Jesse Jenkins

A few weeks ago, we held an event in the garden center in honor of Mr. Rogers’ Day of Kindness. We gave away small flowering plants to kids for them to give to someone else. We asked the children to tell us about who they chose to give their plant to and why; here’s what they had to say!

“Mommy, because she makes good spaghetti.”

“Mrs. Garza, because you are my teacher.”

“Gwen, because you are my best friend – love, Abby”

“Ms. Norquist, because you are kind, you are nice, and fun.”

“Mom & Dad, because they care, give me food, provide me with a home, let me go to school, and love me!”

“Mommy, because I love you!”

“Grandma, because its been a long time to see her so I want to give a gift to her.”

“Grandma, because summer is here!”

“Mom, because I love you.”

“Ms. Amanda, because she says Hi.” -Wyatt

“Mommy, because she is the greatest.” – Bryce

“Mom, because I love you!” – Harlee

“Nonna, because I love you.”

“Rosa & Santos, because _________”

“Sharon, because we love you and appreciate you!” – Olive

“Grandma, because when I cry she makes me feel better.”

“Mom, because we have fun!”

“Miss Carol, because she is great!

“Mom, because she’s nice.”

“Lola, because I love her.”

On Mother’s Day, James and I got up before the sun to head to the beach to catch some early morning waves at Packery. After an hour or so, as more youngster surfers paddled out, James paddled in. We then headed over to Port Aransas for a quiet Mother’s Day breakfast at a local diner on Alister Street.

After a lovely, hearty breakfast, we decided to drive through Port A’s Old Town, close to the port entrance. For the first time, I took in the variety of Farley Boat replicas in the neighborhood and their owners’ plantings.

Back in the early 1900s, Tarpon fishing was big off Port Aransas, but there weren’t boats designed to handle the choppy Gulf of Mexico waters. Fred Farley from Alabama learned of the need for a boat with low-sides and high bow so he moved to Port Aransas with his three brothers and began a boat-building business that continued until the 1970’s. Today, Port Aransas takes pride that the Farley brothers and their families designed and built many boats to meet the needs of the local fishing guides and anglers.

The Port Aransas Garden Club created the Farley boat planters for a beautification project, combining local history with blooming plants and natives! The planters are an artistic reproduction of the original Farley boats and a reminder of historic fishing and boat building in the early 1900’s in Port Aransas, Texas.

If you want one for yourself, contact portagardenclub@gmail.com!

-Sally Gill

Webbing on tree bark, white stuff on plants, & what’s cutting circles in my leaves?

Bark Lice: Good

We get lots of calls about webbing on tree trunks this time of year. These are good bugs called bark lice. They create a protective webbing around their colony and go to work cleaning the bark of your trees. Do Not Spray. These beneficial insects help maintain your trees’ health…absolutely free!

Image c/o Texas A&M Agrilife

Mealy Bugs: Bad

White cottony clumps on tips, stems, and undersides of leaves in summer are most likely mealy bugs! They are bad bugs. People often think these are a fungus because of their appearance but one squish with your fingers will tell you they’re insects feeding on your plants. They especially love Hibiscus, Jatropha and some Salvias. Treat naturally with Safer Insect Killing Soap or Neem Oil during cooler evening hours. You can also spray Broad Spectrum Insecticide which controls mealy bugs and other nuisance insects. Always follow label directions.

Leafcutter Bees: Good

Surprise! Your plant has bees, not worms, cutting circles in their leaves. Leafcutter bees are all the buzz in area gardens as they build their nests. These are good bees! No need to spray or treat. The female will cut leaves in perfect circular patterns from thin leaves like Roses, Crape Myrtles, and Plumbago to block their nest openings. This only lasts a couple of weeks and your plants will be just fine. Like many bees, they are passive, but they can sting if harassed or aggravated.

–Debbie

Be Inspired! Take a stroll around our garden, enjoy the sounds of water & nature, discover the beauty a summer landscape has to offer! Rest under one of our shade trees, have lunch with a friend, let the kids play in our playground while you shop for something new to add to your slice of paradise. We love making our slice a place for everyone to shop & enjoy!

-Debbie

Are you looking for a conversation plant? Something out of the ordinary? Well check out these weird and wild plants to spark a conversation with all your plant friends!

Dwarf Lobster Claw Heliconia (Heliconia Stricta). This beautiful Heliconia is a dwarf variety. It does great in the shade and produces a small orange bloom that resembles the claw of a lobster. It is a unique tropical that would be a great addition to any shady spot in your landscape.

