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Monday, April 15, 2013

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY, APRIL 2013

It is the height of spring in Central Texas. The garden is a sea of poppies from the orange California poppies Eschscholzia californica...


To the common corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas.


Pink poppies, the seeds given to me by a friend.


And one white California poppy this year.


I could easily have missed the flowering of my lace cactus, Echinocereus reichenbacchii. Typically her blooms open well into the afternoon when the sun reaches that part of the garden. I just noticed that flush of pink as I was getting ready to come inside.


It now meant another half hour with the camera checking all my lace cactus. They were all blooming.


The ones in the front driveway area among the bluebonnets.


And the ones up on the top wild area. They looks so fat and happy. The pistil in the center of one was moving. Deep inside the flower a bee was wallowing among the stamens.


When he emerged pollen was flying everywhere.

Here are a few of the flowers that are blooming in the sunken garden.


Ruby crystal grass, Melinis nervigumis, with Damianita, Chrysactinia mexicana.


Dahlberg daisy, Thymophylla tenuiloba,


Blackfoot daisy, Melampodium leucacnthum. with blue eyd grass, Sisyrinchium pruinosum.



More blue eyed grass with sedum.


The sunken garden.



Square bud primrose, Calylophus berlandieri.




Scarlet penstemon, Penstemon triflorus.

Anacacho orchid tree, Bauhinia lunarioides.

28 comments:

  1. Beautiful!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

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  2. What a treat! I feel as if I've wallowed happily in spring this morning, just like that bee in your lace cactus pollen. Thanks for the gorgeous photos.

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  3. Oh, how I wish I could get that blue-eyed grass to grow! I've tried several times (once, with seeds you gave me!) and can't get it to stick. You've inspired me to try again in the fall, and to plant my lace cactus outside.

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    1. I'll save more seeds for you and yes, do put the lace cactus outside. I have to warn you though that it will not fare well in ordinary soil. It has a very shallow root run and likes to keep them close to the surface so they dry out quickly. A little bit of lean gravel.

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    2. Maybe try a seedling. The blue-eyed grass seedling I received up from Jenny about 2 months ago is blooming beautifully. All the pass-a-longs from Jenny's garden come with great plant mojo and always do well.

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  4. Love your cactus blooms! Your garden is glorious!

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  5. OK, I know nothing about gardening in Texas (born and raised in New England), so forgive me if my questions seem dumb: ¿do parts of your garden require watering, or all they all natives that fend for themselves? ¿What type of stone is that in the sunken garden? ¿Did the plants seed themselves between the rocks, or have you helped them along?

    Love that Ruby Crystal grass!

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    1. I have a rather complicated irrigation system because of the beds.All is drip with some smaller spray heads. Some areas have no irrigation. ALl the natives fend for themselves. The stone is Arizona sandstone with an underlay of decomposed granite. We decided to cover the granite because too many things were growing there and it lost structure. I exert a certain amount of control as to what stays. I never pull out a skullcap or blackfoot daisy because they are well behaved. I let nature seed and then I try to control. Not that I have much control!

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  6. First time visiting your blog. Can I just congratulate you on having such a beautiful garden. It has been nice to see what is flowering in a different climate.
    It would be very hard to pick a favourite - so many plants I could only dream of growing. Thoroughly enjoyed my read.
    Happy Bloom Day!

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    1. Thanks Angie. I think we all drool over plants that we can't grow because of climate or soil. We do like a challenge though!

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  7. So many beautiful blooms! Your image of the bee emerging from the cactus flower with pollen going every which way is amazing & your sunken garden is spectacular! Happy GBBD!

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  8. My husband was just lamenting the lack of poppies in our garden. Perhaps I'll send him over here to enjoy yours!

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    1. Are they banned? Well, I was just in your garden and you have plenty there he should be happy about.

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  9. I love your photo of the bee in the cactus flower! You have so many beautiful blooms to share, thanks! I just sowed California poppies this year, I hope they take and do well.

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  10. Your garden is just amazing, I love seeing all the awesome flowers blooming at once in your garden. Our native lace cactus is a favorite of mine. We have a number of the same flowers but they just look so special in your gravel garden.

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  11. I love your little lace cactus! After seeing your blue-eyed grass, I think you've also convinced me to try them again. Happy GBBD!

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  12. So many colorful blooms---I could just about cry---from joy. I stare at the melting snow and thank my lucky stars for southern (Southwest!) gardeners and the internet.

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  13. Lace cactus jealousy...that's off the chart. Like the other zillion mounding wildflowers taking over! I should have guessed you'd have some Calif poppies in there - those were all the rage in Abq 15 years ago, but they just peter out in our dry winters over time.

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  14. Your garden looks gorgeous! So many pretty blooms. Your pictures are beautiful as well. I've always wanted grow California poppies. I might have to plant some seeds this Fall.

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  15. You have more California poppies than the Poppy Reserve does right now! I always love the look of your garden, thanks for sharing it with us!

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  16. Hello! I'm here from GBBD. What lovely flowers you have! It's fun to see the varieties that do well in your neck of the woods.

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  17. Happy GBBD! Love the Poppies!!!!

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  18. Still battling cold weather here. Just have tulips. Your garden looks great.

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  19. Sigh, I just love your plant combos. And that bee photo, WOW! I wish I could grow California poppies. They come up but then pout and do nothing. Maybe we get too much rain. And your 'Ruby Crystals' has inspired me to try some.

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  20. The sunken garden is beautiful, full of glorious color! Makes me want to watercolor. And love the poppies. Mine are showing buds, and I hope to have some lovely blooms like yours soon.

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  21. So many pretties, such a lovely spring garden. My corn poppies are later than the others and will bloom with larkspur. Everything on its own schedule, not mine.

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  22. I love how you have taken advantage of off of your spaces. Everything looks so free and pretty!

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