Burke's Garden

The Drought We're In

2011-08-12T13:55:00.003-05:00

August 7 & 9, 2011

It's been an extreme summer! We broke high temperature records (three digits high temperature everyday since early July) and had 0 inch of rain in July and to-date August. The rain that we got on the grapes picking day (July 25th, 2011) was not worth to be recorded.

Pastures turn brown, no hay to bale. Hay price goes up to $100/bale! We sold ours last year with average price of $30-$35 / bale.

Prickly pears sprouting on the pasture. Something that hasn't happened in the past 20 years at least.

The water level on the pond has receded down about 3 feet.

Extremely low water level on the pond. We're glad the the lotus has been coming back although not as lushly as couple years ago.

Preserving Apples

2011-08-11T19:49:00.003-05:00

August 9, 2011.

We harvested two bushels of apple and preserved a bushel of them two ways, in light syrup and brandied. An apple peeler/corer/slicer was sure a big help! The green apples were surprisingly very sweet this year, they have been sour and used as cooking apples in the past years.

Grape Pressing

2011-08-07T20:11:00.007-05:00

August 3 & 4, 2011.

The grapes had been in primary fermentation for 4-5 days. They had been mashed and punched twice a day to let the gas out and optimize the fermentation process. They reached the red color that we'd like them to be so we went ahead with separating the juice from the skin and seed by pressing them using the type of wine presser called 'basket presses' made of wood and operated manually.

Crushed and fermented grapes dumped into the wine press. This is the oldest type of wine press called 'basket presses'.

Wooden plates and blocks placed on top of the grapes.

A vertical screw conveys pressure down from the wooden blocks and plates onto the grapes.

Grape juice flows out of the presser and collected in a bucket.

The grape juice is poured into glass jugs called 'carboy' for secondary fermentation and to age.

Grape juice in 5-gallon / 19-liter carboys. A 5-gallon carboy can make about 25 bottles of wine (750mL/bottle). Fermentation locks half-filled with water are mounted on top of the carboys They will prevent the air to enter the carboys while releasing the carbon dioxide produced in the fermentation process. By watching the water bubbling we know that the fermentation is still going on, alcohol is still being made.

Protecting the wine from sunlight by wrapping the carboys with carboy shields.

We make seven 5-gallon carboys of wine and they will be kept in there for further fermentation and to age.

The wine press dismantled exposing the residue of the grapes.

Grape skins and seeds cake.

The pressure put during pressing must be controlled so it wouldn't crush the seeds that could give unwanted flavor to the wine. We did a good job, the seeds are still intact.

Crushing and Destemming the Grapes

2011-08-06T16:53:00.010-05:00

July 30, 2011.

We figured that the grapes we harvested would worth more if we made wine out of them rather than selling them raw. We would also gain intangible benefit, i.e. the knowledge on the characteristic of our grapes and the wine they produce for future references. We went ahead and invested on equipments and gadgets enough to be able to produce our own wine this year and the years ahead. We decided to make red wine, mixing Blanc Dubois and Black Spanish grapes together.

The first process was to crush and de-stem the grapes. The stems could give harsh flavor to the wine, so we'd like to get rid of them as much as possible. Primary fermentation process would follow afterwards by adding yeast into the grape juice and pulp. Here's the process explained in pictures.

The start of grapes cleaning/washing line.

First, the grapes were rinsed to get rid of soil/grass/leaves in the first bucket,

then move into second bucket to be washed with grape cleansing liquid

(a small % of citric acid in it) to kill all the agents that could

impede the fermentation process. Last, they're rinsed in clean water.

This is one of the equipments that we obtained this year, a manual crusher and de-stemmer machine which will separate the grape berries from their stems.

A bucket of washed grapes is ready for crushing and de-stemming.

Throwing the grapes into the crusher and de-stemmer.

By a single cranking of wheels, the grape cluster were crushed and de-stemmed at the same time. Grape berries would then fall through the perforated cylinder while the stems pushed to the other end of the machine.

The stems of the grapes are discharged at the other end of the machine

and collected in a different bucket.

The crushed grapes and juice is being sorted out

by hand to get rid of the stems that the machine missed.

The sugar content of the grapes was taken by gadget called

refractometer and it was around 18˚Brix.

About 60 gallon / 227 liter of grape juice and pulp

was collected at the end of the process.

Yeast then added to the juice and pulp for the first fermentation.

The skin / pulp was included in the first fermentation

to give that red color to the wine since we're making red wine.

Skin/pulp would be discarded when making white wine.

These are the 3 kinds of yeast that we try and use for the primary fermentation, one kind for each container. The yeast would feed on the sugar in the grapes and produce alcohol.

To learn more about winemaking process, go to WINEMAKING on Wikipedia.

Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards

2011-08-06T15:39:00.005-05:00

July 1st, 2011.