Elephant’s Foot (Dioscorea Elephantipes) is a succulent that you don’t see every day! This South African native will form a caudex (root stock) that resembles an elephant’s foot that vigorously grows a vine of heart shaped leaves with yellow blooms. They grow best in a pot in well-drained soil and tolerate the heat like a champ!

Kapok tree (Ceiba Pentandra) is a large-growing tropical tree that develops large thorns around the trunk. They remind us of something from Jurassic Park! They can grow up to 200 feet tall in their native habitat, will still reach upwards of 30 feet here in South Texas. Large pink, yellow, or white blooms attract migrating birds.

Rainbow Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Deglupta) is a tropical jewel native to Southeast Asia. They are fast-growing with fragrant foliage, but the most fascinating feature is their exfoliating bark. When it peels it reveals a rainbow of colors in shades of reds, greens, yellows, and greys. They are quite tropical and will need protection from freezing temps.

-Wyatt and Debbie

Looking for some summer relief? Shade cloth easily reduces air temperatures and allows air flow. It can be as easy as tacking a piece to a wood frame or structure. For a more permanent installation, add grommets to the sides every 2ft. and secure to a sturdy frame with sun resistant twine or rope.

Use it to…

cover newly planted seedlings or gardens
create shade on patios
cover pet areas
provide shade anywhere it brings relief from the summer sun

It is important to be able to remove shade cloth in case of hurricanes, high winds, or…don’t laugh, snow. Shade cloth is permeable, so water will drip through, but snow like we had a couple of years ago will not. Were it not for the fast thinking (and ladder climbing) of James Gill, our new shade structures would have collapsed under the weight of the snow!

Our 2 types of shade cloth are 6ft wide, in either 60 or 63% shade, in black or green. It’s sold by the linear foot, so you can buy only what you need. So, don’t let summer’s sun keep you indoors…make some shade!

See ya soon,

-Debbie Pinkerton

August is the homestretch to that next great planting season…Fall! So, no surprise August is about getting ready for cooler days ahead while keeping everything hydrated and pretty.

Check out our August Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!

1. Prepare gardens for planting

Clean out, pull up tired veggies, herbs, & flowers. Weed garden beds, add Cotton Burr Compost or Nature’s Blend Compost to your planting areas. Healthy soil makes healthy plants!

2. Keep Your Lawn and Landscape Watered

So important that plants, trees, and your lawn get enough H2O. Established trees, shrubs and lawns need an average of 1 inch of water per week if we don’t get rain. Newly planted plants & grass need more.

3. An Oasis for Wildlife

With summer heat, local wildlife is searching for water. Add a place you can keep a birdbath or shallow dish with fresh water for birds, butterflies, frogs, lizards, and others to get a much-needed drink. Change it often.

4. Start Seeds & Transplant

Start them in small pots to transplant later in the month or plant transplants & sow directly into the soil. Keep seed beds and starter plants shaded from afternoon sun until they acclimate to full sun. Tomatoes, peppers, and host of veggies & herbs will be here in seed and transplants. If you want pumpkins for Halloween, you need to start the seeds this month!

5. Feed Your Plants

Most tropical plants & summer bloomers will need a good meal by now. Plant Tone, Rose Glo, and Hasta Gro are all effective organic fertilizers that help your plants and soil. Hibiscus Food is a favorite for many as well. All will give your plants a good feeding.

At Gill’s, we spend our days designing private gardens, courtyards, backyards – places for families to gather, have fun, relax and retreat. We’re so happy to see our downtown Corpus Christi doing the same for our public spaces!

We were especially pleased to see our “Queen of the Sea” fountain restored at the intersection of Lower Broadway and Peoples streets. It was originally designed by internationally renowned sculptor Pompeo Coppini over 100 years ago. Jordan Michael of the Downtown Management District is quoted saying in our Corpus Christi Caller Times “It’s reflective of the upswing of revitalization that has happened downtown, so we’re excited to have it back online.”

As many have said, the downtown district of a city is the heart of the city. Often it is a mixture of the old and new, with buildings and signage of the past mixed with new merchants, fresh paint and current art.

We’re so happy to see that happening with our downtown at a slow, intentional and sustainable rate. Thank you to the Downtown Management District, the City of Corpus Christi, and local business for bringing places and reasons to gather downtown to have fun, relax and retreat!

-Sally