For three days the Tulipa clusiana "Lady Jane" has been closed up sporting her outer pink cloak. This species tulip does not require the chilling that the larger hybrid tulips need. Ideal for the rock garden because of it only reaches about 9" and is a wonderful naturalized.
Earlier last week the petals were open to display their pale yellow interior.
Some flowers are out despite the lack of sun. The bluebonnets, Lupinus texenis, inside the garden have fared a good deal better than those outside. This one is paired with the Mexican feather grass, Stipa tenuissima.
The cheerful dahlberg daisy, Dyssodia tenuiloba, seems to favor cracks and crannies in the paths and stones where it re -seeds every year. All parts of the plant are poisonous which explains why the deer and rabbits seem to leave it alone.
Another member of the aster family Pachera glabella, with its deeply divided leaves is not something you will find at the nursery. It is a native annual wildflower which showed up in my garden and which I encourage. It makes a great cut flower and is long lasting.
The Indian hawthorn, Raphiolepis indica var. pink lady and clara are starting to flower.
Prairie verbena,Glandularia bipinnatifida, pops up in the most unexpected places.
The yellow native columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha var, hinkleyana is a short lived perennial but will provide enough seeds to keep the plant going for years.
Zephirine drouin, on the front wall, is sending out new blooms daily. This highly fragrant repeat climber is looking a little worse the wear for the rain but these are the early blooms and she should bounce back after the wonderful rain.
California poppy clearly does not like the lack of sun.
Thanks, Carol at May Dreams for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. I think I see a brightness in the sky!
OOO, I like the tulips.
ReplyDeleteWow, you got it going on!
ReplyDeleteJenny, how very lovely! I like them all but definitely want to check out the prairie verbena. Alas, I cannot have dahlberg in my soil. Linda
ReplyDeleteKatina- Just planted the bulbs Jan20th! Bought at Zilker.
ReplyDeleteHelen- Well. sometimes.
Linda- How do you keep poisonous plants out of the garden. Do you have to do a lot of research on Harvey's behalf?
Interesting tulips, leading a double life with those two colours. All your plants are so pretty, and early.( and un-eaten :-)
ReplyDeletejo
Lots of pretties at your place. We're encouraging rain to come here, ready for the big azalea and dogwood show in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that you would get out and take pictures in this dreary, dreary weather. Lovely blooms but I must say I most loved seeing the bluebonnets (both blooming and not) in your photos.
ReplyDeleteThat last photo is a knock-out with the blue and orange! I have the straight species clusiana tulip that is white inside with a purple blotch; but that pink and yellow combination is awfully pretty. I may have to find a spot for it. Yours look very happy — sun or not!
ReplyDeleteI'm relieved that the bluebonnets in your garden haven't struggled as much as the ones outside it. Lupines are some of my very favorite flowers. I just wish I could get mine to bloom!
ReplyDeleteHi LR.
ReplyDeleteI have just planted a whole bunch of california poppies, just before our recent rains. I can't wait until they are the size of yours! I have them intermingled around a whole bunch of artemesia "powis castle" looking forward to them blooming against the silver, but I think it will take them a while. Your yard looks great, I look forward to visiting it in person one of these days.
ESP.
I must try that tulip. It's so lovely, both open and closed--and so different looking in each phase.
ReplyDeleteJoco- I saw your eaten plants. Just wait the bugs will be out today as the temperature climbs to 80.
ReplyDeleteNell Jean- I think this rain was moving your way,
MaryBeth- I go out there every day but sometimes I don't stay out. Today the sun is shining and I will be out there.
MsWis-I love this tulip too. It's my firat venture into tulips and I think there will be more next year.
Queerbychoice-All the bluebonnets needed was water. As you know they fix their own nitrogen which is a necessity round here. Maybe you need to add some rhizobium to your soil.
ESP- Some of my poppies are very early and others are just sprouting. They will all bloom this year. great idea to pair with Powis.
Pam- I'm learning such a lot from bloggers' garden choices. I saw people had this species tulip and thought I'd give it a try too.
Love that purple and orange! Your verbena is a much prettier shade of purple than mine--does it have a special name? (Mine's more magenta-purple.)
ReplyDeleteYour blooms and your photos are lovely, Jenny. I especially like that bluebonnet against the mexican feather grass. And I wish I had a patch of poppies like yours. I think I may have some Pachera glabella in my yard this spring. It came up so close to my Engelmann's Daisy that at first I thought the daisy had morphed into a slightly different cutleaf plant with yellow flowers. Isn't this one of the nonnative wildflowers that the wildflower center says we should yank out because it's too aggressive? Are you finding it to be aggressive?
ReplyDeleterenee- The Wildflower Center identified it for me and they said it was a native. It does seem to reseed quite easily but as it likes a wet spot it isn't too troublesome. I would like it to grow on my septic but it is usually in my vegetable beds and the path. This is not the same yellow flower that Linda identified as being invasive, I think it shares the same generic name as golden groundsel.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, Jenny! What sort of camera do you use?
ReplyDeleteBarb-Nikon coolpix P80.
ReplyDelete