of years. The Victorians were very fond of them–they were popular gift flowers.
In medieval times they were grown in monastery gardens. These gardens had to be useful not just beautiful.
Now–lets pause–important information will follow: all parts of larkspur are toxic. Do not consider internal use. But its great to know that people tried their best to help and use what they saw around them. Potions were made to treat a variety of problems including depression and anxiety. The seeds were used to make a solution to kill lice. That had to be a welcome relief as lice were a horribly common problem. In fact this use continued for a long time –soldiers used it during the revolutionary war..
The flowers can be used to make a dye and were used by the monks to make a blue ink.
So think of all those before you as you work in your garden–and remember you are a link in this long chain. Remember yes–but as always–there is more.You obviously must let the plants finish their blooming and go to seed–yes this can be a bit untidy but its essential. Lots of seeds will fall and they will lie in wait until next winter when the cycle starts again. But don’t let them all fall–gather some seeds.
Share some seeds with friends and neighbors–answer their questions about how to grow larkspur.
So the chain that links the plant and the gardener to the distant past will extend into the future–and you are and will be a link in that chain.
Larkspur and Poppies far better togetherLarkspur comes in white, this one has tinges of lavender look closelyThis one might be more lavender than whiteBe tolerant. A few larkspur in a vegetable bed is hardly a problem-in fact it is healthyNotice the variation in color, this one is very dark purple.This one is a bit lighter and blooms close to a tall verbena.Amazingly intricate flowersThe foliage is lovely itself- so delicate!A bumblebee, look close-they love larkspur.
Susan Thornbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Location: The Raincatcher’s Garden at Midway Hills Christian Church,11001 Midway Road, Dallas, Texas 75229
Thursday, May 1st, 2025
10 AM – 3 PM
Great selection of annuals, perennials, herbs and veggies, succulents and sedums, tropicals and house plants, shrubs and trees, groundcovers, bulbs and irises grown by the intrepid Raincatchers volunteers.
All proceeds go to Dallas County Master Gardener projects.
Music in shops–usually just more noise to be ignored—but then, just every now and again a line from a song provides a useful and welcome bit of advice. A helpful insight for the volunteer gardener.
It can happen that for this volunteer a sneaking feeling that all is not well–a creeping feeling of discontent appears and can grow and affect every hour in the garden. A feeling that the task is too big just too much. And the reward–where is it??? Why aren’t there more volunteers? Does anyone see what I am doing–much less care or appreciate it??
Sadly once this happens –if nothing changes–the next step can be a vanished volunteer.
What needs to change?
The basic situation isn’t going to change. Garden work can be hard and it can be repetitive. Weeds come back without fail. Treasured flowers and veg can seemingly fail for no apparent reason. Add in garden tours to be led, fundraisers, plant sales,and extra work days- all need volunteers and they seem to come around way too often.
So what to do. Everyone has heard it but now its time to believe it. The situation is the same–the response to it that’s different-it can change–a lot–and for the better.
Take a step back and think clearly don’t just react. Remember respond don’t react.
Maybe part of it is listening to a lot of talk of self care. One thing often mentioned is just saying no to requests for help. And of course no one can say yes to everything.
We must take time for ourselves and our own homes and gardens.
But don’t lose sight of the personal benefits of helping either. There are friendships and connections–yes we may have to work on them but its valuable work.
We all want our communities to be better–greener–safer for plants wildlife –and ourselves.
Plant sales and garden tours–well those aren’t just things to get through–they can make a difference. If just a few people learn about plants that will grow and provide help for the bees and butterflies–isn’t that valuable.. If people learn that insects are the foundation of life on earth and they can help protect them, that is your time well spent. If you help a child develop a love for living things not a fear–well what could be better–that is the highest form of self care.
Starla’s niece with cicadaLinda teaching the butterfly life cycleIntroduction to an insectStarla’s son long ago with butterfly
Can you save the earth? No you cannot–but can you make your part of the world a little better? Yes, you can and you make yourself a little better with the time and effort.
We can’t wait for all the others who should be there helping.. Those others that should be appreciating us more. Give them time!! But for now–
We ARE THE PEOPLE WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR
Many hands make light workVolunteers planting a treeOn their knees, hard at workEnthusaiastic Raincatcher’s volunteers
Susan Thornbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Join us at the garden, 11001 Midway Road, Dallas, Texas 75229 on the grounds of Midway Hills Christain Church. Our work days are Monday mornings and Tuesday mornings. This is a Dallas County Master Gardener approved project.
