In the Winter Doldrums

Much like the sparrow above I'm peeking out of my winter doldrums, but alas I still feel like going back into my hole. I suppose I have been in some form of spring denial, but I know those who are more positive than I have informed me that this too shall pass. And....I know it will.

As you can see snow has been the latest weather event in Kansas, received about 6" over the past 3 days. I have been working hard in my spare time to complete a "Texas" garden room. One of the accents is this bird house designed for finches. It seems the finches could care less but I did notice a chickadee check it out. It will probably become a home for sparrows.

A rusty tulip I received from my late sisters garden.

Bounty of Basil seeds.

A little spiky love in the snow. Yucca gloriosa 'variegata' grouped with Schizachyrium scoparium-Little Bluestem. Farewell from Kansas.

Spike it!

Volleyball anyone! No, spiky love of course. I have zone envy when it comes to spiky plants like Agave, Aloe, Cacti, succulents etc. Especially the blue foliage varieties. But I also struggle where to place them in my never ending always changing design themes. Am I Cottage, Prairie, Xeric, Mediterranean, contemporary, Japanese, country, industrial, masculine, feminine, texan, californian, blue, white, silver, green, native, exotic, tropical or just plan plain cornfused? Or is it ok to be ADHD? Or is it Garden Attenion Disorder, GAD? I don't know but I love to spike it.

Yucca rigida at left with Nasella tenuissima. The blue yucca was planted last October having purchased it in west Texas during my sons wedding and has fulfilled my spiky lust.....some of it anyway.

The Agave(Manfreda) Collection-the two on the left (orange pots)came from a Dallas Nursery from my son for a fathers day present(Manfreda 'macho mocha ' and Agave-unknown. Plant three (center) is Agave parryi 'truncata', found last weekend on a clearance shelf in Wichita, Kansas(can I have an amen!) cold tolerant(zone 6) and I've been lusting after this one forever. Last agave I have no idea on ID? Anyone, I'll enlarge below.

Agave parryi 'truncata', look at the pups.

Agave ? My guess is straight species parryi? I know, the picture is lousy.

 This last Agave, no label on plant? Same as the one above?

Now the Yucca's: Yucca gloriosa 'variegata' and Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard'(small plant) below in temporary positions.

And finally an image from this spring of Hesperaloe funifera, another plant purchased in West Texas during my son's wedding.

 Well how's that for spiky love? Two days ago I planted three of the agaves in the ground in the corner hell strip.