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Thursday, June 14, 2012

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY, JUNE 2012

The middle of June already!  What is more amazing than that is that flowers are still blooming in my garden as we join Carol of Maydreams for a late spring bloom day. After all, we have been having summer in Texas for weeks on end with very little in the way of rain.

The pink evening primrose, Oenothera missouriensis, is blooming along the pool edge, for the second time this year. I cut it back severely several weeks ago and here it is again. Angel's fishing rod may not grow in this climate but the arching flowers of the gaura are a great substitute.


One favorite from last year is the Gomphrena 'fireworks' In the fall the root had gone so deep that I couldn't pull it out. I just cut it to the ground thinking the root would rot over the winter. Happily the mild winter didn't kill it and here it is back again. Gomphrenas of all varieties are a summer favorite because they just keep on blooming.


Here's the flower, hence the name.


On the other side of the pool more favorites, like the narrow leaf zinnias Zinnia linearis,  line the edge. They come from seeds saved from last year.

By and large this is a self seeding garden and at the far end a beautiful cone flower has seeded in among the stones, its growth curtailed by lack of irrigation.


They would normally grow much taller as the ones above next to the yellow knockout rose.


The chocolate daisy never seems to stop blooming. It is there in the morning but flowers have faded by late afternoon.


Among the flowers that the hummingbirds adore are Dicliptera suberecta, above, and flame acanthus, Anisacanthus quadrifidus, below.


I think it's about time to cut back the lantana, in the sunken garden, once again before it takes over..


Another plant ready for a clipping is the wall germander, Teuchrium chamaedrys. I am gradually re-establishing the plant as a low hedge in the English garden.


Last week we planted a new tree close to where the 5 Spanish oak trees once grew. It will never take the place of those trees but it may eventually offer some shade in the lower garden. It is the native, desert willow, Chilopsis linearis 'bubba' Although they say this is a small tree I have seen some pretty large ones around here. I have put it on a drip system to make sure it makes it through the summer. On the subject of the lost shade in the once Spanish oak garden I planted a new seed today. I talked at dinner about the possibility of doing an overhead arbor in this garden! We really miss the shade we once had and I see the plants in this garden are none too happy.


And who would not fall in love with its pretty orchid-like blooms?


There are lots more blooms but I think I will end here with my 50c pot of plants. They came from the rescue table at Lowes. Each 4" pot was marked down to 10c. All they needed was some TLC.


Have a great bloom day and a great summer!

22 comments:

  1. 10 cents is a bargain, but doesn't beat the Poinsettias I got at Home Depot one Christmas Eve for 1 penny each. :-)

    Oh, I wish I had Chocolate flower this year! Nothing more delicious-smelling than that one in the morning!

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  2. Wow, what a kool looking scenery Lancashire Rose. Lancashire ??? >>> Okay I had to do a double take and see exactly where I was looking at these scenes. LOL

    I live in Sweden and never thought of this part of Europe having such climate for the things I am viewing here presently.

    I'm jealous. I am from San diego California and miss the deserts southwest.

    Beautiful gardens once again"

    Kevin

    --

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  3. Looks like summer is doing some good for your re-bloomers.

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  4. Bubba desert willow is such a fabulous tree; hope yours settles in this summer and loves its spot! Haven't seen that long-stemmed gomphrena before or the Dicliptera...both are lovely and going on my list. And that pool looks heavenly; must be amazing to backstroke under an arch of gaura...

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  5. Beautiful blooms! It all looks gorgeous. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  6. Great post! Beautiful images and blooms (and I love the water feature) :)

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  7. So, so, so Beautiful! I would love to visit you one day! <3 Brooke

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  8. Wow! I know, such an impressive word, seriously though, wow! All is so beautiful..do you swim in that pool...I have never seen a swimming pool with plants so closely planted to it.

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  9. WOW your firework flowers look gorgeous!! I would love to sit in your yard, take in the scents of your flora and fauna, as I relax by the water. Simply beautiful. Have any more photos of this collection?

    -Tony Salmeron

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  10. The plants in the pot on the last picture are stunning !!!!

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  11. I really love the flowers in your garden. Beautiful!

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  12. As usual, your garden looks just gorgeous! The pool photo instantly cooled me off. Thank you for always sharing such lovely virtual visits.

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  13. You have so many utterly beautiful blooms! I have been trying the self seed thing, with success in the hellstrip ( where the dogs can't dig up the seedlings. Treid sowing gomphrena several times without success, will have to try again.

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  14. As always--lovely, lovely. It has been so much better than last year.

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  15. Your garden gets more and more beautiful! I love all the colors and textures. And you have reminded me to add some gomphrena to my perennial bed. Happy GBBD!

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  16. Your garden is looking so good this summer. There's still a lot of great colour everywhere. I love the Gomphrenas. They're a different variety to the ones I grow, but they look just as fabulous. The Desert Willow flowers caught my eye this time round though. What a beauty! I just love the idea of an arbor in the lower garden. That would be the answer to the shade problem. Your sunken garden is looking so lovely. What a pleasure it was dropping by today.

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  17. I posted a reply but I never know if you are to post there or back on the persons blog- which is proper? Here is what I wrote: Sorry I missed you! I had a doctor's appt, and had to take off early. I love that flame vine too- that one at the front started out as a "deer test" and since it lived, survived and bloomed- even in the shade- I left it. When it gets little bigger it'll go up that post. The one at the back fence is bursting with blooms, though it has full sun too.... I was just surprised it bloomed as much as it does by the gate in the shade. Thanks for stopping by- would have loved to have seen you and caught up!!
    And trying to figure out how to turn off the word verification- thanks, didn't even know I had it on!
    Your post as usual is beautiful and full of blooms. So mad I missed the opportunity to stop by that day and see it all- you need to have it in a time of year when we aren't busy so I can sneak away! haha Hope you had a great GBBD!!!!

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  18. You have quite a lot of blooms! I really like that Gomphrena 'Fireworks' - it's rather different looking. I have a stand of gaura as well that I love. I thought I got a variety that would stay shorter, but the gaura has decided differently.
    And I don't think a garden can really go wrong with an arbor!

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  19. That is amazing for this late in the year, so I guess the moisture and now humidity is prolonging the show. But when it fades, it still looks incredible, as I've seen! That yucca clump and the architecture are such great bones, it should be a crime!

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  20. Jenny, your garden is just outstanding! You have a true gift! I will be on lookout for 'Fireworks' next year, but really, my dream is to have a garden like yours.

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  21. Lovely, as usual.
    I really love that chocolate daisy and need to find some here in Houston. The Gomphrena holds a special place in my memory since my grandmother grew a variety long ago. Happy GBBD! David/:0)

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  22. So much beauty in your garden. I want to come and sit with you next to the pool and talk of flowers. Blogging is a poor substitute, but beautiful nonetheless. I've tried growing 'Fireworks' from seed and as plants, and I can't get that look. I think my soil isn't sandy enough. Happy Summer.~~Dee

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