A recent springtime visit to The Natural Gardener with my son who lives in Austin was delightful. We had gone to purchase seasonal color for his front beds but lingered for over an hour just to soak in the experience. Themed gardens filled with fragrant blossoms, the intoxicating scent of countless herbal treasures along with an earthy aroma of perfectly finished compost bins kept us there longer than we intended to stay.
Located on a meandering section of Old Bee Cave Road, The Natural Gardener is considered a world-class gardening destination. The Dromgoole family has owned and operated the establishment, in its current location, since 1993. They are well respected for their pioneering work in organic gardening and sustainable living.
You might find that visiting during the week is a more relaxing time to leisurely stroll through over eight acres of this rustic Hill Country beauty. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on a comfortable bench alongside the Kitchen Garden or while resting in the old red swing.
Be prepared to take pictures at every turn. Don’t miss the whimsical expressions of the goats while perched on their elevated wooden table or the chickens scratching around in the ground. Plan to spend some time in the Butterfly Garden where honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds can be found visiting flowers displaying an array of beautiful colors.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
The upcoming DCMGA Garden Tour on May 18 will feature eight beautiful gardens, including the garden of Suzy Renz, as one of the stops on this year’s tour.
Once upon a time, a very conventional house in northeast Dallas had an acre of lawn and very little more than a couple of live oak trees, some unremarkable foundation shrubs, and a tired looking wooden deck in the back to make up what passed for a “yard.” Then along came Suzy Renz, on a house-hunt, who instantly saw the potential for garden greatness at this unique site, and the rest, as they say, has been five-going-on-six years of creating everything you can see at this exceptional property located on Park Branch creek.
Among Dallas Master Gardeners, Suzy is known for her singular originality and creativity in garden and home design as well as her very “green” thumbs. She is known in particular for her “Farmhouse Eclectic” style, influenced by many trips to the Round Top Antiques Fair, where one-of-a-kind objects abound and can become the stars of design vignettes when carted back home. So, unsurprisingly her yard stands out in her neighborhood as a glorious testament to both her distinctive plantswomanship and its marriage to inventive garden design.
At the front of the property the “North Forty” garden, which extends along the street from the driveway to the corner of the block in an ever-narrowing strip, is a fine collection of native and adapted plants that thrive in the full sun exposure. Suzy’s prowess
at choosing the “right plant for the right place” is on full view here, as these sun-hardy specimens—the purple of Coneflowers, the blue of Russian Sage, the azure of Vitex, the yellow of Lantana, the red of Texas Yucca, and so many more—appear completely at home together in this garden space. Large slabs of Oklahoma flagstone form a lazy river pathway that invites strolling and exploring this excellent collection of well chosen plants.
When entering Suzy’s back yard through the custom-made “GARDEN” gate sign, one immediately has the sense of having arrived in a wonderland of personal horticultural and artistic expression, for this is an intensely personal space. The first steps into this special place always evoke a gasp of surprise, because this garden and indeed this house are all about the appreciation of a hidden fifteen-foot deep ravine and the creek that carved it, which are essentially invisible from the street level. A split rail fence of native cedar defines the edge of the wild from the tended garden within and demarcates the fringe of the native woods beyond. The first view of this completely unexpected terrain demands a long pause for wonderment.
Meanwhile, discovery of Suzy’s creative design talents begins with a survey of the top terrace adjoining the back of the house, which she and husband Rob extensively remodeled. Any old galvanized bucket or unusual flower pot can, in Suzy’s hands, become a container for spotlighting annual plantings of various colorful flowers. A whimsical found-object sculpture by local artist Janice Sommerville stands as a sentinel at the back door, part of Suzy’s collection of several pieces by this artist. Other mostly unidentifiable but interesting mechanical objects randomly punctuate the scene here and there. Still other smile-provoking figures, such as the trio of little concrete fisherboys and a welded iron cat whose spine is an old industrial spring, hang out around the swimming pool and exemplify the un-fussiness of this garden.
From the patio just outside the back door a series of switchback steps lead dramatically down the back yard slope to a firepit surrounded by Adirondack chairs in a rainbow of happy colors. Arriving at this convivial destination one has the feeling of having descended into an immersion in green, as the lush foliage of this remarkable site envelops the seating area and indeed the entire back yard.
A blue glass bottle tree nestles among a grove of Abelia ‘Canyon Creek’ on the lower terrace level along with smaller blue bottle “bush.” The Abelias along with a dense planting of Junipers on the middle level function as screens of green to conceal the concrete landscape blocks that form retaining walls. These walls serve primarily to hold the house and garden in their proper places, but they also create dramatic changes of elevation as the back yard drops precipitously towards the creekbed below.
