A Xeric Paradise: Xera Plants

Last weekend, I attended Greg Shepherd's impromptu garden party. Greg Shepherd is the co-owner of Xera Plants, one of my favorite nurseries. He admits that his business inspired his xeric garden. He simply can't bear to water once he gets home from a day of watering four inch plants at the store and nursery. I don't blame him. And the resulting garden is fabulous!

New plant additions get water the first year in his garden to get established but after that, they are on their own. He doesn't fertilize plants or amend the soil.

Doesn't that sound like the perfect garden? 

Greg's texture filled garden is a photographer's dream. The garden has a  simple plant driven design that overflows with gray blue foliage, soft yellow flowers and punches of orange for emphasis.  I've visited other xeric gardens that made me feel like I was visiting an alien moon, but not Greg's.  Greg's garden invites you to explore and enjoy.

The hellstrip is full of interesting plants that shine in the evening light. A man walking his beagle came by a couple of times and I felt like he was keeping an eye on me to make sure that I wasn't hurting the garden.   

The stone pathway in his front yard invites you into the garden to explore.  

Fescues and Hebe ‘Karo Golden Esk’ run along the stone stream

A vignette in the side yard plays with form and texture.  

Here's a dreamy shot of his back garden.  

His back garden uses stumps to cap the gravel pathways studded with square cut bluestone. Simple and beautiful. Now let's take a closer look at some of the plants.

Eryngium giganteum

Every year some 'helpful' pedestrian weeds this gorgeous thistle out of my garden.   Maybe the third try is the charm?

Erica arborea 'Alberts Gold'

A dangerous groundcover 

Arctostaphylos spp.

Greg's xeric garden overflows with an exciting plant palette.  Wouldn't you like to include some of his ideas into your garden?  Go visit Xera Plants website or go visit their shop. Growing a xeric garden is a win-win for the gardener and the environment. Just imagine the time that you would save without having to water your garden. 

Greg and Christian, thank you for a lovely evening of wine, friends, and laughter in your gorgeous garden! 

To see their garden through the eyes of an artist visit Tamara's Chickadee Garden's post and for a garden designer's perspective see Anna's Flutter and Hum post.  

A Parasitic Wasp in the Answer Clinic

Yesterday, while I was volunteering in the mg answer clinic, I met an entomology graduate student who was showing off his find that was carefully wrapped in a petri dish.  Inside was a leaf with a parasitic wasp quietly protecting her eggs that were tucked inside 25 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug eggs.  I excitedly asked him if we could take some pictures of his discovery.  He agreed.  And as we were posing the heroic parasitic wasp in front of the camera he told me that she'll guard her eggs for a month or until they hatch.  

A parasitic wasp guarding her eggs that are inside BMSB eggs.

Parasitic wasps are a natural predator of Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs.  They lay their eggs inside the BMSBs eggs and the wasp larvae feed off the stink bug eggs.  WSU and OSU scientists are busy studying parasitic wasps from China to see if they can be released here as a biological control agent.  The concern is that parasitic wasps might decimate our beneficial native stink bug populations.  

The native stink bug, Banasa dimiata, in my garden.

I'm crossing my fingers that the scientists figure out a solution to the BMSB outbreak soon.  The bugs are taking an expensive bite out of our agriculture industry.  Now they are moving into Washington's wine regions.  Growers are finding some success spraying kaolin clay on fruit trees and grape vines. But, we're all eager for the scientists to make a break through on how to manage this foreign pest.

A Brown Marmorated Stink Bug 

Wednesday Vignette: Slimy Trails to You!

I was surprised to discover a slug munching on my horseradish clump.  Slugs normally prefer tender seedlings and lettuce.  Horseradish seemed like an odd choice.

Now, I HATE slugs.  I like to slice them in half with my scissors or sharp trowel tip.  But, I felt curious and reached for my camera instead.  I watched it climb over the leaves and took shots at different angles.  I'm not particularly attached to my thriving horseradish clumps, so I left the slug to continue munching and exploring.  Every now and then, I surprise myself.  

Here's Anna's new Wednesday Vignette over at Flutter and Hum.  I assure you that her post much prettier than mine!

Wednesday Vignette: Serrated Stylings

I'm joining my blogger pal, Anna at Flutter and Hum, with her Wednesday Vignette meme. I'm enjoying how the serrated leaves of the false hemp, Datisca cannabina, are bringing out the serrated edges of the white masterwork flowers, Astrantia major 'Alba' in my front garden bed.  

Dandelion Spring

In early spring, I allow my dandelions to bloom to provide food for the bees in my garden.  Then, as the blooms age my garden helper, Barnaby, snacks on them.  It's a nice system. 

Dandelion bloom

But, sometimes Barnaby gets distracted from his duties.  For instance, he likes to steal my garden hat off my head and dance around the garden.    

So he missed a few flowers and some seed heads developed.  I didn't mind. I pulled out my new macro lens and captured some shots after a rain storm.  I was surprised to discover that dandelion seeds look just like arrows. Don't you agree? 

Dandelion Arrow

Saxon Holt is hosting his Picture This--Spring Photo Contest at Gardening Gone Wild for garden  bloggers.  I'm submitting my shot titled, Dandelion Arrow.   

The macro lens is opening up a whole new world to me in the garden.  I've never thought of dandelion seeds as beautiful before.  And now that my garden is in full spring bloom, the dandelions have been weeded out.  I strive to keep my beneficial insects happy.  

What do you grow to make the bees happy in spring?