In the Verbena family, this pest free-sun loving tree goes by many names. Most commonly known as Vitex, this wonderful tree can also be known as Texas lilac, Indian spice, Hemp tree, Pepper tree and Monks pepper tree.
The fragrant flowers are bright lavender in color and full of nectar which makes this tree a great choice to attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies.
A fast growing deciduous tree that can grow to be 18' tall and 10-15' wide. Drought tolerant and given the name "Pepper Tree" during the Great Depression, the Vitex seeds were used as a pepper substitute.
This Purple Vitex is one of my favorites and makes for a wonderful focal point in any courtyard, patio or landscape design.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have. Happy Gardening! Portia Leyendecker
The Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant in the Asteraceae family. A native to the Americas. The stem can grow to be 9 feet tall and the flower head can reach almost 12" in diameter. This beauty was first discovered by Francisco Pizarro in Peru and was worshiped by the Incas as a symbol of the Sun God. There is also evidence that the sunflower was first domesticated in Mexico by 2600 BC. The seeds were brought to Europe in the 16th century.
Milkweed is a great source of food for Butterflies and Hummingbirds. A host plant for the Monarch Butterfly, Asclepias Curassavica is a wonderful perennial that loves full sun. You can grow it from seed or in potted form. Monarch on a Viburnum leaf. Butterfly Weed or Milk Weed is a great addition to any landscape or garden.
Above is Neon Flash Spirea. Wonderful for bright pink color all summer long. Great for attracting butterflies. Vivian is fascinated by the wonderful and prehistoric Rollie Pollie or Pill Bug. I think most 4 year olds are, see the link below:
Vivian and I had fun planting some Dyssodia or Dahlberg Daisy together. This is a great border plant with bright yellow flowers for full sun. Good in the late spring and through summer. As you can see, Pepper the Black Pug wanted in on the fun. Vivian and I posing in the garden together.
This is a project we just worked on and it includes a New Orleans theme Courtyard and Butterfly Garden. In addition to the Butterfly attracting plants, we installed a natural stone border and a gravel parking area. These are the before shots of the Courtyard and the Butterfly Garden.
Did you know Earth Day has been around since 1970.
It was created by Senator Gaylord Nelson and has reached over 175 countries worldwide. The organizers of the Earth Day network will be launching the "Green Generation" campaign soon.
Remember chemical fertilizers will kill Butterflies, not just weeds.
Here is the latest project this last week of April 15th. 2009. Leyendecker Landscape designed and installed a new landscape in the wonderful community of Boulevard Green right off Bellaire Blvd. It is a small, quiet and hidden architectural gem.
Leyendecker Landscape started by taking out the old deck, added a brand new deck in addition to adding a 2' privacy extension to the fence.
The client chose the perfect fountain from Joshua's Native Plantsin the Heights. Leyendecker Landscape installed the fountain along with the electrical needed to run it.
This is what it looked like before.
Thank you Ms Redel for giving Leyendecker Landscape the opportunity to serve your landscaping needs. It was a joy working with you :)
Leyendecker Landscape is experiencing the opportunity to update one of many units on Blvd. Green off Bellaire Blvd. Wonderfully architectural housing built in the 70's. This tucked away community offers an amazingly quiet and peaceful experience. We have before and during shots of the project with more photos to come after the completion.
It has been a complete redo starting with the demolition of the old deck, the rebuild of a new deck and landscaping. There is still a water feature to install.
Watch out for the end results.
Please note: This landscaping project is considered to be a combination of partial sun and shade. A variety of texture is important in this case.
This is a project that was designed to change out color twice a year. We went with red for contrast and a warmer feel. In the Fall, Cyclamen was the flower of choice. We went with red Geraniums for Spring.
These are pictures of the project in it's construction stage and after the plant installation.
Did you know that there are 5 different varieties of Bluebonnets or Lupinus Subcarnosus???