We visited this vineyard, Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards, located at Pittsburg, Tx., about 1hr drive from where we live, to see and study about operating and maintaining a vineyard and winery. We met and talked with their Wine Production guy who was kindly sharing useful tips and info, then showing us their winery and grapevine cultivation section. Besides learning something, we also enjoyed their food, jazz music, and of course their wine from the decked patio overlooking the vineyard. Despite their 'out-of-nowhere' location and rough county roads that lead to it, their guests come from big cities like Dallas, Houston, Austin, and even overseas. We will certainly come back.

The view of the vineyard from their decked shaded patio

and a bottle of Los Pinos' white wine in the cooler.

Ten-years old grapevines trained to rambler on the second wire

from the ground. Something that we learned and want to do next year.

They grow Black Spanish and Blanc Dubois, too, among

other varieties of grape.

Their wiring system uses a more economical

type of wire than what we use. A good tip to save cost.

They have a stage for special occasion like 4th of July weekend.

Life size (almost) elephant statues attract

guests, especially children.

Grapes Picking Day

2011-08-06T13:03:00.008-05:00

July 25, 2011.

We decided that it's time to pick the grapes, so we did.

We harvested two out of four rows of grapevines we grow.

The age of the vines that were making grapes are about 3-4 years old vines.

The other two rows were the ones we planted this year

so they're not old enough to produce grapes.

The state of the grapes when picked.

Our helper picking away.

The white wine grape, Blanc Du Bois, didn't do

as well as the Black Spanish grapes this year,

maybe they need more time to mature before producing more grapes.

A label of Blanc Du Bois fell off of a vine.

We're going to grow grapes using our own cutting

next year.

The clouds that gave us some shade and kept the temperature

slightly more bearable started to break out.

The high temperature was 107˚F that day.

A basketful of Black Spanish grapes or Lenoir,

the approved grape variety name for American wine.

The harvest from 1.5 rows of grapevines when

we were taking a break (about 75% of the whole harvest).

We used all the coolers and baskets we have to contain the grapes,

laundry baskets included.

Gorgeous, healthy cluster of grapes.

We had rain after the picking was done, not a lot,

just enough to keep the dust down

and put out this unusual color on the sky and landscape.

That was the last rain we had, there's no more rain since then.

We're in an extreme drought this year.

Black Spanish Grapes - July 2011

2011-07-12T12:37:00.002-05:00

July 12, 2011.

The Black Spanish grapes have turned color from green to blue and are getting fuller, but they are not quite ripe yet.

Golden Celebration 2011

2011-07-03T08:19:00.003-05:00

July 1st, 2011.

One third of summer and half of the year 2011 has gone. Now we're facing even hotter weather the rest of this season before it gets cooler. We got quite a good rain yesterday, it sure gave a big relief to a lot of plants, and also humans, and animals. Our pet dog soaked up all the rain, laying on bermuda grass in the rain, until thunders and lightnings started to roar. Anyway, it's the 4th of July weekend. Enjoy, everyone!

Golden Celebration, a David Austin climbing rose.

Coneflower 2011

2011-07-03T08:10:00.004-05:00

July 1, 2011.

The purple Echinaceae are starting to bloom. It is more drought and heat resistant than its 'cousin' Pow Wow White which is burnt and 'baked' now.

Purple Echinaceae

Pow Wow White Echinaceae in mid June 2011,

planted in full sun spot. It is burnt and all brown now.

Purple Morning Glory - 2011

2011-07-02T10:58:00.002-05:00

June 29, 2011.

Purple and white pinwheels of purple morning glory before they fully open in one early morning.

Red Dynamite Crape Myrtle 2011

2011-07-02T10:39:00.002-05:00

June 26 - 29, 2011.

One out of three Dynamite crape myrtles along the driveway blooms, while the other two just started.

Dynamite crape myrtle trees

The flower buds when just opened has white color

It then turns dark pink before turning into deep red color

Its full bloom, the white color stay at the base of the flower

It has light fragrance and bees love it too

Pear - 2011

2011-06-29T22:33:00.002-05:00

June 29, 2011.

Tropicana Rose 2011

2011-06-25T08:45:00.001-05:00

June 14, 2011.

Tropicana rose blooms by the arbor

Grapes - June 2011

2011-06-23T11:36:00.004-05:00

June 23, 2011.

The vineyard in June after being manicured

(weeded and mowed)

Black Spanish wine grape on the vine. They're not quite ripe yet

Table grape on the vine

A bit of history: A family member picking grapes

at this farm about 30 years ago

Table grape picked this morning

Much Needed Rain

2011-06-23T11:23:00.002-05:00

June 21, 2011.

We finally got some rain after long hot (high around 100s˚F) and dry spell since around mid May.

The wet patio during the rain in the morning.

Baskets of fresh tomatoes and squashes are laying around

on the patio.

We've been busy making and canning tomato sauce.

Rudbeckia 2011

2011-06-23T11:14:00.002-05:00

June 3 - 10, 2011.

