Lubbock Arboretum Plant Sale 2015

Despite the wind the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum was able to host another successful plant sale. The spring plant sale is their annual fundraiser that helps keep the arboretum, which is run by volunteers, going.

I planned only to buy one plant as a way of showing my support for the place but as usually ended up buying several in addition to 8 packets of flower seeds (they were only 25 cents each) and a practically new cottage garden book. What a deal!

After paying for the plants and tucking them into the car I headed back into the arboretum to explore the grounds. My favorite spot was the wildflower garden with its curving gravel pathways. It was established in 2013 in honor of two of their volunteers. There were several gardens, from the size of a small pocket rock bed to the large wildflower beds, that had been created in honor of someone and plaques were attached to rock formations nearby. I suspect those honored either paid for their gardens or their family did.

Many of the wildflowers have not yet bloomed. I'll have to come back next month and take new photos. I bet this garden is spectacular when in full bloom. 

 I really like the use of rocks, flagstone and gravel throughout the gardens. The Arboretum is definitely a strolling-type garden and several other people were walking around checking out the flowers.

 I hadn't realize how far back the grounds went and was delighted to find several sitting ares with stone benches and pergolas.

This was a grouping of 6 large stone seats with an open circular place in front that seemed made for hosting a small wedding or a small church sermon. The trees surrounding it have not yet filled out with leaves.

 Some of flowers were in bloom already. Pictured here are hardy Gladiolas and Irises. The Winecups next to the Irises haven't yet sent up flower buds but they must be close.

These pink Evening Primroses are doing well in the semi-shade. I've killed it in my own garden the two times I tried growing it. 

The few Poppies that were blooming were gorgeous. I bought some poppy seeds in the sale so fingers crossed I'll have some next year in my garden.

Finally, the irises lovely. I especially liked the black one with gold specks that seemed to shimmer. Took a photo of it but it doesn't show off the glow well so I uploaded this one instead.

A Windy Spring Day on the Plains

2014 so far is shaping up to be a bummer of a year. We've barely gotten over an inch of rain and the local weather forecasters are not optimistic about much precipitation in the next two weeks. What we are receiving is a lot of wind, which is normal in West Texas. Yesterday and today we're experiencing high winds so there's not much gardening going on. However, the yesterday morning was decent and the Lubbock Arboretum held its annual plant sale. The Arboretum relies heavily its small devoted group of volunteers and donations from the public. They are a prime example of an local group doing the best they can with very limited resources.

A bed of May Night salvias beckons visits to sit a spell at the entrance to the Arboretum.

Besides plants, there were rain barrels and seeds available for purchase. As soon as the obnoxious winds settle down in two days I can plant the Bush Zinnia and Love in a Mist seeds I purchased.

Since I was already there I took the opportunity to sign up as a member of the Arboretum and strolled around a small section of the grounds to check out what was growing and blooming. Isn't this a sweet little two story birdhouse?

 

Not sure what this is pretty purple flower is as unfortunately there was no accompanying plant tag. 

Entrance into the Arboretum where a tent was set up for visitors to pay for their plant purchases. The volunteers actually had to take the tent down around 11:30 due to the wind repeatedly knocking it down.

Texas Gold Columbines putting on a lush show. Below is a purple variety growing next to the gold ones.

The pink wildflower below is supposed to be easy to grow here but I've killed it the two times I've tried to grow it.

View down one of the many crushed gravel walkways at the Arboretum.

Not sure what these yellow flowers were but they seemed happy growing in various beds along the walkways.

This was a nice looking Euphorbia plant. I've never planted them in my garden due to the sap being an irritant but they are structurally attractive plants.

Last weekend I spent several hours dividing my daylilies and dragged down three bags full to donate for the sale. I ran out of steam before getting around to dividing the irises, which is pity since one of the volunteers told me Saturday morning that they'd had several requests for irises by visitors to the plant sale. So my goal this summer to to photograph the various irises when they bloom to document what colors they are and then next year when I dig some up for the plant sale I can print out pictures to accompany the plants. The reblooming, scented daylilies I donated this year sold out fast I was told so I'll try to donate a few more of those next year too.