Almost Spring: Spring Gardening at The Natural Gardener in Austin, Texas

Spring Gardening at The Natural Gardener in Austin, Texas

There are certain places that always seem to announce the arrival of spring before the calendar does, and for me, one of those places is The Natural Gardener in Austin.

The moment the weather begins to warm, gardeners come out of winter hibernation. Parking lots fill, shopping carts overflow with seedlings, and everyone seems eager to start another growing season. On this visit, the nursery was absolutely buzzing with activity. It felt like every gardener in Central Texas had the exact same idea.

Preparing for Spring

This year's additions to my garden included:

• Rosemary
• Lemon Mint
• Heirloom Granny Zinnias
• Bay Laurel
• Hungarian Broom Corn

I especially enjoy growing heirloom varieties whenever possible. Besides producing beautiful plants, many heirloom flowers and vegetables allow you to save seeds from year to year, making each growing season a little more self-sufficient.

I was particularly excited to find Bay Laurel, since it isn't always easy to locate. Although it grows slowly, a healthy bay tree can provide fragrant leaves for cooking for many years.

Then there was the Hungarian Broom Corn. I'm still not entirely sure what possessed me to buy those seeds, but gardening has a funny way of encouraging curiosity. Sometimes the most unusual plants become the most memorable additions to the garden.

Why I Love The Natural Gardener

One of my favorite things about visiting local nurseries is talking with fellow gardeners. There's always someone eager to share growing tips, recommend a new variety, or simply celebrate the arrival of another gardening season.

The Natural Gardener has long been one of my favorite places to find heirloom seeds, native plants, herbs, and inspiration for future garden projects.

Ending the Day with Organic Burgers

After wandering the nursery for most of the morning, we had worked up quite an appetite and headed over to TerraBurger on Guadalupe Street.

Finding parking near The Drag can sometimes be an adventure in itself, but the food made it worthwhile. We enjoyed organic burgers, organic soft drinks, and fresh ingredients from top to bottom—a perfect ending to a day spent thinking about fresh food and healthy living.

There really is something special about spring in Texas. The gardens begin waking up, seed packets start disappearing from store shelves, and every trip to the nursery fills me with ideas for another growing season.

The sun broke out today and we (my sister, the kids, and I) headed for Natural Gardener. The place was a beehive. Everyone had spring fever. I picked up Rosemary seeds, more heirloom Granny Zinnias (I adore these flowers), and Lemon Mint.

I was very pleased to find the BAY LAUREL. I hadn't located any seeds this year and had also read these were hard to sprout. (Bay Laurel can be slow and somewhat unpredictable to grow from seed, which makes finding healthy plants or viable seeds especially exciting for gardeners who enjoy growing culinary herbs.) 

Don't ask what possessed me, but I picked up these Hungarian Broom Corn seeds at Whole Foods later today.

What to Plant in Central Texas During Early Spring

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Herbs
• Zinnias
• Marigolds
• Beans
• Squash
• Cucumbers
• Sunflowers

After the nursery, we worked up an appetite and checked out Terra Burgers off of Guadalupe (the Drag.)

Parking's a hassle, but it was well worth it. The burgers were very yummy and EVERYTHING was organic, down to the cola's and the condiments.

Yep, EVERYTHING...

THE END...


(no pun intended)