Rudbeckia a.k.a Black-Eyed Susan blooms at one corner of the green house.

In the corner with ornamental grass and ajanica pacifica

I think I sow their seeds last year or year before last

Rudbeckia with irises

Morning Glory 2011

2011-06-19T22:30:00.003-05:00

June 9, 2011

The heart-shaped leaves of morning glory

on a climber by the house.

Morning Glory flower.

Another variety of Morning Glory bloom peeks

through Ajanica Pacifica.

A purple Morning Glory, given by a friend, on an arbor

at a new garden plot.

By the Corn Field

2011-06-18T20:36:00.002-05:00

May 29, 2011.

Texas Lilac is blooming

Mimosa and pink double knockout roses are blooming

The Cannas 2011

2011-06-18T20:30:00.002-05:00

May 29 - June 10, 2011.

The cannas are in full swing now.

Red and Yellow Cannas by the house and around the old oak stump.

Pink Angel Trumpet 2011

2011-06-18T19:53:00.002-05:00

May 24, 2011.

We bought two additional angel's trumpet plants this year at the nursery nearby, without knowing the color of the flower. We knew they have been selling yellow ones all these years. So when one morning I found out that the flower was pink, I was very surprised in a nice way. I have been thinking of getting the pink one online, but I guess I don't have to now. :)

©Burke's Garden Blog, 2011.

Variegated Four O'Clock

2011-06-15T20:58:00.002-05:00

June 6, 2011.

Four O'Clock is another proven winner in the garden. It's an annual according to references, but it keeps coming back each year probably from the seeds. This is the first variegated four o'clock flowers that has ever happened since we grew them 2 years ago, mix bred by nature. It's one of the surprises I got from our garden.

Red Harmony

2011-06-15T20:38:00.002-05:00

June 3, 2011.

It already feels like August! The heat soars up to 100˚F almost everyday. Summer flowering perennials are blooming. This gaillardia and daylily are in harmony with the surrounding red sheds.

Plumeria 2011

2011-06-15T20:12:00.002-05:00

April 25 - June 3, 2011.

Plumeria, also known as Frangipani, is a tropical plant that has fragrant summer flowers. It loves sun, heat, and dry soil. It can stand Texas heat, hates wet soil. I got four cuttings from The First Monday Trade Days in April (they call it "logs") and they started growing once put in rich potting soil. Here's one of them that has been blooming for about 3 weeks now.

April 25th, 2011.

May 8th, 2011.

May 23rd, 2011.

May 28th, 2011.

June 3rd, 2011.

Front Porch Update 2011

2011-06-14T22:50:00.003-05:00

May 22, 2011.

I had to transplant the petunia that was grown in this hanging pot on the front porch to a shadier spot and exchange that with portulaca and purslane. The petunia could not take the heat and tends to wilt very quickly despite a lot of watering. I have been growing portulaca and purslane in hanging / wall pots and they proof to be the winner. They are really drought resistant, heat resistant, profusely blooming, and just look good until the frost hit them.

Yellow canna lily bloom at the foreground.

Coral Drift Rose blooms at the bottom.

Red portulaca and salmon purslane,

with Ajanica Pacifica at the bottom, and moon flower and morning glory

climbing a small climber below the hanging pot.

Bird's Nests 2011

2011-06-14T22:43:00.003-05:00

May 10, 2011.

The difference between prothonotary warbler and blue bird nest.

This is prothonotary warbler's nest, built with moss.

And this is a bluebird's nest, built with dried grasses.

Chicken Curry

2011-06-14T22:36:00.002-05:00

May 8, 2011.

One of our herb container, curry plant in a chicken planter, thus 'chicken curry'. Or is it 'curry chicken'?

Peace Rose

2011-06-14T22:29:00.003-05:00

May 1 & 8, 2011.

Peace Rose blooms have delicate pink and yellow shade at first and then turn completely yellow in a week.

Catching Up

2011-06-14T21:57:00.005-05:00

It's been almost 2 months since the last posting. Blame it on severe weather that knocked down our internet connection for about 3 weeks and hustle and bustle of harvest season. A lot has happened in 2 months, let's start catching up.

April 24, 2011 - Easter Sunday

Hydrangea Nikko Blue starting to bloom.

Nasturtiums coming up at the bottom of kalanchoe

in a strawberry pot.

©Burke's Garden Blog, 2011.

The Guardian of The Grapes

2011-04-23T10:21:00.002-05:00

April 19, 2011.

We plant roses at each end of the grapevine rows. It is believed that bugs would be attracted to the roses first before attacking the vines. By watching the roses for any bug attacks, we could then take precautions to prevent the bug from infesting the grapes.

Besides acting as "bug monitoring" means,

the roses also protect the main drip irrigation hose

from being ran over by vehicles.

And of course they are beautiful to look at.

Belinda's Dream Rose.

The drip irrigation also will water the roses.

