A PERFECT DAY FOR VISITORS

When visitors come to my garden at this time of year I really like them to come early in the morning. That's because there is no shade and when the sun beats down the flowers tend to sulk. So when I learnt my visitors this week would arrive around 2:30pm I was worried for how they would find it. I need not have worried because the sun never came out and made for a really nice showing.

Sunken garden with bluebonnets, blackfoots, skullcaps.

California poppies, bluebonnets

Hinckley's columbine, corn poppies, 

 The Zephirine drouhin growing in the corner grew from a root of a potted rose that was in the corner. She is the most spectacular of the 3 Zephs. I have and has never been watered or fertilized. I let her do her own thing which is exactly what a rose likes.

Zephirine drouhin

 My visitors got to see both my Lady Banks roses. I bought a cutting of the  white Lady Banks rose, Rosa banksiae x banksiae from the Rose Museum in Tombstone, Arizona. The original rose was brought there in 1885 and was a cutting from the original rose brought from China by a Sir Joseph Banks expedition in 1805.

Lady Banks' rose

My yellow rose in the front garden was at its peak this week and what a show with her clusters of tiny double yellow flowers.

Another big bloomer and at its peak this week was the cross vine, Bignonia capreolata, tangerine beauty. Would you know there was a greenhouse hiding under here? This is the very same vine that I cut back down to the ground 2 years ago. As I pulled out a root from a standing position I fell backwards and ended up being unable to move for 3 days. I have to cut it back again this year but a cut-back is all it is getting.

Everyone got to see the Claret cup cactus. This clump had 20 blooms this year.

And in the herb garden the culinary sage was a mass of purple blooms.

I had a few ladies question me about the tiny plant pots on top of the bamboo canes. Do you know why they are there? So I don't poke my eye out!

Yes, my visitors couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

GARDEN BLOGGERS BLOOM DAY APRIL 2014

Welcome to my April garden for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day hosted by Maydreams Gardens. It is a gorgeous day here in Texas after yesterday's lashing rain, wind and hail and the threat of a frost last night. Thankfully it never got down to 32°. There is a mighty clashing of colors going on out there.

Eyes down to the Claret-cup cactus, Echinocereus coccineus.

Eyes up to Zepherine drouhin. Both are putting on a spectacular show.

Of course the Lady Banks rose is also in full bloom right now although somewhat smaller in bloom size this year.

 My yellow Rosa banksia 'lutea' is enormous compared with the white one.

I purchased this white one at the Rose Museum in Tombstone, Arizona, which boasts the largest Lady Banks' rose in the world. It came originally from Kew gardens as a cutting and this is a cutting from the Tombstone rose. I have it planted on the fence behind the pool; not the best place as I have to continuously cut it back.

While on the subject of white roses this white Knockout lights up the English garden.

Along with the lovely fragrant Felicia.

There are lots of native plants. The yellow Missouri primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa.

And the square-bud primrose, Calylophus berlandiera, along with bluebonnets in the sunken garden.

Gulf coast penstemon, Penstemon tenuis.

And my ever blooming chocolate daisy, Berlandiera lyrata.

Rose campion, Lychnis coronaria.

Mock orange, Philadeplhus X 'natchez'

The sweetest smelling stocks, Mathiola incana.

The cross vine, Bignonia capreolata back again on the greenhouse.

Beautiful heads on my multiplying onions, Allium cepa.

Blue flax, Linum lewisii

 An unknown tiny rock daffodil with wiry stems. Planted several years ago this is the first time it has bloomed. It must have liked the extra chilling.

Orange mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua.

There are poppies galore, and columbines and so many more flowers in bloom. Come back again later this week and take the long tour of all the gardens enjoyed by a visiting garden group today. In the meantime visit other garden bloggers sharing their blooms on the mid April day.

HERE COMES WINTER, AGAIN.

Just when I thought it was safe to get everything out of the greenhouse I discover it wasn't. A strong cold front with blustery, unfriendly winds will drop our temperatures into the low 30s tonight. The forecast is for 34° but like as not, in my garden, there will be a frost. Preparations have been made.

The wind has already knocked down my pretty heirloom narcissus 'cheerfulness'. I moved the bulbs from under the yaupon tree where they had not bloomed for 2 years. Now, they have more light and were rewarding me with blooms. I would prefer to see them in the garden but their musky fragrance is welcome in the house too. I think I love these ones above all the others.

When the blooms on the grocery store primroses faded several weeks ago, I put the plants out in the garden in morning sun. Now they have started to bloom again. I wonder if there is any chance of their survival to next year. Probably not, but this second blooming is a bonus I was not expecting.

I have spent most of the day in the potting shed and greenhouse. Both were in a terrible state. Passing from one to the other I enjoyed the cross vine which now covers the whole of the greenhouse roof. I will have to cut it back this year because when out of flower it is not the most attractive and if left will likely bring down the roof. Pruning this vine is a regular occurrence.

All my tender plants are in the house or up against the house. I am hoping the wind will drop before it goes dark so that I can go out and cover the peas, tomatoes and succulents. Now it's tea time!

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY, MARCH 2013

It is the most amazing March bloom day.

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.

WHEN HEAVY RAINS THREATENS

This gardener is very happy for the rain but at the same time the gardening blogger knows what she has to do. Go out there with her camera and take photos of things that may no longer be there in a day's time. They are forecasting as much as 6" of rain, and possible hail and right now the winds are very strong as the cold front moves closer.

The cross vine, Bignonia capreolata 'tangerine beauty' is almost in full bloom. In the English garden the vine has crept onto the gate.

and up into the Yaupon holly, Ilex vomitoria, where it has replaced the long-gone berries.

The vine also grows on the pool wall where it cascades over the other side. It would like to go onto this gate also but if it did the gate would be sealed shut.

It looks as though it is time to cut back the vine on the greenhouse. The trellis was supposed to support cucumbers but the vine put paid to that idea years ago.

Years ago I put a few freesia bulbs in the garden. They were under the dwarf wax myrtle ( which by the way is no dwarf) Yesterday, while standing talking to visitors by the myrtle, I saw a glimpse of magenta.
Two freesias in bloom. No point leaving them there for only the pill bugs to enjoy.