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Greetings!
First -- my apologies! The email did not go out yesterday as scheduled, due to unforeseen technical difficulties. We'll try hard not to let it happen again.
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Have you noticed that the days are getting just a little shorter? No? Well, the plants have! Even though we are in the midst of a record-breaking streak of 100° days, August marks the time of year when our average temperature begins to fall -- not because the days are cooler, but because the nights are ever so slightly longer. At home, my Sweet Autumn Clematis is blooming, and I'm encouraged enough to think that Autumn must really be slowly making its way to Fort Bend County.
Are you working on your fall garden? We still have a good selection of tomato plants at the nursery and it's time RIGHT NOW to plant them. You can also plant the following seeds in August: basil, bush beans, cucumbers, summer squash, arugula, and dill. Next month is a big one for the fall garden -- I hope you're ready! If not, make plans to attend Diana Liga's Fall Garden I class, Sunday August 28 (see right).
While you're thinking about seeds for this fall, I'm thinking about seeds for next spring. We didn't have flower seeds this year because we were so new, but we will next year. If you've got a special brand of seeds you like, or you want to make sure we've got a certain variety, please drop me an email. I'll try to make sure we stock it for the 2012 planting season.
Stop by for a visit, and remember that our Facebook page is frequently updated with plants, events and miscellaneous goings-on.
Thanks for signing up for our email newsletter! Come see us soon! |
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And the drought continues...
You don't even have to read this map to see that almost the entire state of Texas is enduring exceptional drought. Many of the communities around us have implemented mandatory or voluntary water restrictions. And the long-range forecast doesn't show any relief on the horizon. What to do?  | | Drought Map, August 8 |
Many of our local jurisdictions have implemented voluntary or mandatory water restrictions. As I read the guidelines, this applies to all outdoor watering, not just lawn irrigation. If you can only water twice a week, you'll want to take immediate action regarding your container plants. Move them to the shade if possible. For flowerbeds, the single best thing you can do is to make sure all planting areas have about 3" of mulch over the top, but not piled against the trunks of trees or shrubs. Use mulch made from an organic source, like pine bark or straw, rather than shredded rubber or rock. For lots more tips and suggestions, download a 3-page guide to surviving the drought by clicking here. |
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New Classes!
Let me take this opportunity to invite you into the air-conditioning for a class or two. Have a beer, a glass of wine (coming soon!) or a lemonade while you learn a thing or two about gardening, or indulge your creative side!  | | Sample T Techniques! |
DIY rebel Stevie Ballow will lead a Girls Night Out event at Papershell on Friday, August 26. This one is "Primp Your T-Shirt," and will be lots of fun and fellowship! Using basic hand-sewing techniques, combined with wine and snacks, we'll create a DIY Couture custom T-shirt worthy of the runway.  | | Landscape: Popular Watercolor Topic |
Mike Vollmer returns on Saturday, August 27 for a series of workshops on watercolor painting. These are in-depth sessions focusing on watercolor techniques as well as conveying a sense of emotion through painting. Each class is $35 but you can save $20 by registering for all four. The fun continues on Sunday, August 28 when Diana Liga teaches Part 1 of her popular fall gardening class! This class focuses on warm-season fall veggies, and those that require a long maturation time. That's because these are the plants you need to get in the ground right now. As before, each participant in these classes receives a coupon good for purchases made that day. Coming up in October and beyond: more mosaic classes, fused glass classes, home canning classes, making herbal salves, and much, much more! Stay tuned or check our calendar here! For all classes, call (281) 232-4485 or email Elizabeth for more information.
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Candlestick Plant
 The Candlestick plant, or Senna alata, is one of those day-length sensitive flowers that signal to us the approach of autumn. This yellow beauty is sometimes called Christmas Candle, because it blooms so late in the season. Candlestick is native to the tropics, so it's tender, but usually root-hardy in our area. Here, where it can be frozen back, it most commonly reaches about 10 feet tall. Save the seeds (they look like brown winged pods) and plant next March 1 and you'll have your own 10-foot tall plant by October! The bright yellow flowers are attractive to butterflies, and well-established plants are usually quite drought tolerant.  | | Candlestick Plant (Image licensed via Creative Commons Attribution, Wikimedia Commons) |
Available in 1-gallon containers at the garden center.
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Please stop by and visit! Have a glass of world-famous lemonade (or a beer!) -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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DIY Style: Primp Your T-ShirtFriday, August 26 6:30-8:30pm Make your own embellished or ruffled T with Stevie Ballow! Use basic hand sewing techniques to send a plain or oversized T to the chop shop and return with a chic, stylish and totally unique DIY couture creation. Class fee is $45 and includes materials and tools, wine and snacks. Make it a Girls' Night Out at Papershell!
You'll need to bring a well-fitting base T and 1-2 extra Ts in the same or coordinating colors for chopping.
More information is here .
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Watercolor Classes Are Back!Back by popular demand! Michael Vollmer will teach a series of four watercolor classes beginning August 27, and continuing on September 10, 17 and 24. All classes are on Saturday afternoons from 1:00-4:00 and space is limited, so preregistration is recommended. Each class is $35 or register for all for at a discounted rate of $120.
More information is here .
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Fall Gardening I
Sunday, August 28
2:00-3:00pm
Join horticulturist Diana Liga for this informative class on fall vegetable gardening! Focus on the warm-season or long-season crops first: that's what you need to get in the ground pronto.
This class is $10, and participants will receive a coupon valid for this day's purchases.
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Fall Gardening II
Sunday, September 11
2:00-3:00pm
Join horticulturist Diana Liga for this informative class on fall vegetable gardening! Focus on the cool-season or shorter-season crops now. Remember to save room in the veggie patch!
This class is $10, and participants will receive a coupon valid for this day's purchases.
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