The four rose bushes at the beginning of drip irrigation system.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Grapes Growth - 2011

2011-04-23T09:07:00.003-05:00

April 19, 2011.

The grapevines growth in about 16 days.

1. The grapevine on April 3, 2011, after the drip irrigation setup.

2. On April 11, 2011, 9 days later from Picture 1.

The vines put out a lot of new leaves filling the gap between

bottommost and the second wire.

3. On April 19, 2011, 8 days later from Picture 2.

The limbs and leaves are reaching to the third wire.

Start looking very lush.

4. The grapes on the vines, April 19, 2011.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Drip Irrigation Installation for The Grapes - 2011 A

2011-04-22T21:44:00.010-05:00

April 2, 2011.

We invest on drip irrigation system for our grapevines this year. We started planting grapes with a mix varieties along half of the first row about 3 years ago. Now we have four full rows of them, mostly Black Spanish and white Blanc Dubois grape. It takes 4-5 years for a grapevine to start producing good grapes, so we haven't harvested anything yet so far, just been training, pruning, and taking care of them all through the years. Our mission is to have a nice productive vineyard one day to supply to the fast growing wine industry around here. Here's the steps of drip irrigation installation that we did earlier in the month.

1. A ditch is dug at the beginning of the rows.

A pipe would be placed there to receive water

from the creek and then deliver it to each row.

2. Black hose, the main drip irrigation hose, that would deliver water

to individual plant is attached by clips to the bottommost wire

and goes all along the row.

3. Another ditch dug toward the creek, the water source.

This ditch would meet ditch No.1 on a T-junction.

A pipe would be placed and bring water to the pipe at ditch No.1.

A pump is set.

4. Pipe at ditch (1) is set and connected with the main drip irrigation hose.

5. Connection between pipe and the main drip irrigation hose

with filter and drip regulator placed at the beginning of a grapevine row.

6. Water filter and drip regulator at the beginning of each row.

7. Drip irrigation infrastructure above the ground.

8. The first run test for the pipe system went well.

The pump sucks water from the creek and water flows through the pipes

then the drip irrigation hose (not yet connected to the filter and regulator).

9. Poking holes on the main drip irrigation hose

right where the grapevines are.

10. Attaching the dripper on the holes.

11. A smaller hose is then attached to each dripper

and goes down all the way to the root of each grapevine.

12. Finally, after the smaller hose secured to the ground

right by the root, the base of the plant is covered with mulch.

The irrigation was set to drip 2 gallon of water to each plant within 1 hour and the vines need that every other day (corrected).

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Lilac Color Roses - Spring 2011

2011-04-21T08:40:00.003-05:00

April 17, 2011.

We plant roses at the end of our grapevine rows and these are two of them.

This lilac color rose is called Blue Girl.

Love the soft pastel color of the fresh petal,

but the outer petals has always been browned before

the flower is fully blooming.

April 19, 2011.

Another lilac color rose planted by the grapes.

Purchased from Bruce Miller in Edgewood (TX),

the label was missing.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Red Hot Poker, Red Yucca, Horsetail Reed

2011-04-20T21:19:00.003-05:00

April 19, 2011.

Red Hot Poker is going to bloom soon. They're my baby

that I grow from seeds and take 3-4 years to finally see them bloom.

Blue Salvia flowers are on the foreground.

Red Yucca bloom.

Fresh new growth sprouting on horsetail reed.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Mock Orange - Spring 2011

2011-04-20T21:15:00.002-05:00

April 19, 2011.

Mock orange doing much better after being transplanted from the front fence to the flower bed by the house.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Gertrude Jekyll & Evelyn - Spring 2011

2011-04-20T21:07:00.002-05:00

April 19, 2011.

Both roses were planted in 2010.

David Austin's Gertrude Jekyll

David Austin's Evelyn

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

German Chamomile Blooms 2011

2011-04-20T17:36:00.003-05:00

April 19, 2011.

German Chamomile flower.

How to make tea with these flowers, CLICK HERE.

Benjamin Britten Rose with Chamomile.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Light and Airy Fern... what is your name?

2011-04-17T21:37:00.003-05:00

April 20, 2011.

It's called Asparagus Plumosa Fern and it's not actually a fern but a member of Liliaceae family. It loves full sun and does not like too much water. Propagation can be done by seeds / berries or splitting the mature plant. Hardy in our zone.

April 17, 2011.

This year Hwy 80 Sale purchase from Edgewood Farmer's Market,

a fern (to be identified), repotted and placed by a pot of purslane on the patio.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Amaryllis Holiday Star 2011

2011-04-17T21:12:00.005-05:00

April 17, 2011.

This year's first few blooms of Amaryllis Twinkle Twinkle Holiday Star,

more flower buds are emerging from the base still.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Oleander Greening Up

2011-04-17T20:30:00.001-05:00

April 17, 2011.

Tracking Oleander changes from it's brown winter look back to green.

The look of Oleander for the time being.

