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.