Spring – T's Southern Garden Blog

Wednesday Walk

To capture April in Alabama I’m venturing beyond my garden. I took these snapshots during a recent neighborhood walk in Birmingham.

(c) Terri Robertson, T's Southern Garden, 2018 — This oak-lined street is a piece of Americana perfection.

When oak trees first leaf out, their young green leaves shine in the sun as if golden. It always makes me think of Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” which begins “Nature’s first green is gold.” I love the sight of a huge oak five times the size of the house it grows beside.

The wildflowers (or weeds, if you rather) are out.

The flattering name of this plant is, wait for it, Philadelphia fleabane. I saw this member of the daisy family today blooming along nonresidential roadsides and in natural areas. It may look a little weedy, but it’s native to North America. (In Europe and Asia, where it has been introduced, it’s considered invasive.)

A friend once told me dogwood trees should look like clouds in the landscape.

I have to agree. This dogwood in bloom looks exactly like a cirrus cloud floating in the sky.

Japanese maples offer vibrant color at a time of year when most everything is green, white or pastel.

I recently wrote about my Shaina Japanese maple, which is a dwarf variety. On today’s walk I encountered medium and large varieties.

Magnolias bloom in the summer, but their dark, glossy leaves and massive trunks are beautiful all year.

The low-hanging branches of the magnolia below are so inviting. I will be sure to revisit this tree in the summertime when it is in bloom.

I believe I encountered an azalea that is native to Alabama!

If my ID is correct, this azalea is a pinkster flower (Rhododendron periclymenoides). If I get another ID from the iNaturalist community, I will update this post. I spotted this small shrub growing wedged in a tall, groomed evergreen hedge. It seemed out of place in the best way possible.

The topography of Birmingham can vary fairly dramatically within a small radius.

My neighborhood is all steep hills. The area I walked today (the adjacent neighborhood) is flat and carved with natural creeks and urban waterways.

Thanks for visiting. I’d love to see what spring looks like in your neighborhood, wherever that may be.

In a Vase on Monday: Pretty in Pink

(c) Terri Robertson, tssoutherngarden.com, April 2, 2018 — Loropetalum (foliage), George Taber azaleas, tulip Menton and oxalis

The blooms in today’s post remind me of the prom dress Andie creates in the 1980s movie “Pretty in Pink.”

Is that movie a classic anywhere other than the United States? I don’t even like the final dress creation in the movie, but this bouquet has the same pink-on-pink-on-pink quality (in a good way, I hope).

Here are the components of this week’s “In a Vase on Monday”:

1. Tulip Menton

My last tulip of the season is a pretty one. When I started this post, all I knew was I wanted to make the most of this bright peachy-pink bloom.

2. George Taber azaleas

The azaleas, which were beginning to flower two weeks ago, are now in full bloom. The white azaleas are just as lovely and fluffy, but I decided to stick with a pink theme for this vase.

3. Oxalis

The tiny hot pink blooms tucked into the center of the arrangement are oxalis. Some people consider oxalis a weed, but I have come to like it growing here and there throughout the garden beds. The photo below shows oxalis flowers after they’ve closed for the evening.

4. Loropetalum

We planted loropetalum bushes along our chain-link fence for privacy last year. A friend suggested them as a fast-growing, drought-tolerant classic. In a couple of years, I think we’ll have good fence coverage. Its maroon foliage turned out to be a good complement to this week’s blooms.

5. Repurposed gin bottle (vase)

I love a good gin-and-tonic. The Botanist is one of my favorite gins, and the bottle makes a pretty vase.

Thanks to Cathy and her blog, Rambling in the Garden, for hosting the IAVOM meme. It’s helped me connect to other garden bloggers and makes blogging much more enjoyable. Be sure to visit her blog and the comments section to see what she and other gardeners around the world have put in a vase on Monday.

In a Vase on Monday: Azalea Buds

Azalea buds in March in a vintage apothecary bottle

Today’s “In a Vase on Monday” features pink azalea buds clipped from one my drought survivors.

During the 2016-17 drought in the Southeastern U.S., I felt sure the beautifully green city of Birmingham, and perhaps the whole state of Alabama, was on its way to becoming a dust bowl. Everything, even the most established trees, looked parched. When there was the slightest hint of a storm brewing, all we got was clouds, wind, a few drops of rain, and whirls and whirls of dust.

Like many people, we lost quite a bit of landscaping, including all the azaleas across the front of our house. (They were planted there by the previous owner, and it was an ill-advised location. Too much sun.)

However, spring 2017 graced us with lots and lots of rain, helping our trees and shrubs recover. But during that first year, the drought’s toll was still apparent.

Azalea bloom in March — One lone bloom near the ground has opened. I can’t wait till the whole bush is in full bloom for the first time in two years.

Though we lost all the azaleas in our front yard, the three in our backyard, protected by plenty of shade, survived. However, they did not bloom in spring 2017 when the rain returned. Similarly, my holly bushes did not put out berries in fall 2016. Everything was in survival and recovery mode.

Happily, fall 2017 saw the return of holly berries to feed the birds and squirrels, and spring 2018 has brought the return of azalea buds to our backyard. I can’t wait until the bushes explode with flowers.

The vase at the top of this post is a vintage apothecary bottle from my hometown of Augusta, Georgia. The writing on the bottle reads, “744 Broad St., Cabaniss Drug Co., Augusta, GA.” (Speaking of Augusta, if you want to see some stunning azaleas, even if you’re not a golf fan, tune in to the upcoming Master’s Golf Tournament!)

Thanks to Cathy and her blog, Rambling in the Garden, for starting the IAVOM meme. It’s helped me connect to other garden bloggers and makes blogging much more enjoyable. Be sure to visit her blog and see all the comments below her post to get a peek at what gardeners around the world have put in a vase on Monday.