April 14, 2011.

Oleander getting new green leaves on its stems

besides the new growths at its base.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Big Gipsy Rose - 2011

2011-04-15T19:42:00.003-05:00

April 14, 2011.

These are the biggest blooms of rose we've ever had. It is Gipsy Rose that grows by the little green house. We have another Gipsy Rose plant by the pump house, it hasn't had any bloom as of yet.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Another Yellow Wild Flower

2011-04-15T19:39:00.002-05:00

April 14, 2011.

Another kind of yellow wild flower is blooming in the area. It's very small and stay close to the ground.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Purple Rug

2011-04-13T22:33:00.004-05:00

April 13, 2011.

We tried to grow a field of blue bonnet in this spot 3 years ago, unfortunately it did not work. Surprisingly, this blue-ish purple wild flower grows naturally on that very spot. I thought the blue bonnets that we tried to grow finally germinated and bloom, but they're not.

-0-

This flower grows sporadically among the purple one.

The purple flower still closes in the morning.

Our Hank, with his squeaky toy, innocently laying

ON the purple "rug" and pose for the camera.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Red, Gold, and Green Tapestry

2011-04-13T22:18:00.003-05:00

April 13, 2011.

Crimson clover, winter aconite, and the foliages (including weeds) form a red-gold-and-green tapestry on the front pasture.

One or two orange poppies spotted on the front row.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Coral Drift Rose - Spring 2011

2011-04-13T11:59:00.001-05:00

April 13, 2011.

Coral Drift Rose in front porch flower bed.

Winchester Cathedral

2011-04-12T21:49:00.001-05:00

April 09, 2011.

David Austin's Winchester Cathedral.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Winter Aconite

2011-04-12T21:26:00.002-05:00

April 09, 2011.

I have been calling this spring wild flower 'buttercup'. Today, when browsing a nursery's catalogue, I found out that this is known as 'Winter Aconite' or 'Eranthis'. The nursery sells this plant for around ten bucks for 12 bulbs, while here in our area this plant grows naturally. More information about it can be found in THIS LINK.

Bird's Eye View

2011-04-10T21:44:00.004-05:00

April 09, 2011.

Deep red crimson clover field viewed from a distance.

Another garden ornament, a bird's hole,

a gift from our neighbor, hung on a limb of a pecan tree.

This might be the peak of the crimson clover blooms. We'll see.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Assorted plants on the patio

2011-04-10T21:36:00.003-05:00

April 10, 2011.

Lobelia by the door.

Kalanchoe

Goldalia Dahlia

Purslane

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Irises Spring 2011

2011-04-10T21:21:00.002-05:00

April 10, 2011.

Unknown Iris that was purchased from Bruce Miller.

Iris that grows wild in the back pasture

and transplanted to the garden.

These purple irises are from our neighbor,

given in the form of rhizomes.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Roses Spring 2011

2011-04-10T21:09:00.003-05:00

April 10, 2011.

Double Red Knockout Roses

Double Pink Knockout Roses

Joseph's Coat

Deadheaded Joseph's Coat's blooms

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Weather

2011-04-04T22:01:00.002-05:00

April 4, 2011.

The long awaited rain is finally pouring this early morning, along with thunder, lightning, and mothball size hail. The wind picked up yesterday afternoon with very strong gusts blowing loose stuff around the garden and it went on until today evening. Here's the view from the front porch yesterday afternoon when the gust were just blowing (see the flag). Petunias in the hanging pot looked extremely pretty and the Ajanica pacifica comes back very strongly as always.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Purple Clematis

2011-04-04T21:50:00.002-05:00

April 3, 2011.

My favorite clematis, not sure what kind, is blooming.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Crimson Clover Field

2011-04-04T21:45:00.003-05:00

April 3, 2011.

Crimson clover starts to bloom.

Piles of wood chips on the upper left corner from

a tree clearing service company will be used as mulch around plants

to slow down the weeds.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Puppies

2011-04-03T16:24:00.000-05:00

April 3, 2011.

Puppies in the garden, one made of clay, one real (by a fern).

Pottery Pots and Garden Ornaments

2011-04-01T07:17:00.003-05:00

April 1, 2011.

Porcelain wall pots are the new addition to this wall.

I have been using portulaca or purslane for the clay pot,

but for the porcelain I use white alyssum which is very fragrant,

pink verbena, and purple lobelia.

Fish shape wall pot and ornament.

I put fan flower and sweet potato vine in it.

A puppy clay pot from Hooten's. Still not sure what to put in it,

maybe pink flowering creeping thyme.

A partridge by holly.

Another fish-shape garden ornament

(a gift from getting the above fish-shape wall pot).

The fishes and porcelain pots were purchased at

The First Monday pottery shop in Canton, Tx.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Amaryllis and Bottle Brush on The Patio

2011-03-31T06:47:00.002-05:00

March 31, 2011.

