It turns out the bluebonnets put on a better display this year than I ever could have imagined, given the dry winter. The inch or so of rain we received a couple of weeks ago really brought them back to life. These are growing along the side of the driveway.
On the other side of the driveway is an area of decomposed granite which is supposed to be a parking area. It has gradually been taken over by plants. A couple of Texas sage have seeded there along with lantana, feather grass and of course bluebonnets.
I love the
Aurinia saxatalis. I started this from seed last year and it is one of those perfect rock garden plants that grows to just the right size and no more.
Another yellow bloomer, with which I have great success, is the Dahlberg daisy, seen here growing in a pot. It will continue to bloom all summer.
Gulf coast penstemon, yellow columbines and blue salvia have seeded freely in the sunken garden.
There is a similar profusion of flowers in the English garden. There is no doubt that this is a wonderful time of the year for exuberant blooming.
It turns out the bluebonnets put on a better display this year than I ever could have imagined, given the dry winter. The inch or so of rain we received a couple of weeks ago really brought them back to life. These are growing along the side of the driveway. 
On the other side of the driveway is an area of decomposed granite which is supposed to be a parking area. It has gradually been taken over by plants. A couple of Texas sage have seeded there along with lantana, feather grass and of course bluebonnets.
I love the Aurinia saxatalis. I started this from seed last year and it is one of those perfect rock garden plants that grows to just the right size and no more.
Another yellow bloomer, with which I have great success, is the Dahlberg daisy, seen here growing in a pot. It will continue to bloom all summer.
Gulf coast penstemon, yellow columbines and blue salvia have seeded freely in the sunken garden.
There is a similar profusion of flowers in the English garden. There is no doubt that this is a wonderful time of the year for exuberant blooming.
What a beautiful garden! Gives me hope as to what some time, patience, and a little care can do if you let natives do their thing. Your stands of bluebonnets are amazing! I haven't had that much luck with them (although finally got a few of them to bloom this year.) I think they don't like the thick clay soil here in E. Austin very much. Or maybe I'm babying them too much and should leave them alone more! What do you do in the fall after the blooms fall? Do you mow or just leave everything in place to seed?
ReplyDeleteBluebonnets do like good drainage and mine seem to like the decomposed granite best of all. By May they will have set and thrown their seed and then the plants are pulled out. They are annuals. They can be invasive in a small garden so I try to collect seed inside the walls. Some always get away.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a lovely garden. I have a little rock garden area. It is made up of gravel and flagstone. Sedums and thymes and alyssums grow there.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I love rock gardens but finding plants that stay small is not one of my strengths.
ReplyDeleteHow about a swap: my bluebells for your lupins.
ReplyDeleteThat gravel looks so clean and sets off the blue so well.
To me it looks more like what I know as a scree garden.
Know what? I wish you'd make the clic-on-pics a bit larger. I'd love to immerse myself in all that wonderful blue.
jo
Jo I am in the habit of exporting them at 480x360. That is what we do on our family blog. What should I export them at to make them larger? Full size? Does that take longer to download and take up more memory?
ReplyDeleteJenny — every view and every garden area is more lovely than the previous one. You have created a wonderful setting for plants that look very happy! And the lace cactus is a stunner. It is still early spring here and I got a real dose of warmth and color with my visit to your garden today — thanks.
ReplyDeleteTry a couple at 800 x whatever.
ReplyDeletethat would make them four times the up-front size.
Full size is hard on us who are still on dial-up.
Many of your pictures are worth seeing bigger. The Dixter ones and the rose bushes stick in my mind.
Try a few and see how you like it.
Maybe you can do requests :-)
jo
You have the most beautiful piece of property! I love seeing the various views, but I don't remember reading as to how large it is. I get many ideas for my garden by looking at yours. Of course, I have to use some different plants, but I like the overall layout.
ReplyDeleteAiyana
Ms Wis and Aiyana- thanks for your nice comments. It is lovely to get compliments from fellow gardeners. I do, however, make lots of mistakes- trying out new plants and trying to find the perfect combination. The way things grow here makes it really hard. I really prefer the northern garden where everything is compressed into one season. here, spring flowering is nearly over and we have to be thinking about the mid season and then fall. that is the problem with annual native flowers.
ReplyDeleteI love the yellow and violet color combination that you've got right now! I wish my larkspur was doing so well.
ReplyDeleteOh, and as for the comment about increasing the picture size, I second that! I love the little details, and your garden is rich in details. I know with Blogger you have the option of importing a large picture and showing it in a small click-on-for-larger size in the blog. Maybe try that if you're worried about loading time?
ReplyDeleteLori- I'm not quite sure how I do what you say. I use 480x360. What should I use?
ReplyDelete