Hello, blog fans! Welcome back!
I returned to Louisiana Friday afternoon. After a good night's sleep, I arose at 6:00 a.m. and headed out for my morning walk at 7:00 a.m. As I was walking, I noticed a number of lovely blooms on some trees that had been bare when I left here on January 23rd. Since most of you know my penchant for landscaping, you'll know that I couldn't resist a little lesson for you all on acid-loving flora in a high humidity environment!
The trees catching my attention this morning are commonly called Saucer Magnolias. The blooms are shaped the same but the flowers can be anywhere from nearly whitish to pink to nearly purple in hue. I took the liberty of photographing one of the next-door neighbor's specimens for you.
I returned to Louisiana Friday afternoon. After a good night's sleep, I arose at 6:00 a.m. and headed out for my morning walk at 7:00 a.m. As I was walking, I noticed a number of lovely blooms on some trees that had been bare when I left here on January 23rd. Since most of you know my penchant for landscaping, you'll know that I couldn't resist a little lesson for you all on acid-loving flora in a high humidity environment!
The trees catching my attention this morning are commonly called Saucer Magnolias. The blooms are shaped the same but the flowers can be anywhere from nearly whitish to pink to nearly purple in hue. I took the liberty of photographing one of the next-door neighbor's specimens for you.
I figured while I was taking photos, I should also provide you with a few shots of some of the Camellias in my aunt's yard. These gorgeous, evergreen shrubs can grow rather large and provide a beautiful display of flowers from late fall through winter unless a VERY hard freeze hits and lasts for some time. Since that weather is the exception rather than the rule here in southwest Louisiana, you can understand why folks plant these for winter color.
These are available in a range of colors from nearly all white to a deep, rich, rosy hue with purplish accents.
I grew up with these plants as well as azaleas (a future blog post!) but had to leave them behind when moving to central Texas. They do NOT like alkaline soil, low humidity, and/or the drought conditions more likely there. I have watched many home gardeners purchase beautifully blooming azaleas at the local home improvement stores each spring only to find they wither and die before a month is even up. I blame the stores for even stocking vegetation that will not survive in a specific environment.
So... having spent a lot of years adjusting my gardening/landscaping to the natives of central Texas, it has been pleasant to revisit the really lovely foliage and flowers of the plants with which I grew up.
Take care. It's almost Spring!!
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