Amaryllis Twinkle Twinkle Holiday Star's

flower buds with Kimberley Queen fern on the background.

Bottle Brush's blooms with black walnut tree

branches above them.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Peach Drift and Joseph's Coat

2011-03-31T06:31:00.001-05:00

March 31, 2011.

Peach Drift

(From J Berry Nursery last spring)

Joseph's Coat

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Plants on the House

2011-03-31T06:22:00.003-05:00

March, 2011.

Portulaca and purslane around the cedar column by the cistern.

Purple verbena and yellow purslane on the other side of the cistern.

Purple petunia and verbena in the hanging pots

for the front porch columns.

May 22, 2011.

The petunias were replaced due to overheating. See this post.

©Burke's Garden, 2011.

Plants List 2011 & Reference

2011-03-29T15:35:00.008-05:00

ROSES

David Austin, Winchester Cathedral

David Austin, Benjamin Britten

David Austin, Golden Celebration

David Austin, L.D. Brathwaite

David Austin, Evelyn

David Austin, Gertrude Jekyll

Hybrid Tea Rose

PEONIES

SUCCULENTS

Elephant Bush / Portulacaria afra

Aeonium 'Catlin Hybrid'

'Alpenglow' / 'Vera higgins', Graptosedum

Others

Sun Parasol's Crimson Mandevilla

Rockfoil 'Touran'

Goldalia Dahlia Scarlet

Hosta, Holly Fern, Mock Orange, and Rose

2011-03-23T20:41:00.003-05:00

March 23, 2011.

Fresh foliage of hosta and holly fern.

Mock Orange has been transplanted from the front fence

to the flower bed by the house.

The shade of Winchester Cathedral rose

with its first flower bud (CLICK to see its bloom)

Purchased 2011 from Chamblee's Rose Nursery, Tyler, TX.

Spring Blossoms

2011-03-22T17:41:00.000-05:00

March 22, 2011

Dogwood

Apple

Sassafras

Blue Bird Eggs

2011-03-19T09:27:00.003-05:00

March 19, 2011.

One of the blue bird eggs has hatched.

Wild Spring Flower

2011-02-20T20:39:00.000-06:00

February 20, 2011

Wild flowers at the corner of the front porch's flower bed.

Daffodils 2011

2011-02-20T17:45:00.000-06:00

Here Comes the Sun

2011-02-05T14:52:00.000-06:00

February 5, 2011

On a snowy morning, a cardinal watching the sunrise from a limb of black walnut tree.

Fall Blooming Clematis

2010-11-04T07:55:00.000-05:00

November 4, 2010.

River Otters and A Sitting Duck

2010-10-23T09:27:00.000-05:00

October, 23, 2010.

At least 5 mature river otters were spotted in the our creek this afternoon,

three of them are captured in the pictures.

They were very playful, look cute, and fun to watch, but apparently won't make good pets.

They are very curious, have powerful jaws, and as they are related

to weasels, minks, and skunks, they smell bad.

One of our hen mallard duck has been sitting on her eggs

in the front yard under the big ole oak tree.

She has about 16 eggs and hopefully they'll all hatch.

Wagon Rides & Mums

2010-10-22T12:44:00.003-05:00

October 22, 2010.

One of four carriage wagons that passing by the road this morning.

A tractor tire planter at the corner of the fence

is topped with yellow mums.

Yellow mums and a small cluster of purple aster

in the tractor tire planter.

The Moon & Black Walnut

2010-09-22T15:57:00.005-05:00

September 22, 2010.

Today is the last day of summer 2010. Fall is here and this is the harvest moon.

Pear Bread

2010-09-10T09:42:00.002-05:00

September, 10, 2010.

Pear bread with pear and fresh eggs from the farm.

Pear

2010-09-06T18:00:00.003-05:00

September 6, 2010.

The pear tree has the same story as apple trees and these are this year's fruits. Some are ready to be picked.

Pear

Our favorite pear desserts, Pear Terrine,

with caramel and star anise. Good with vanilla ice cream.

Mint Jelly

2010-06-27T15:55:00.002-05:00

June 27, 2010.

Jars of homemade mint jelly

with a bird's nest blown by wind gust.

It's a mixed between spearmint and peppermint.

The mint plants with sunflowers

on the background.

Lily and Four O'Clock

2010-06-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

June 27, 2010.

One muggy morning in June.

Asian Lily and Four O'Clock in the tractor tire planter.

Four O'Clock flowing down the tire planter.

Apple

2010-06-21T15:42:00.001-05:00

June 21, 2010.

After being abandoned for years and pruned and fertilized these past 2-3 years, the two apple trees in the front yards finally bear fruits and they are loaded. They are cooking type of apple, too sour to be eaten raw. Squirrels love them so we have to race against them. They made good apple pie and apple tarts.

The cooking apples.

A squirrel bite on an apple.

One of the apple trees dotted with apples

with a rose bush on the foreground

earlier in the month.

