Friday, May 15, 2009

Garden bloggers’ bloom day

We have already had several days of temperatures in the mid-90s and virtually no rain lately. Oh, and did I mention the high humidity? Just lovely. So, I’ve been dragging the hose around and am happy to have some nice blooms today! You can see lots of other bloggers’ blooms at Carol’s May Dreams Gardens.


vitex tree


plumbago


victoria salvia


cosmos in front of rhea salvia


mexican bush sage


santolina with rosemary


society garlic at back of veggie garden


impulse purchase: scutellaria hybrid purple fountain


closer up scutellaria hybrid purple fountain


another impulse purchase: bougainvillea (with rhea salvia)


impulse purchase whose name I forgot to write down
Edited 6:07 p.m.--thanks to NellJean for identifying this Ageratum, "Blue Horizon"


purple coneflower in the veggie garden


jerusalem sage


cucumber flowers

Also blooming now are indigo spires salvia, dwarf pomegranate, pink skullcap, purple and white ruellia, lantana, verbena, and turk's cap.

14 comments:

Jean Campbell said...

You and I have many of the same blues: vitex, saliva farinacea, s. leucantha, society garlic. If society garlic sulls, does it mean it is planted too deep?

Could your new purchase be annual Ageratum, perhaps 'Blue Mink' or maybe a newer cultivar?

Iris said...

NellJean,
Yes! My mystery flower is an Ageratum, "Blue Horizon", I think. Thank you for jogging my memory.

I've never planted my society garlics very deep and have sometimes been afraid they were too shallow, and yet they've all done well. So maybe yours are too deep after all?

Bird said...

Your scutellaria purple fountain looks great. Mine is looking pretty nice, although the deer got all the way on the porch two nights ago and snip, snip, snipped part of it. I've since moved it to the back. They didn't get all those gorgeous blooms, luckily. I just wish I could find more of this plant!!! Anyone seen it?

Jean Campbell said...

You asked on my blog about Stokesia. It is a southeastern native plant. You can grow it from seed; fancier cultivars are available to buy. My friend on the Texas coast is successfully growing it.

Muum said...

lovely! the mexican bush sage looks like a good 'hot, dry' conditions plant. Do you know how hardy it is? (I'm in Utah, zone 5-ish)

Iris said...

Neleh--thanks! Sorry about the deer but glad you moved it away from them.

Muum--Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) is very hardy, once established, and usually blooms mid/late Spring through mid-Fall here in zone 8b.

It's drought tolerant, and the dwarf variety stays in a fairly compact round shape. Otherwise, the bigger ones can handle pruning several times a year. They're one of my staples in our hot, drought-ridden climate.

Anonymous said...

Iris, I really like how the purples and blues complement your new house color. I can't believe how your plumbago is already in full bloom!

ConsciousGardener said...

Iris, my vitex used to be that color...what do you feed it...or do you? Beautiful show:) we have a lot of the same plants!

Iris said...

getgrounded,

Thanks, and I'm surprised the plumbago's started blooming early, too. It's weird to have the Mexican bush sage blooming so early, too.

consciousgardener,

We've only had that Vitex two years. Usually I feed everything a little bit of Ladybug brand John's Recipe fertilizer a couple of times a year.

With the continuing drought, I may feed everything more frequently.

TexasDeb said...

I have a teensy plumbago that seems to want to die. I am in awe of your thriving healthy specimen. I also really like the pale pink bougie. What a delicate color, just as dramatic in its own way as the more typical deep pinks and oranges.

Finally a shout out for being organized enough to post for garden bloggers bloom day. I typically remember I want to try such a post WHEN I see the other blogs featuring their blooms. "someday!!"

Thanks for sharing your bountiful blooms.

renee (renee's roots) said...

Iris, what a lovely bloom day post. I too have several late summer flowers blooming early this spring. Wonder what's up? Love the way you combine blues, purples and grays. And especially like your feather grass and silver pony foot next to the salvia farinacea.

Annie in Austin said...

What a beautiful GBBD you have, Iris - all combining and setting off your revamped house exterior.
The scutellaria hybrid was a cool impulse purchase! I've never seen one before - never even heard of them. Looking around the web pulled up Scutallaria longiflora as a possible parent. Also sounds like they are a zone 9A plant so should be happy with you.

My vitex and Salvia leucantha are just budding - you're way ahead.

Happy GBBD,

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Iris said...

Deb,
Thanks so much! My big plumbago blob started out as one puney 4" plant six years ago. You can always post your blooms a day or two late...

Renee,
Thank you--I'm trying to continue my purple/blue, mostly cool-color thing without getting monotonous!

Annie,
Thanks for the compliments! I'm so excited about that new scutellaria hybrid: it was actually a friend who is somewhat of a beginning gardener who spotted it at that Red Barn nursery in North Austin. She was raving about it, so I went back with her and got one.

And now I have two more! The first one seems happy potted in dappled sun/part shade. I'm not sure where I'll put the new ones because I think they require a bit more water than most of my xeric front yard. I might just pot them, too.

Gran & Gramp said...

I am new to your blog so not sure of correct procedures. I have a question about propagating the Mexican bush sage. Ours is blooming profusely and is covered with honeybees which was our intent, to have something for the bees late in fall. Now we want to plant them everywhere but are not sure the best way to propagate. Do yo have any answers? Thanks