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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY MARCH 2011

Spring is in the air in Austin Texas and I am pleased to show my flowers to the gardening community, courtesy of Carol at Maydreams, who, once again, is hosting Bloom Day.

The Clusiana tulips have been dancing in the breeze for days. This species tulip is a return tulip that can grows well in the south. I have two varieties, Lady Jane, shown here and Cynthia. I regret that several other varieties I tried did not grow well. In only two bloom cycles these have multiplied to the point where I will be able to divide them this year.

They have 3 colored petals and 3 white. The color on the undersides of their petals deepens with age and shines through when back lit. They make a fine rockery plant, seen here with our native blackfoot daisy and bluebonnet.

On the edge of the dry creek, another mounding blackfoot daisy begins to flower. It will bloom all spring and again in the fall, when cut back.

In a shady spot, a tiny violet blooms.

I enjoy the native trailing wine cup for its vivid magenta flowers. I make sure it doesn't overpower everything in the garden by trimming it back with regularity.

One year I transplanted a couple of daisy fleabane, from the native area around our house. Now it seeds itself in cracks and crannies. Such a pretty mounding plant.

The second, less aggressive wine cup is the white wine cup. Some are pure white and some tinged with pink.

Another aggressive seeder is the four nerve daisy. It asks for nothing other than a spot in the gravel, to bloom all year round.

The first California poppy opened this week.

It seems we are not to enjoy the spectacular blooming of wildflowers we had last year, due to the lack of rainfall. A few bluebonnets are growing well inside the walls. Outside, I doubt they will bloom this year. This will be the worst bloom for bluebonnets that we have seen since we moved into the house 10 years ago.

The native, Hinckley's columbine will soon draw the hawk moths into the garden in the evening. Then I shall have to watch out for my tomatoes.

Last year I replaced the Carolina jessamine vine, growing on the wall of the patio. The old one had become too rampant. I promise to be more diligent about training and pruning this one.

and pruning the Lady Banks rose on the wall of the front garden. It never seems to fail to put on an outstanding bloom show. The white one I purchased last year at the Rose museum in Tombstone, survived the winter, but as yet no flowers. I am training it on the wrought iron fence at the back of the sunken garden.

A passalong iris from Lucinda Hutson's garden. What a show stopper!

Hurrah! My citrus are smothered in flowers. This one survived in a pot, outside, during last years deep freeze. It concentrated putting out new leaves last summer and this year is making up for the lost year of fruit. The same is true of all the Meyer lemons and the Mexican lime which I replaced this year.

A new addition to the English garden this year, Ipheion uniforum, has iris-like leaves and pretty blue flowers. I saw this in Linda's CTG garden last year. It is perfect for the front of the bed, growing only to a few inches in height. It will disappear in the summer.

My hellebore has produced 3 flowers so far and more are on the way. The flower on Blue Lady has faded over the last 3 weeks. I'm glad she likes my garden.

Of course I don't know the name of this delicate, multiflowered narcissus. How like me!
That's the lot. Hope you all have a happy bloom day, wherever you are.

20 comments:

  1. Spring is bursting out all over in your garden. Such beautiful flowers! Your species Tulip is just plain gorgeous!

    Adore the Blackfoot Daisy, the tiny Violet and the White Wine Cup. What a shame the wildflowers won't be so abundant this year ... still the ones that have popped up are simply lovely. My favourite bloom, though is that simple delicate Narcissus ... it's a stunner!

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  2. My goodness you have a lot blooming! I love them all, but that IRIS is absolutely gorgeous.
    Happy GBBD!
    David/ Houston

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  3. A lovely spring garden Jenny! I'm not feeling hopeful about the bluebonnets this year either.

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  4. You have SO much blooming. I only have pansies, and not enough energy to post about them, yet again.

    It is sad about the wildflowers this year. We so desperately need rain!

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  5. I've seen images of Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane' in catalogues and thought, what's the big deal. Now I get it. Your photos have made me see them in a new light, and now I must try them. Your striped winecup is exquisitely subtle. I've never seen that form. Sorry about the bad year for bluebonnets. They are such delightful little plants.