Coriander Seeds

2010-06-08T16:08:00.000-05:00

June 8, 2010.

We're behind on getting rid of the coriander plants' flower buds, so then they flower and made seeds and went dry. I collected the dried seeds, roast them on a pan (without oil) and then ground them in a pestle and mortar to make roast coriander powder for cooking. It was perfect!

Dry coriander seeds.

Coneflowers

2010-06-08T15:34:00.000-05:00

June, 2010

Evelyn Rose

2010-05-06T15:10:00.003-05:00

May, 2010.

EVELYN (Aussaucer), a David Austin Rose, bought in Tyler, TX.

Love the complex shape of the bloom and the fragrance, reminds me of Camelia flower that is not doing well here.

The Evelyn's blooms.

The plant. It's a climber.

Grasshoppers on Evelyn.

Amaryllis Teresa

2010-04-24T12:32:00.002-05:00

April 24th, 2010.

A Christmas gift from our neighbor two years ago, has a second year bloom, grown outdoor in the ground. The flower bud was accidentally stepped on by a worker and broke. We put it in a jar with water, about 10 days later it blooms in the jar, in the kitchen.

Jeanette Irises

2010-04-24T12:13:00.003-05:00

April 20th, 2010.

Except for the last picture, these irises have huge blooms. Our neighbor gave us the rhizomes last year.

First Few Roses

2010-04-17T16:53:00.002-05:00

Joseph's Coat

A nearby wholesale nursery, J.Berry, was open for public

during this weekend Hwy 80 sale.

I got this double-knockout roses from them yesterday.

@ Burke's Garden, 2010.

Poppies on a Field

2010-04-17T16:45:00.002-05:00

These poppies are naturalized from seeds 2 or 3 years ago and they have been coming back each spring.

Purple Iris and Wild Flowers

2010-04-17T16:41:00.001-05:00

Huge bloom of purple iris given by our neighbor last year.

Wild purple flowers on the field.

Indian Paintbrush

2010-04-17T16:39:00.000-05:00

Azalea & Clematis

2010-04-17T16:34:00.001-05:00

Encore Azalea. The most blooms we have so far.

Clematis

Clematis Jackmanii

Food for Them

2010-04-11T10:38:00.002-05:00

April 10, 2010.

Rose and flower food for roses, flowering bushes and trees has been done. Fertilizing started.

By the kitchen door.

One garden under control.

Yellow (store bought bulb) and purple (from wild) irises.

Poppies popped up. Naturalized from seeds.

Prothonotary Warblers at The Feeder

2010-04-10T22:34:00.001-05:00

Dogwood & Apple Blossoms

2010-04-10T15:51:00.005-05:00

Honky Tonk, The Spring Winner

2010-04-10T15:42:00.002-05:00

April 2010.

Each year this yellow Honky Tonk tulip makes bold statement in the garden.

(Coral and pink geranium in the background)

Wisteria Lane

2010-04-05T10:49:00.002-05:00

April 5th, 2010.

It's an appropriate name for our lane at the time being. The county road going towards the highway is decorated with purple (and a little white hidden in between, in the third picture) wisteria flowers. It offers nice fragrance to the passerby too.

Colors of Spring

2010-04-04T20:09:00.004-05:00

April 3rd, 2010.

Saucer Magnolia

Redbud Tree

Irises

Forsythia

Sassafras tree blossoms

Muscari or Grape Hyacinth

May Night Salvia

Cherry Blossoms

2010-04-04T11:02:00.002-05:00

One Kwanzan Cherry Tree blooming, second year.

Camelia Bud & Mandevillia Leaf

2010-01-18T11:06:00.001-06:00

Camelia flower bud. It stopped right there

and didn't make it into a bloom.

Mandevillia leaf turned copper in January.

The Jungle Gardens of Avery Island

2010-01-03T15:12:00.009-06:00

December 26, 2009.

1. The Founder

"In Louisiana, hard by the point where the sweeping curve of the Gulf of Mexico reaches the northern-most point of its arc there is a plug of salt that is eight miles (12.9 km) deep and, at its tip, is narrowed to a circumference of some six miles (9.6km).

Only the uppermost tip of that mountain of salt projects beyond the level of the reed-grown tide marshes through which it is thrust, with a skim of top soil to clothe it, and to form an "island" of high, firm ground that dominates the surrounding marshlands: Avery Island. Hundreds of acres of the soil that covers this mountain of salt are each year grown to the hottest peppers that ever came out of Old Mexico.

These two products - the salt that is mined from beneath the earth through a shaft 530 feet (161 m) deep, and the pepper that is harvested from the soil above it - constitute a foundation of a fortune which through many years have been devoted to the development of the most remarkable garden anywhere to be found, a garden whose cultivated and landscaped portion is more than 150 acres (60.7 hectares) in extent.

