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Sunday, October 2, 2011

Fall at my house.....

I live in the desert, it is a hard place to make things beautiful....being from Texas I don't like not having flowers...so years ago we made a deal with our yard.....actually we made a deal with the University that they could use our front yard and we would basically do what they told us to do. We had put in a Wetlands.......the first residential constructed wetlands in Nevada....and so our yard was a great fit for wild experiments. They simply wanted us to not use pesticides, and not to augment the soil. We had to see what would really grow here. So they brought in experimental plants and we dug the holes, Sometimes having to jackhammer to make the holes big enough. This ground is hard and rocky.....a true challenge. My front porch.....looks like a home in Texas doesn't it? A gift from my husband....I am so happy he likes it as much as I do....
And so now the flower show starts.....all of these pictures are of the front yard. I just wanted you to see the colors, and the possibilities of drought tolerant plants.

I tried to delete this picture because the palm in the pot is so ugly and I haven't replaced it yet. But it was too hard.....so not everything looks great!




This is the most beautiful plant, the flowers look like wisteria, but of course, it isn't....it does freeze, but all four of mine came back, after a lot of time.....most everything starts greening up in April, this one and the bougainvilleas didn't really start going until June. It does pay to be patient.
Verbena is always a must
You can't see this very well, but this is an African Sumac that volunteered in this place, so my husband bent it way over and tied it down to train it to watch over the wetlands....
the Cannas are what we have in the wetlands right now, we took out all the cattails and the curly willow. Too invasive. I which we had hundreds of different kinds and colors of cannas, but maybe some time.
Another African Sumac, they volunteer everywhere because we mulch the entire front of our yard. In fact so much volunteers that I plant and replant all the time.

The original African Sumac....love the trunks on these treesSee the purple? It is called purple heart and I got it out of a woman's yard I had admired. She just handed it to me and now I have it all over. In the bottom of my pots, in the yard, in water, in the wetlands, everywhere.
This is my favorite bougainvillea, it grows up around the mailbox, the mail man hates it, but I don't have the heart to cut it. It comes back every year.
And here it is again....
I love it....
purple heart and creeping myrtle.....I got the creeping myrtle from a friend, and now it is also everywhere.
Russian sage (smells heavenly) and purple ruella growing inside of it. They were both volunteers.....
Next to the purple buddies is California fuchsia, which absolutely takes over......and the start of the pumpkin story...

Last year we went to Sacramento with the Holley's and we went o every farmers market there was. my husband got several gourds and pumpkins and harvested the seeds......here is what he did with them.......
They are everywhere
all across the front of the yard.....


Is this wild? It goes right across the steps in front of our house.....and there are so many pumpkins and gourds.....just crazy....I wanted to share the fall in the desert....our imagination and a shovel....

14 comments:

  1. Oh, Donna, your porch is beautiful!!! It does look like it would be right at home in Texas. Love all of your plants. Wow! A beautiful pallate of colors. Nope, still no rain. It is not like us. Hope you have a great week. blessings ~ tanna

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  2. Wow, A real oasis in the desert. I love it.

    You have a beautiful yard.

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  3. I have a feeling that you all are a destination designation for anyone who has guests that come to stay with them in your neck of the woods in Nevada. Do you have visitors all the time, driving by and stopping to take it all in? Amazing and lush! I'm so excited for you. Thanks for dropping by for a visit. Cherry Kay

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  4. That is beautiful!! It gives me hope with our pitiful plants that are half dead right now. Maybe I'll just come get some starters from you.....and a pizza.=)

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  5. I have starts for everyone, always!!!!

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  6. Donna, I love your yard so much! The porch is to die for, and I envy all the color and different textures you have going. I especially enjoy all of the little pumpkins and gourds - what fun! You've done a beautiful job! Now come help me with mine.

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  7. I will be there in a flash...as long as we can go and walk on the beach....no problem!!!

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  8. How utterly enchanting! I'd love to stroll through your wonderland!
    Thanks for sharing...
    Hugs~

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  9. I'm trying to leave a comment through another server in hopes of being able to this time, since the first time didn't work. :) -
    I'm impressed by your beautiful desert garden, and your can-do attitude! You are a shining example of the saying "bloom where you're planted"! :)

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  10. That vining gourd plant is really something! I would love some Verbena in my yard. I wonder if it'll grow in the midwest...

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  11. Wow Donna.. it is stunning!!!!!
    Have a great weekend.

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  12. Oh my goodness, I am so inspired! We are moving to an area that has its own challenges in terms of what will grow there. Mainly because our new "yard" comes complete with 75 foot pine trees. Lots of them.

    But looking at your pictures I can see new possibilities. :) thank you. ...Marsha

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  13. Very impressive that you have that much green in the desert.

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  14. Your yard is gorgeous. I love the vines on the porch. Do the plants live all year round?
    Gale

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