garden bloggers' bloom day

Previously undiscovered daylily

I was too lazy to post last month. Check out blooms from all over the place at May Dreams Gardens. We Austinites are now entering the it's-never-going-to-rain-here-again days, which combined with highs in the mid to upper nineties, makes me a little grumpy. But at least we've only had one triple-digit (101) day so far. And who could stay grumpy for very long with these cheery daylilies. Although they were probably planted more than 30 years ago, I somehow missed them because they were squished between fences, but husband Kurt recently took down the old chainlink and weeded that area. They appeared within a few days.

Forsythia Sage (salvia madrensis) passalong from Renee Studebaker

When Renee gave me some of her Forsythia Sage a year and a half ago, it was less than a foot tall. Now it's close to six feet. It's fairly drought-tolerant, but this week I've had to water it. It's quite melodramatic when it needs more water, very droopy. 

Bee Balm passalong from Daphne Richards

This is my first experience with Bee Balm, but I really like it so far, especially because it seems to need little water and keeps putting on blooms.

Three-year-old Skullcap resurrected itself.

First spring bloom on the very tough seven-year-old miniature rose, "Red Cascade"

The last of the lovely larkspur, whose seeds were given to me by MSS at Zanthan Gardens

And finally, the Society Garlic planted at the edge of the vegetable garden is getting enough water to bloom.

Also blooming now are Blue Plumbago, Turk's Cap, purple and white trailing Verbena, purple and white Lantana, purple and white Ruellia, and white Gaura. 

garden bloggers' bloom day

first homegrown Poppy "Hungarian Blue" 

I can't remember a prettier bloom day than what's happening in my yard today. Carol at May Dreams Gardens hosts bloom day, so make sure to check out what's blooming in other gardeners' worlds.

first homegrown Bachelor's Buttons "Black Magic" in foreground with Prairie Verbena and Blackfoot Daisies

Larkspur from MSS of Zanthan Gardens

Prairie Verbena has really spread: here it's mixed in with the larkspur.

Gaura's blooming early this year, as are some other perennials, presumably because of our mild, wet winter?

Gregg's Mistflower 

Hmm--can't remember which salvia this is.

Usually the Byzantine Gladiolas are in full bloom now, but they were early this year and are almost spent.

Also blooming are purple and white Ruellia, blue Plumbago (early!), Turk's Cap, Nasturtium, and various salvias. Happy bloom day.

garden bloggers' bloom day

Grape hyacinth--so delicate--planted long ago by a previous homeowner.

Wow. What a difference a mild winter and decent rainfall make in my attitude towards my gardens and my gardens' rejuvenation. So thrilled to see thriving plants all over our yard, I even left the weeds alone to do their thing, something I'm sure I'll regret. But after last year's historic drought, I just couldn't bring myself to care about yanking out weeds.

Carol at May Dreams Gardens invites garden bloggers from all over to share their blooms on the 15th of each month for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Make sure to visit her blog to see more blooms. 

young Mexican Plum tree 

I can't get enough of these Mexican Plum blooms. They remind me of my grandparents' photos of Japan in the 1940s. Exquisite.

Heirloom broccoli has bolted into airy wisps that attract beneficial insects.

My first-ever iris: thanks to Annie at The Transplantable Rose for passing it along!

Verbena and Blackfoot Daisies from a few years ago have now spread like crazy.

I thought this silver bush germander was dead last October. Shows what I know.

Crazy volunteer tomato--appears to be an heirloom?--is blooming far away from last year's tomatoes.

Happy bloom day.

another crispy garden bloggers' bloom day

zinnia from mislabeled seed packet

I really meant to post something between bloom days, but 32 days of triple digit heat have somewhat fried my motivation and creativity. Please escape Texas' heat and visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see less dusty gardeners' blooms.

I shot this four days ago: my beloved rugged spider lily, hymenocallis 'tropical giant'

Evolvulus glomeratus 'blue daze' with blackfoot daisies in the vegetable garden.

Trailing verbena loves full sun but still needs a little bit of water in this weather.

some kind of Gerber daisy--forgot to save the tag

Armenian cucumber flower

Also hanging in there today are the following blooms: white gaura, blue plumbago, white trailing verbena, white and purple verbena, various raggedy salvias, bog sage, potted white bougainvillea, leadwort plumbago, turks cap, potted torenia, and society garlic. Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

August in June garden bloggers' bloom day

The coleus I planted in this cool planter was ripped out by squirrels  within hours.

Today is this year's 11th day of triple-digit heat. Mid-June! And of course, Austin's still in an exceptional drought. I think the term "exceptional" is a little too cute for what is the most severe level of the drought o'meter, but no one asked me. Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see other garden bloggers' blooms in more moderate climates!

My new favorite, bog sage. Thanks getting grounded! 

trailing verbena with a tiny bit of santolina (bottom right)

more trailing verbena

white gaura with a tiny dot of blue leadwort plumbago 

I don't care if plumbago is overused; it's a tough cool-colored winner.

White bougainvillea seems to love all this sun and heat. I do have to water it every other day.

Also blooming now (barely) are salvias, marigolds, zinnias, blackfoot daisies, lobelia, Turks' cap, and torenia

better late...garden bloggers' bloom day

Vitex tree

Yep, I'm four days late posting for garden bloggers' bloom day, but I did shoot these photos on the 15th. Carol at May Dreams Gardens invites bloggers to share what's blooming in their gardens on the 15th of each month, so make sure to check her blog to see blooms from all over the place.

I thought these balloon flowers were annuals, but these came back from last spring!

gray santolina

returning Mexican bush sage with new salvias and "silver dragon" liriopes  planted  in the huge old rosemary's spot

old faithful plumbago

another old faithful, Turks Cap

I think this is a hybrid annual salvia. Such an unusual color.

ornamental black pearl pepper and lobelia

Clearly this packet of mixed-color zinnia seeds was mislabeled, because I'm not a pink zinnia person.

Also blooming now are purple and white ruellia, bougainvillea, white gaura, leadwort plumbago, verbena, zexmenia, torenia, blackfoot daisies, and society garlic.

late garden bloggers' bloom day

first-ever larkspurs from seed

I'm positively giddy about my first-ever larkspurs from seed that MSS gave me.

I'm going to blame being a day late for garden bloggers' bloom day (GBBD) on my larkspur fever. Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting GBBD on the 15th of each month. It's a great place to see blooms from all over the world. Part of the allure of the larkspurs is that they are so different from all my drought-tolerant perennials. I haven't minded watering them every other day. Okay, on to my other blooms.

gazanias in the new side yard vegetable beds

volunteer viola in the garlic bed

The vegetable bed flowers are the happiest right now because they benefit from regular water. In this never-ending drought, my vegetables are going to get watered before the native tough guys in our lawnless xeriscaped front yard.

Heirloom Byzantine Gladiolus are a little early this year.

reliable red cascade rose

Also blooming today are purple and white ruellia, blackfoot daisies, torenia, gerber daisy, white gaura, pansies, marigolds, phlox, trailing verbena, society garlic, and cilantro.