Though undeniably impressive, mere size is no measure of beauty. But for over 40 years this particular landscape had been molded to splendor by the talent and the imagination of Edward Avery McIlhenny whose home on Mayward Hill, is the focal point of the Avery Island gardens it overlooks. Today, it stands as a perpetual monument to him. To understand what happened to that pepper grown salt plug you should have known E. A. McIlhenny, the M'sieu Ned of all that countryside.

Mr. McIlhenny was an explorer, writer, business executive, naturalist, conservationist and a half a dozen of other "ists". He was the author of many books on nature, he bred hundreds of new varieties of plants; he saved the snowy egret from extinction at the hands of the plume hunters; he manufactured Tabasco sauce." (Quoted from the leaflet of The Jungle Gardens of Avery Island that's handed out to the visitors)

The house of E. A. McIlhenny,

the son of Edmund McIlhenny the founder of McIlhenny Co.

A private road in the Jungle Gardens going towards Ned's house.

2. The Live Oaks and Spanish Moss

3. The Bamboo Collection

4. Japanese Garden

5. Camelias and others

6. The Bird City

A Trip to Avery Island, Louisiana - Tabasco Factory

2009-12-31T14:13:00.012-06:00

December 26, 2009.

www.tabasco.com

We spent Christmas in Louisiana with our family and we made a trip to Avery Island to visit the legendary Tabasco hot sauce factory and mainly the Jungle Gardens which was first established by Edward Avery McIlhenny, the second son of the founder of McIlhenny company, Edmund McIlhenny. Here's some highlights of the trip in part one.

The signature logo of McIlhenny company with its renowned Tabasco sauce directs us to the factory and Country Store with a palmetto plant on its side, one of the most common tropical plants in the area. The whole place is seated on top of a very large salt dome of Avery Island which salt is mined and used in the process of sauce making.

The one and only Tabasco sauce factory where fermented tabasco pepper is mixed with vinegar and stirred for 28 continuous days, then bottled, labeled in many different languages, and shipped to all over the world. The factory produces 700,000 bottles of hot sauce each day. Factory tours available 7 days a week, but during the weekend the factory itself is not in operation. You are going only to see the bottling part of the factory through a glass window though. I was hoping to be able to see their warehouse where wooden barrels are stacked up high, but the area is not for public, I guess. The tabasco plantation is not open for public either and at this time of the year there's no activity there.

Tabasco Country Store showcases Tabasco's lines of food products and souvenirs, among them are the latest Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce, jalapeno and sweet and spicy ice cream kit (you can sample them too), and a bunch of merchandises with Tabasco brand and Louisiana signature graphics.

A wooden barrel, where the mix of fresh tabasco pepper and Avery Island salt were stored to ferment for 3 years before mixed with vinegar to produce the signature Tabasco hot sauce, are exhibited by the entrance of the store. Variegated ginger foliage at the background are very common in this area.

Heavy Frost & Hibiscus

2009-12-20T15:08:00.001-06:00

We got heavy frost on Sunday morning that turned the grass white and light brown, while in our little green house a tropical hibiscus was blooming.

Winter Job

2009-12-19T22:51:00.002-06:00

December 16, 2009.

Trimming and cutting down trees are winter job. That's what we have done this week. The oak tree in front of the house gets a severe trimming job to get rid of the mistletoes. One dead oak tree on the road side has to go down.

Four baby flying squirrels were captured. They were found inside the hollow part of the dead oak tree by the road. Mama Squirrel and the rest of the family managed to escape. We'll keep these babies until they are stronger and ready to be released if they want to. According to the tree man, they make good pets and would stay on your shoulder no matter where you go if you let them. They are sure cute, though.

Goodbye to Garden

2009-12-05T17:02:00.001-06:00

The killing frost has come

I say goodbye to garden

See you back in spring

Our Neighbor's Fiery Pistachio Tree

2009-12-02T08:53:00.003-06:00

"In the other gardens

And all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

the grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all,

Flowers in the summer

Fires in the fall! "

- Robert Louis Stevenson, Autumn Fires

This is our dear neighbor's pistachio tree. It's on fire!

It has the most wonderful fall foliage in the world

and it always does this every year!

We can see the red from our place. It's just too lovely.

Do You See What I See?

2009-12-01T10:11:00.006-06:00

"Winter is an etching,

spring a watercolor,

summer an oil painting
and autumn a mosaic of them all."

- Stanley Horowitz

Along the tree-bordered property line, across the yellow and green pasture, a red fiery tree is peeking through and screaming, "Look at me! Look at me!".

Simply Fall

2009-11-30T15:59:00.006-06:00

"Two sounds of autumn are unmistakable,

the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown

along the street or road by a gusty wind,

and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese.

Both are warnings of chill days ahead,

fireside and topcoat weather."

- Hal Borland

Oak leaves and acorns on sandy soil.

Red gum leaf among oak leaves and acorns.

The autumn leaves on road pavement.

Leaves on leaves.

Gum leaves and gum balls.