While this garden shows evidence of constant attention and hard work on the horticulture, it also manages to look effortless because of the abundance of fanciful, unpretentious decorative elements. Little wonder, then, that Suzy says what she loves most about her garden is the opportunity for exercising the unlimited “process of creating.” Fortunate is she who has found her Happy Place.
Alan Rister, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2005
This is the unlikely story of a woman whose garden was created unintentionally and who, in the process, became a gardener accidentally.
Prior to entering the Dallas County Master Gardener program in 2005 following her retirement, Janet D. Smith confesses that she was completely ignorant of any and all knowledge concerning gardening. Her attempts at home horticulture had consisted of purchasing hanging baskets of seasonal color annuals at big-box stores and “inundating them with Miracle Grow.”
Janet’s back yard had long suffered from a lack of adequately engineered drainage, which caused flooding of her garage every time there was a big rain. She therefore sought out professional help to remediate the situation, and landscape architect Carol Feldman undertook the project, which involved the removal of a large amount of soil from the yard. The drainage problem was solved, but now there was the question of what to do with the excavated soil, for which Janet did not want to incur costs for removal from her property. The solution was to use the soil for the formation of a berm in her front yard.
The unexpectedly large volume of the new berm presented an opportunity for the creation of a garden, and thus, with a planting plan prepared by the landscape architect, Janet began a life-changing voyage of discovery through everything she could learn about gardens and the pollinator insects and birds that play such important roles in sustaining them.
Previously unaware that there exist many plants that come back from their roots every year to flourish and flower (perennials), Janet was delighted to discover that she could be freed from having to replant her new garden from scratch (with annuals) year after year. And the planting plan that had been provided to her did indeed feature mostly perennials, among them many species of plants that are native to our region. From that point, it is fair to say that this neophyte gardener dived zealously into the enterprise of gardening and has never looked back.
It has been a long and great transformation from Janet’s complete lack of gardening knowledge to becoming one of the Master Gardeners’ most respected authorities on best gardening practices and one of our most in-demand public speakers. As she became more experienced as a gardener, she has pursued further education. She completed both the Master Naturalist and Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) programs, and over the years she has become as active in those organizations as she has remained in the Master Gardeners. She has also continued to educate herself by studying topics that interested her most, especially all about pollinators, including local butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Janet has been profoundly influenced by the principles of Douglas Tallamy, especially as elucidated in his seminal work Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants (2009). This work is a holistic treatment of the interplay of all members of the earth’s biome and how they create its ecology. For Janet, this speaks precisely to the fascinating role of pollinators in the environment, which draws her continuously to study and teach about them through her speaking and writing.
Her evident passion about good horticulture and her enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge with the public has led her to becoming a well-known speaker in the Master Gardeners Speakers Bureau. Since she began her public speaking in 2006, she has given hundreds and hundreds of presentations to garden clubs, community organizations, school groups, and others, not to mention her continual involvement with Dallas County Master Gardeners, North Texas Master Naturalists, and NPSOT programs and projects. She has become so renowned for her particular love and knowledge of butterflies that all she now lacks is a coronation to be known as the “Queen of Butterflies” in Dallas County.
Today, Janet’s beautiful berm garden stands out as an exemplary showcase of smart gardening: the “right plants” (varieties chosen for their optimal adaptation to local climate and soil types) in the “right places” (growing environments best suited for plants’ needs for sun exposure, moisture, drainage, and soil fertility). The notably modest size of the garden and its conversion to an all-perennial palette of plants (with the exception of larkspurs, which self seed) make it inherently easier and more realistic to maintain.
Standing in her colorful garden, Janet says that what she most enjoys about it is observing “the complexity of nature and how it provides us the life we have.” She muses that “this berm changed the direction of my life.” Thus, this pile of dirt has provided Janet with inspiration and purpose. Come to Peavy Road to see where it all began under the hand of a true Master gardener.
Alan Rister, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2005
According to the calendar, the first day of spring was Friday, March 20, 2024. Dallas natives know that early signs of spring started appearing in late February. One of the happiest moments for me was when two new additions to my garden in 2023 announced their comeback from winter’s cold. They are now showing signs of an exciting springtime welcome.
*Veggie Green Rose (Planted April 2023) – It has easily doubled in size, producing new buds over the past two months.
*Green Gage Plum (Planted September 2023) – It was thrilling to see both trees filled with delicate white blossoms during the last few days of February, continuing into March. Fresh, new green leaves started appearing in late March and early April. It’s now May and all is well.