The Bluebonnet became our lovely state flower in march of 1901. Other varieties include Lupinus Texensis, Lupinus Havardii, Lupinus Concinnus, Lupinus Plattensis.
Something else people don't realize is that the best time to plant Bluebonnets is in September and October. This allows the root system to fully develop through winter & then surprise us with outstanding color in March, April and even May. Many of the Spring blooming wild flowers follow the same rule and germinate in the Fall for that burst of Spring color.
Here is a great way to recycle these tomato containers. In this case I am starting Spaghetti squash from seed. Then I will transplant them once the roots are strong enough. You can do it too. It's easy! Try it and share the results. XOXO Portia
We have used Portia's landscaping service for several years and would not use anyone else. Among the many tasks she has previously accomplished are to completely clean up and re-plant our front and back yard, installing a sprinkler/drip system w/moisture sensor, moved a good sized mature tree from one part of the yard to another and recently expanded our back brick patio with more brick and plantings.
We call in Portia a couple of times per year for seasonal cleaning and plantings for maintenance. She always delivers exactly what she says she'll do, her fees are a very good value and she is a joy to work with. We would not use anyone else. If a referral is needed please eamil to wpierce4@comcast.net.
Is your yard holding too much water in places after it rains. Leyendecker Landscape will fix the problem. We also install irrigation drip or sprinkler systems to suit your landscape needs. Give us a call 713.426.0649 and we will send over a specialist right away.
Here is my baby boy Little G. He is a cross between a Pug and a Bichon Frise. His mother Pepper is Black and his dad Puffy is white. He is so smart and a chunk of loving mess he is too. He loves to be out side in the garden with me.
This large leaf beauty is called Farfugium Gigantea (far-FEW-gee-um) or Ligularia is another name for it. There is a yellow spotted version and it is called "Leopard Plant". A most magnificent contrast in foliage and loves partial shade to full shade gardens. Farfugium likes to be wet and makes for a great accent around water features.
If you have a situation where you have way too much shade and can't figure out what to plant, well here is your answer! Grows to be 36"-48" tall and equal in width.
This has been a project in the making for over a year. This client started with the indoors and revamped pretty much the entire house. Then moved to the out side. The existing water feature needed to be torn out and redone, new drainage and irrigation was installed and finally the planting. We just finished last week and it will fill in perfectly. This space looked like an overgrown amazon before. I wanted to consider how small the space is in the design and created something more quaint and colorful.
This is a project we finished last week & it only took us 2 full days. What a difference it makes.
This is a 4 step process:
Grade the area first. The area must be graded in a sloped way so that the water runs off naturally.
Place and install a natural stone border. (Ledgestone in this case)
Adding a Limestone Flexbase then compacting the Flexbase down so it creates a hard but level surface. By adding the appropriate amount of water the Flexbase will mold and grade properly.
Finally add your chosen gravel. Here we used Blackstar Gravel to compliment the stone.
This is a simple way to improve your property while adding value. That sounds like a good investment to me!
All my best - portia
For more information or if you have any landscape needs - please call me! 713-426-0649
Now is the time to get your soil conditioned for Spring.
Compost! Compost! Compost! (available at most nursery outlets)
The key here is to increase the amount of soil bio-activity that you have. By adding at least 1-2" of good clean compost twice a year (once in the Spring and once in the Fall) you will increase the amount of trace elements which generate and feed soil building living microbes. This is a great way to condition Houston's notorious clay soil.
If you have compaction (when your soil seems to be rock hard) issues, usually caused by overly chemically fertilized lawns. Basically killing the living microbes within your soil. Try adding 1/2" to 1" of compost in addition to a generous sprinkling of gypsum. The Gypsum speeds up the process of breaking down the hard clay, improving the soil structure and allowing more absorption of moisture and vital nutrients.
We dig dirt!
all my best, Portia
If you have any questions call me at 713.426.0649 or e-mail at portia@leyendeckerlandscape.com
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