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Greetings!
Okay, maybe we got a little ahead of ourselves last time. A few more cold nights were in store for us, weren't they? I don't know about you, but I am tired of covering and uncovering, bringing plants in and out. Surely now we are done with winter!
 | | Sharpen Up! |
I'm planning on it. This Sunday, I'm getting all my garden tools sharpened by Premier Sharpening expert Steve Borne, who'll be at Papershell from 1:00-4:00pm. I'm planting bean and hibiscus seeds. I'm putting tomatoes and peppers in the garden. And I'm getting the place ready for you! We've got 4 or 5 trucks coming in each week, bringing fresh new flowers, shrubs, herbs and trees in for your garden.
 | | Salvia - we have so many varieties now! |
I hope by now you've had a chance to check out some of the articles on our website. At last count, there are over 325 articles there. If you're wondering whether or not there's an article on the website, you can Google the subject with "Papershell" in the search phrase. If there's an article on our site, Google will usually find it that way. There is also a "search" button on our page if you'd rather search that way. For example, Googling "Papershell peppers" will put our list of pepper varieties at the top of the results list. Give it a try! And if you don't find what you're looking for, let me know. It's probably a good topic for an article!
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Olives
Since ancient times, olives have been grown for their fruits and oil. In fact, the botanical name, Olea europaea, means "oil of Europe," and there is evidence that olives were cultivated as far back as the Bronze Age. Can we grow them here? Undoubtedly! We are a little outside of their premier area for olive production, so our harvests might be more scattered, but the tree itself is ornamental and hardy, well worth growing on its own.
 | | Olives ripening on the tree |
To successfully grow olives, you need a sunny spot with well-drained soil. The trees won't get very big - both the varieties we carry only reach 12-15 feet tall - but they won't like being planted in area that stays perpetually wet. We carry two varieties of Spanish olives. One ripens brown (Arbequina) and one ripens green (Arbosana). While all olives are mostly self-fertile, you'll definitely get better results when you plant two different cultivars.
For more about growing olives in our area, see this longer article on our website. And incidentally, here's a recipe for one of my favorite olive appetizers, Olive Surprises! We served these at the gallery opening for mosaic artists Susie Curry and Lisa Bonin. The mosaics were a huge hit, but I think the Olive Surprises were right up there, too! Enjoy!
 | | Yum! |
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Irises
It's true that the old-fashioned bearded irises aren't that easy to grow here. And yes, I know that someone out there is going to email me to tell me that they have thousands of them in their backyard, surviving with little to no care. But for the rest of us, the heat and humidity wreak havoc with bearded irises.
Luckily, there are other lovely irises for us to grow. Here are a few of my favorites.
 | | Louisiana Iris Clyde Redmond |
The Louisiana iris is available in just about every color of the rainbow and is very easy to grow in the Texas Gulf Coast. They are cold-hardy to zone 6 if well-mulched, so you need never worry about a frost or a freeze. They also tolerate our periodic swings between very dry weather and very wet weather. Louisianas bloom in March and April and although they prefer a slightly acidic soil, they'll grow in average garden soil too. They love lots of water in the fall and winter, our rainy season here, and will thrive if fertilized heavily. Provide mulch during the summer to keep the rhizomes from scalding, and remove the seed pods unless you're hybridizing your own varieties.
 | | Bicolor Iris |
There are two types of African irises, or Dietes, that perform well here. One is generally known as a Bicolor iris and is yellow with a purplish center. These narrow-leaved irises form large clumps and though the flowers only last one day, the bloom period is quite long, often up to 10 months. Bicolor iris will bloom in almost any light condition from part shade to full sun, and are extremely tolerant of soil conditions. They are evergreen, though the foliage can be burned if temperatures fall below 25°. They will thrive even in full shade, if a grassy look is desired, but will not bloom as readily.
 | | Butterfly Iris |
Another type of Dietes is often called Butterfly Iris. The flowers of the Butterfly are white with yellow and purple markings. The flowers are a bit larger and the sword-shaped leaves are a bit wider too. Cut (rather than pull) the old foliage and seedpods to keep the Butterfly in good order. This pretty iris will also tolerate part shade to full sun.
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Trees
"Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. "
Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928
Planting the right tree in the right place is your gift to the world, isn't it? No other plant compares, in majesty, permanence or grace. I love trees, but here are a few of my special favorites.