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  6. WOW! Truly lovely blooms! The Clusiana tulips are fabulous! Your photos have brightened my day! Happy GBBD!!
    Melanie

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  7. Wouldn't you know it, my species tulips bloomed after I posted my GBBD post! Everything in your garden looks lovely. My columbines are late as are the blackfoot daisies. Yours are right on schedule. Happy GBBD!

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  8. Lovely! I really enjoyed your post. Happy GBBD!

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  9. You have LOTS of showstoppers! I planted some fleabane seeds this year for the first time and seeing yours makes me glad I did. Those Clusiana tulips are so cheery! I'm a sucker for California poppies, too.

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  10. Beautiful flowers! I have to go to Austin for a graduate school visit next week; now I know what I can look forward to... :)

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  11. Spring has sprung at your house- everything looks fantastic!!!!! Don't you love the scent from the citrus? I could smell that all day.

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  12. Oh! Hellebore! Color me jealous! I didn't know we could grow those down here. Now I want to try some. I had a bunch back home in the Northwest - beautiful green ones. We called them Easter flowers because they would bloom around Easter.

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  13. I always learn something new from your garden! Tulips look great next to the blackfoot daisy and pretty bluebonnet leaves.

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  14. I've been wondering what Lucinda Hutson's iris would look like. I had one in bud weeks ago, but the hard freezes got it. No buds since then, but I'm hopeful that I'll still get some once they believe that spring is really here.

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  15. I love my virtual visits to gardens that are warmer than mine. It's like getting a glimpse into the future! What a wonderful assortment of flowers you have in March. I have to ask, is the rose you bought in Tombstone propagated from THE Tombstone Lady Banks rose?

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  16. Oh, just beautiful! I so enjoyed seeing all your blooms. Thanks.

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  17. Your garden always blows me away! I bet that citrus is smelling up your space wonderfully!

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  18. Wow! I immediately was blown away by those southern tulips! Learned something. Love your bluebonnet and white daffodil. Very pretty blooms.

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  19. Wonderful spring flowers. I love the little blackfoot and 4-nerve daisies, and the white winecup. Your blog is always such a great advocate for Texas' extraordinary flora, among all the other beautiful exotics you grow.

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  20. Thank you all so much for visiting my bloom day-
    Bernie-The species tulips are just the best. They get little attention but just keep coming back.
    Brooke- Thanks for visiting and honoring me on your web blog.
    David- I'm enjoying that pass a long iris too. I think I will be passing it along to others as it is a big plant.
    CAt- Yes, it's too bad about the bluebonnets. Hope we have a good seed bank in the ground.
    Linda-I have never felt so desperate for rain as this year. The few bluebonnets I have are withering.
    Mr McGregor' daughters- I'm glad I found those tulips at the local bulb sale. I had no idea what I was missing.
    Melanie-Thanks for visiting and happy bloom day to you.
    Caroline- Glad you are enjoying your tulips. Mine are nearly over now-boo hoo. I loved them.
    Hoover Boo- Glad you dropped by. Hope you had a great bloom day.
    Iris- I'm sure your fleabane will bring you lots of plants. They are pretty little things and anything that mounds is a winner.
    College gardener- I hoep you enjoy your visit. I'm afraid Austin isn't putting on quite its usual show- no rain in months.
    Kacky- I certainly do enjoy the wafts of fragrance from my citrus every time I walk by. I'm hoping for more lemons this year, too. Last year was a poor year because of the weather.
    Lee17- This was my first year for hellebore. I'll be watching to see how it does during its second year.
    Tine- They do make a great combination, don't they? Pure happenstance.
    Pam-Mine have grown into monsters, I can't believe it. The color was a surprise, I have to admit I had no idea what color she said they were.
    Hartwood- Yes it came from the monster in Tombstone. It is the white one.
    Curtissannmatlock- Happy bloom day to you and thanks for dropping by.
    Conscious gardener-The citrus are putting on a an amazing show this year. Just hope they fruit well. Happy bloom day.
    Holley gardner-The tulips have just been spectacular- I think they must have enjoyed our cold winter.
    Denise- Thanks. I love the natives- they are such great performers and demand little.

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