*Black Sage (Planted September 2023) Sadly, this one did not survive those few days/nights of below freezing temperatures. But I’m not giving up on growing black sage in my garden. This time I’m trying a different strategy. Last month I ordered four new 4” plants from the same grower in California. Each one was planted in a different location of the garden with varying degrees of sun to shade. I’m encouraged today that all four plants have almost doubled in size. Hopefully, by this coming fall they will all be well established and ready for our unpredictable winter weather.
(Black Sage planted in early April 2024 is thriving)
A recent Savannah Bee email featured their Black Sage Honey and the amazing story of how it thrives in the lower mountain slopes and upper desert regions of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is a fascinating look at what it takes to produce this uniquely flavored honey. Thankfully, I still have a few jars left from my last order!
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
I am determined to convince people to consider planting ornamental peppers mixed in with other plants in their garden beds and in containers in the spring and summer. Most people only consider ornamental peppers as a fall plant and, in fact, this is when the ornamental pepper pots show up in the plant nurseries and at grocery stores right along side the pumpkin patches.
At Raincatcher’s Garden, we have been planting peppers in our courtyard garden for the past two years. They add a lot of interest and color mixed in with perennial and annual plants. What we have found is that the peppers start looking good as soon as they produce their small white or sometime purple flowers. Then, the peppers show up usually starting out green but eventually turning orange, red, purple, yellow, etc. The plants put on a good show all summer but when the cooler nights of fall start, these pepper plants will knock your socks off!!!
We have grown several nice ornamental pepper plants for our plant sale on May 7th. Below, I have copied plant information sheets that we will post at the plant sale. Please check out these delightful plants and think about trying ornamental peppers in your garden this summer. I feel confident that you will be happy with the results.
Black Pearl Pepper
Black Pearl Pepper is an extremely heat and drought tolerant plant. It is so beautiful that All America Selections (AAS) awarded it for its beauty in 2006. It is an effective background plant particularly with silver, white or pastel flowering annuals in the foreground. It also pairs well with light green plants because of its deep glossy black leaves. As the plant matures, the black peppers turn red. The peppers are edible but are extremely hot. The plant is 18 inches tall to 12 inches wide.
Ornamental Pepper Pot
These three ornamental pepper plants look great together. The top pepper plant is Wicked Ornamental. It starts out purple and turns a beautiful color of red as it ripens. This would be the “thriller” plant in the pot. The pepper on the left is Santos Orange. This pepper starts out green and turns bright orange. It would be the “filler” plant of the trio. The bottom plant is Hot Pops Purple. It starts out purple and fades to orange and is the “spiller” plant in the container. Or you can create your own ornamental pepper pot by combining any of the peppers above with the Black Pearl or the Orange and Red Ornamental Pepper which will have an abundance of upright peppers.
If you’ve been to Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills anytime during the past two weeks, a seasonal spectacle may have caught your eye. Everywhere you look, from the Edible Landscape/Courtyard area extending out to the north garden, pathways are filled with the sight of spring blooming pink poppies.
Move in a little closer and listen carefully for a soft humming sound. As you might have guessed, honeybees are busy at work foraging for pollen from the abundance of poppies that share these garden spaces with our herbs, vegetables and wildflowers.
Are you wondering…why are honeybees so attracted to poppies? As the late Robbin Thorp, native pollinator specialist for UC Davis in California so succinctly stated…” they’re not there for the nectar – they’re there for the pollen”.
Poppies should be considered as a quintessential plant for pollen production. And honeybees are one of the chief pollinating agents. A deeper dive into the world of poppies gives us some interesting information regarding pollen.
It is true that honeybees are attracted to poppies for pollen only. The reason why is that the inflorescences of all poppy species lack nectaries, thus no sugary nectar available to pollinators. Flowers, however, are packed with pollen-bearing anthers. Because pollen is the honeybee’s main source of protein, collecting it is a necessary task. Once collected, it is used for brood development and to feed the young larvae. And, fortunately for the bees, scientists have found that poppy pollen is remarkable clean, containing few fungi or mycotoxins.
Come visit our garden and take time to stroll the garden paths filled with poppies. Expect to be mesmerized by an eye-catching explosion of frills. Early morning and late afternoon seem to be the optimum time to experience the honeybees in action. Don’t be surprised to see as many as four or five honeybees foraging frenetically within a single flower.
(Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills…Our “field of poppies!)
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
DALLAS GARDEN BUZZ 