The Shumard Red Oak is a large tree that grows rather rapidly and is known for its intense red fall color. It's a wonderful tree for our area if you have the room, because it tolerates our poorly drained soils as well as the occasional drought. The Shumard is deciduous but tends to hold onto its brown leaves until spring's new growth forces them out.
 | | Shumard Fall Color |
The Baldcypress is another large tree that tolerates poorly drained conditions. Like the Shumard, the Baldcypress is deciduous. Before it loses its needles, they turn a beautiful coppery brown color. The new growth in the spring is an electric lime green and the feathery texture is quite appealing. We carry a variety called Nanjing Beauty, which will not form the cypress "knees."
 | | Changing foliage on the Baldcypress |
The River Birch is a good multi-trunk tree with especially beautiful exfoliating bark. It grows rapidly, tolerates moist soils and is a Texas Native. It's on the large side, though not as large as the Baldcypress. We carry the Dura-Heat variety, which is more drought and heat tolerant than the species.
 | | copyright Robert O'Brien |
If you love the big glossy leaves of the Southern Magnolia but just don't have the room, think about the 'Little Gem' magnolia. Its leaves are slightly smaller and it reaches a maximum height of about 25 feet, significantly smaller than a traditional magnolia. This is a beautiful tree to leave full to the ground, rather than pruning up into a typical "tree" shape. Allow the 'Little Gem' to shine as a pyramidal tree.
 | | Little Gem's Flower - just as big! |
The Mexican plum is a smaller ornamental tree that explodes with white flowers in the spring. It's a Texas native and does not sucker. It is drought-tolerant once established and produces fruit that is highly favored by local wildlife.
 | | Dainty flowers of the Mexican Plum |
One of the best shade trees for our area is the 'San Felipe' Red Maple, a large tree with a moderate to fast growth rate. Not only is 'San Felipe' a native Texas tree, it is a native Houstonian, grown from stock found on San Felipe Rd. by noted plantsman Lynn Lowery. It has fairly good fall color and beautiful red flowers in the spring. 'San Felipe' Red Maple tolerates poorly drained sites but is not drought tolerant.
 | | Red Maple - Great Fall Color! |
After selecting the right variety for your site, be sure to plant it correctly. I like this Clemson University Extension guide, Planting Trees Correctly (PDF). Once you get it planted, you have to water it correctly. You'll like the information in this guide, Watering Trees and Shrubs (PDF).
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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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Living Wreath Workshop
Sunday, March 17
2:00-4:00pm
Create this living work of art and take it home with you! This workshop includes coated wire wreath frame, lining material, dried moss, soil and 16 plants to compete your arrangement. We'll work outside (weather permitting) so please dress appropriately. This class is $60 and includes everything you need to make a 20" wreath. We will prepare some of material ahead of time, so we absolutely must know how many are coming.
Space is limited - to reserve your spot, call (281) 232-4485 or email us.
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Sharpen Up!Sunday, March 17 1:00-4:00pm Steve Borne of Premier Sharpening returns to Papershell! Gather all your gardening implements, kitchen knives and scissors and have them sharpened while you wait. See their website for a list of prices for each type of item.
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Zentangle for KidsSaturday, March 23 2:00-4:00pm Certified Zentangle Instructor Dawn Meisch returns for this workshop specifically geared towards kids ages 7 to 16. Class registration fee of $35 includes all the materials you'll need to create your own unique zentangles. The techniques are a bit simpler than the ones taught in the adult classes, and are more suitable for those shorter attention spans. Space in the class in limited, so please call (281) 232-4485 or email us to register early.
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Roses, Roses, Roses!Sunday, March 24 2:00-3:30pm Rose Rustler & Master Gardener Barbara Buckley leads this workshop on caring for roses in our climate. This class is $10 and participants receive a coupon valid for 15% off the garden center purchase that day. Space in the class in limited, so please call (281) 232-4485 or email us to register early.
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Papermaking for AdultsSaturday, March 30 1:00-4:00pm Join paper artist Kathy Gurwell for this 3-hour hands-on class working with white cotton pulp. Participants will learn background of paper and paper making, become familiar with equipment and then pull sheets and envelopes themselves. We will be in water up to elbows, and stand around a vat, so wear comfortable shoes. We can add flowers from the garden, or other inclusions if desired. Participants take home paper and envelopes wet and let them dry for use. The paper is neutral (non acidic) and wonderful paper for art work, scrapbooks, stationery notes, or photo backing. This class is $40 and requires a minimum of four registrants to make. The class is also limited to 12, so please call (281) 232-4485 or email us to register.
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Easter Sunday
Sunday, March 31
All Day
Papershell will be closed today in recognition of the Easter holiday. Have a wonderful weekend and we'll see you when we reopen on Tuesday April 2.
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