GARDEN BLOGGERS BLOOM DAY,SEPTEMBER 2011

This may be the most difficult bloom day posting I have done. Not because I have nothing blooming in my garden. I do. I am thinking of those people who have lost their gardens and their homes this last month in the Texas fires.

So, I begin with the natives because they will be the survivors through all this. I know from experience about controlled burns at the Wildflower Center that new plants will pop up. It is all part of what nature does, although at terrible cost to some.

And so my first plant is a new one. David asked me last night where it had come from and I told him I didn't know. I noticed it growing by the faucet in the front courtyard. I knew from the leaf and flower that it must be from the mallow family, but I can't get a sure id even after consulting my wildflower book. I'm leaning towards Velvet Leaf, Allowissadula holosericea. ( That's one latin name I am not likely to remember). But six petals instead of the five is confusing.

Blue gilia, Gilia rigidula, is another one of my favorite bloomers. If you get the impression that I like the delicate small bloomers you would be right. Gilia is a member of the phlox family, reseeds easily and is perfect for the chalky soils of my garden.

I undraped the Whale's tongue agave, A. ovata, in order to take a photo for bloom day. She has attendant Blackfoot daisies, Melampodium leucanthum, surrounding her. They have a delicious early morning scent of honey and almonds.

Rock rose, Pavonia lasiopetala, after which I named my blog, is a constant bloomer in my garden. it is also a member of the Mallow family.

Another non-stop bloomer is the Chocolate daisy, Berlandiera lyrata. I usually cut it back in early July but never did this year so it has sprawled across the pavers in the Sunken garden.

The very weedy but attractive zexmania, Wedelai texana, but I wouldn't be without it. A cut-and- come back again plant and very tough.

Gregg's Blue Mist flower, Eupatorium greggii, has spread into a large clump and is in full flower. It is a favorite of the butterflies.

How the goldfinch love the Texas sunflower, Helianthus annuus. They are worth having just to watch their antics.

Lindheimer's senna, Senna lindheimeriana, pops up all over the sunken garden.

By September the zinnias are usually flowering in profusion. I have a few and am grateful from their sunny yellow and orange faces.

I would love my garden to look as it did in previous September Bloom Days, but it is not to be in this year of record heat with drought. Thanks Carol, at Maydreams for hosting this monthly Bloom day.