Sunday, June 15, 2014

June Bloom Day

Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day! The weather continues to be Floridian here in Central Texas, which is making a lot of my plants happy, it seems. At 9 months pregnant, I'm spending a bit more time indoors these days, but the mornings are comfortable enough to spend on the covered back porch with the fan running and a glass of iced tea. The girls are highly enthusiastic about backyard swimming, so we're doing a lot of that, too.

I may not be the biggest fan of hot and humid weather, but I'm amazed in looking through these photos just how many blooms are either making their debut for the year or continuing to bloom. I'm also realizing how much red is in my garden. I knew I liked blue, purple, yellow and white blooms, and consciously tried to incorporate those colors, but I must like red and pink more than I thought... or else there are just a ton of red-blooming plants that are available and well-adapted to this area.


The two hanging baskets of geraniums are clearly in too much shade--they're very leggy--but they're still blooming enthusiastically, even if the blooms look like satellites hovering around the mother plant. (And ugh, my gutter is dirty!)

In addition to the ever-blooming yard art along the fence, the Crape Myrtle we transplanted early this spring is blooming now, ahead of its cousins.

Here's a closer look at one of the hot pink Crape Myrtle bloom stalks.

I had to point the iPhone at the sky and squint to capture the snow-white blooms of the tall 'Natchez' Crape Myrtle. Look at that sky... you can almost see the steam rising.

Oh Happy Day! Purple Coneflower DID come back this year.

Cardinal Climber is one of the many mighty Reds.

Tropical Butterflyweed came back very slowly this year, but here it is, just starting to bloom. A little red here, too, mingled with yellow. I haven't spied any Monarchs yet, but I suspect that would be in late September/early October, if these flowers are still blooming by then. I think I did spot a Ladybug larva, though.

In the rookie Wildflower Patch, Clasping Coneflower (I think) is the first to bloom.

The Rainbow Bed sure is blooming.

I feel like this plant shows up in every one of my posts, but it has been such fun to watch Yellow Shrimp Plant start blooming, bush out, and bloom again. Up to 5 candlesticks on the candelabra now. Yay!

It's not quite blooming again yet, but the Mother's Day Gerbera Daisy I transplanted is about to start blooming again. As with all floral department plants, I'm not holding my breath that this one will live long, but it's always fun to try.

Another Knockout Rose bloom, another spot of red/pink in my garden.

Salvia 'Mystic Spires' looks so pretty right now with its purple-blue bloom spikes, against the reds and pinks that surround it.

Massive Pavonia/Rock Rose. You'd never know it died to the ground this past winter. I might have to shear it back before it smothers its neighbors.

The other Knockout in the sunnier end of the bed.

I caught the Wild Morning Glory at just the right time, when the blooms are wide-open. They close soon after this corner gets shady in the early afternoon.

Over in the veggie box, the Eggplants are blooming. The purple flowers with yellow centers aren't much to look at, but I appreciate them as harbingers of fruits to come.


Strawberries are still blooming, to my surprise....

... and still making strawberries. I'm guessing we've harvested about a pint of strawberries off our three plants so far this year, not counting the ones the ants and rolly pollies got to first.

Torenia 'Kauai Deep Blue' still has a few deep purple blooms left, even though it is getting choked out by the other members of the Purple Pocket Garden.

Close-up of the Wild Morning Glory. This is one of the stars of my summer garden, especially considering I never planted it.

In the front yard, a medium-long shot of Plumbago Row.

And a close-up of the periwinkle-blue blooms. I dug a few of these up and gave them to a friend recently... fingers crossed that they'll fare as well in her yard as in mine.

Red in the front yard--Turk's Cap. This photo makes the bloom look oddly orange, but it really is a true red.


A cluster of yellow Esperanza bells. So pretty, and a familiar sign of the Texas Hot Season.

Blackfoot Daisy and Martha Gonzales Rose could hardly be happier.

Jolly little Blackfoot Daisies, up close. These are in possibly the hottest, driest part of the yard, the parking strip, and they love it.

Caradonna Meadow Sage is putting out a second round of dainty purple spikes. I'm glad I cut off the spent stalks about a  month ago.

Autumn Sage isn't covered with blooms, but it blooms steadily.

Peter's Purple Monarda is starting to... peter out. Sorry, couldn't help it. I wonder if it might re-bloom this year. I don't know much about this plant, truth be told.

More plumbago blooms.

I have had more compliments on this ultra-low maintenance bed of plumbagos than any other area of my garden over the years. Neighbors often ask about them. This strip is nothing to look at in the winter, but 9 months out of the year it is crammed with foliage and pretty blue blooms that stick to your clothes if you brush by them.

Happy Bloom Day!

4 comments:

  1. You're right, WE may not like the warm and humid, but if a Texas gardener picks the right plants for the garden, THEY are very happy. You have lots of beauties! So glad your coneflower returned and those Blackfoot Daisies totally thrive in the hottest part of the garden--good for them. Enjoy!

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    1. Thank you, Tina! I think of you when I see the Coneflower. It's also a reminder that patience in the garden is often rewarded. I hope to see it spread out into a hearty patch over the years, even as it ebbs and flows with the seasons.

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  2. I'm impressed you are nine months pregnant and got out to take Bloom Day photos! I love your red, I think it's a great color for the garden.

    I think you might be surprised with your gerber daisy. I have two, that survived one winter in a pot, and two single digit freezes in the ground this winter. They are not prolific bloomers, but I have been impressed with their ability to survive. I thought of them as annuals.

    Happy Bloom Day!

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    1. Thank you, Emily Rose! Good to know about the gerber daisies--I had thought of them as annuals, too, but around my neighborhood, I wonder if that's not the case--I see them blooming year after year in one particular yard. Surely they're not going to the trouble to replant the same annual in the same spot, right?

      Happy Bloom Day to you, too! Thanks for stopping by.

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