GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY JUNE 2011

No doubt we will have another 100 degree day today, so I look forward to seeing how gardens are faring in cooler parts of the world. Thanks to Carol at Maydreams for bringing us all together.

It seems appropriate to showcase the blooms which match the temperature first. Dicliptera suberecta isn't fazed by the triple digit temperatures.


Nor is the Flame acanthus, Anisacanthus wrightii, which has similar tubular flowers attractive to hummingbirds.

This Gaillardia grandiflora 'fanfare' re seeded in a burgundy form this year.


Along with the simple burgundy flowered blanket flower.

I have never seen a yellow form before. One of nature's endless surprises.

Last year a white form of Echinacea appeared. This year there are more than ever.

Blue plumbago.

Some spring time lingerers, larkspur.

Chocolate daisy may not be the tidiest plant in the garden but it is a sure fire early morning performer and during the morning hours fills the air with that delicious chocolate fragrance.

Among white achillea and purple statice a new addition to the garden. Gomphrena 'fireworks', on tall slender stems, wafts in the breeze.

Coreopsis tinctoria.

Narrow leaf zinnia, Zinnia linearis.

Rock rose, Pavonia lasiopetala.

I still can't believe that this perfectly mounding purple skullcap, Scutellaria wrightii, is still alive after 5 years. It grows larger every year. Obviously very happy in the sunken garden.

In the herb garden, clouds of pretty pink flowers dancing on slender stems. This is dittany of Crete, Oregano dictamus. What happened to my plans to move some to hang over the low wall in the vegetable garden. Next year, maybe!

So from scorching hot Texas, Happy Bloom Day.

THIS AND THAT

Cone flowers, Echinacea purpurea, often look rather pale before their petals fully open but they always end up the same old purple. So this flower has really taken me by surprise. It is in the front rockery, where several cone flowers popped up this year, all of them pink, except for this one. I am delighted.

I have been pulling out cone flowers all week long in the back garden. Around the pool they just like to take over and, delightful as they are when blooming en masse, they are invasive. No matter how many I pull they will be back again next year. More white ones please!

I also bid farewell to the cleome, Senorita rosalita, but not before picking her final blooms to use in the house. The only negative thing I have to say about this flower is that it has a slight skunky smell. This was only evident when I brought the blooms in to the house. I'm pleased to say not detectable in the garden. This will be on my list of to buy plants next spring. This plant was in full sun and full sun in Texas means full sun.

The least colorful of my gardens is the front courtyard. I probably don't pay it enough attention. I am also trying to cut back on the workload by planting only those plants which grow easily, with little care and attention and less water. It falls to the members of the agave and cactus family and other less fussy natives. Here an A. augustifolia among several barrel cactus. narrow leaf zinnias peeking through in the back ground.

I have a major project underway in the front courtyard but more about that later.

TOUGH PLANTS FOR TEXAS

With temperatures in the high 90s and no rain for weeks you need to be tough to survive in Texas. Here are a few plants that do well in my garden. They are all good re seeders, especially if there is gravel.

Echinacea"white swan" loves this spot in the gravel.

The less common form of skull cap is the native Scutellaria wrightii.

Coreopsis tinctoria, which can be seen growing along the roadsides may grow to 3 feet if given plenty of water. Keep it low by planting in dry rocky areas.

Beware of this little beauty, the pink evening primrose.

A trio of self seeders between the pavers in the vegetable garden.

The narrow leaf zinnia Zinnia augustifolia. My summer garden would not be the same without it.