Our mild winter and wonderfully warm days have brought an early spring to Austin. After a very dry winter an inch of rain fell last week and the plants responded with immediate growth. So much is blooming.
it is a special year when the pink jasmine, Jasminum polyanthum, flowers. Frequently zapped by frost but not this year. It is planted in a sheltered south corner of the house.
Bluebonnets.
A lone freesia planted many years ago.
Gazanias from last year.
Native blue gilia, Gilia rigidula. See how it adores the inhospitable limey soils.
The cross vine, Bignonia capreolata, on the gate.
Indian hawthorne, Raphiolepis indica.
Blackfoot daisy, Melampodium leucanthum.
Wright's purple skullcap, Scutellaria wrightii.
Blanket flowers, Gaillardia pulchella, in the path.
Clusters of sweet alyssum, Lobularia maritima. Watch out for the harlequin bug!
Trusses of Lady Banks' rose, Rosa banksia 'lutea'.
Closed for the evening, Tulipa clusiana, Lady Jane. See the flower buds on the Claret cup cactus? Can't wait for that showing.
What's blooming in your garden this March? You can join many of your fellow gardeners at Maydreams gardens. Thanks, Carol, for hosting.
Beautiful! I really like all the orange and yellow blooms.
ReplyDeleteHappy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
I was once fussy about bloom colors but then I came to Texas! Happy Bloom day to you too.
DeleteGorgeous! I'm so envious of your beautiful garden as we sit through another cold spell here in the northeast.
ReplyDeleteI am sure your garden will soon be joining bloom day with some spectacular flowers. I would love to have a break during the winter but things just keep on growing. Happy Bloom Day.
DeleteSo many beautiful flowers! I love the Lady Banks rose. I've never seen that.
ReplyDeleteLady Banks is a beautiful one time bloomer but so worthwhile having. She is, however, a big lady. Happy Bloom day.
DeleteThanks for this incredible breath of Spring. We are still in the grip of winter and I am getting very tired of cold and snow.
ReplyDeleteI remember well the grip of winter from Montreal. It did finally end and yours will soon. In the meantime enjoy your little pot of muscari.
DeleteYour garden is beautiful. I also found an earlier post about your rain collection very informative and I am going to share the pump idea with friends. I visited UT at Austin last weekend and was impressed with all the cacti and agave planted in yards. We get a little too wet on the Gulf Coast for cactus on that scale.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet if you read Danger Garden you will see a Portland garden with cactus and succulents. Drainage is the key. However, you have so many more lovely plants you can grow in your more subtropical climate.
DeleteI loved seeing all your gorgeous, lovely flowers! The Jasmine and Freesia are both very pretty. Actually, they're all pretty! I'm impressed that the Gazania overwintered.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alison. Yes, sometimes in a sheltered spot they will overwinter. The jasmine has a tougher time and blooms will succumb to frost.
DeleteBeautiful. I am moving to Austin in a couple of months from Colorado and you just inspired me to make sure I get divisions of all my bearded iris before I leave--I have about 10 large and 15 dwarf varieties. The ones I gave my mother in law didn't work well in Georgetown but I think that is due to a lack of sufficient sun in her yard.
ReplyDeleteAll we have here right now are the first crocus, Cloth of Gold.
ReplyDeleteI know how I used to look for the first signs of spring when we lived in Canada. Snowdrops and crocus were the first to bloom. Crocus just don't seem to grow at all in Austin.
DeleteThe March Bloom Day is always frustrating for me, because you warmer-climate gardeners have so much going on and not much here yet. Beautiful as always Jenny! Don't you feel like giving that Freesia some siblings? It's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI grew these in a pot about 8 years ago. Then I put them in the ground. It still amazes me that the one purple one survives. maybe I should take you up n your suggestion.
DeleteBeautiful blooms, love all the variety you have there. I didn't realize freesia would do well here.
ReplyDeleteThe iris are not blooming here yet, but plenty of everything else is.
I am surprised when this freesia pops up every year. The yellow ones failed so maybe this one is tougher. It is sheltered but survived that very cold winter we had a few years ago.
DeleteAll the colors of Spring! The warmer the weather, the hotter the colors is my standard.
ReplyDeleteI had freesias once, yellow. They went away. I saw bulbs the other day, wish I had bought them.
You have made me think about adding some more freesias next year.
DeleteLots of lovely spring flowers! Some of them I know and some I don't, some would probably not grow here in London where I live. Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog. Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny,
ReplyDeleteEverything looks so beautiful. I especially love the last photo of cactus and tulips....only in Texas. Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden. It always inspires!
Malcolm
Abilene, TX
Thanks Malcolm. Yes, tulips and cactus! They are the naturalizing tulips though. They seem to survive in very poor soil but always return.
DeleteJenny, it is indeed a beautiful Texas day. We are so blessed to live here! Thank you for all the wonderful photos of your garden! I still need to find a spot for that gilia. I just love that little blue flower.
ReplyDeleteI noticed the native blue tall gilia starting to bloom out there. I don't have those ones in my garden. Must try to move some.
DeleteJenny, I'm drooling over your yard. Such eye candy! I adore your Iris. What a beautiful color.
ReplyDeleteI shall be so sorry when it stops blooming. It has just been a fantastic year for iris.
DeleteWhat can I say ? I'm so jealous! Your garden is looking fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThe first photo says it all - jealous. Time to move to Z 8b or 9a!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful shot of your covered patio. Outdoor entertaining must be a delight. I love all the hot colors-especially the orange of the Gazanias. Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a lovely outdoor entertaining area! I can't believe that your garden is full of blooms already, while mine is still wallowing in winter, within the same USDA hardiness zone. Enjoy your spring!
ReplyDeleteYour photos always seem to come with scent-o-rama. That grapey smell of the bearded iris, the jasmine, and I seem to remember the Lady Banks rose smelling of violets (?). What a beautiful time of year this is in your garden.
ReplyDeleteMan, I'm always so jealous of all your blooms. I need to get me some more blooming plants...or rather plants that bloom in the spring instead of the summer...
ReplyDeleteI really like what you guys are up too. This kind of clever work
ReplyDeleteand coverage! Keep up the good works guys I've incorporated you guys to my own blogroll.
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So much color! I absolutely love your irises. One of my garden goals is to have a big blooming stand of the same variety in the landscape (when I figure out the mystery of how to make mine bloom). Yours are inspiration.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteOh so pretty, Jenny!
ReplyDelete