WHO LIKES THIS KIND OF HEAT?

Today is another stinker. A couple of hours outside in the morning and then I'm holed up in the house for the rest of the day.

But there are a few plants in my garden that seem unaffected by such temperatures. Let's see who is not afraid of the heat.

This gomphrena may be called 'fireworks' but it will be around long after July 4th.

Chocolate may melt in the sun but chocolate daisy, Berlandiera lyrata, shows up every morning.

This is their time of year. Scutellaria wrightii is a native so why not.

"All I want is the sun, forget the water",  says the Ruellia.

"And my petals are made of paper" says the statice. Not much to dry out there.

"I don't even show up until the heat of summer is turned on full", says the plumbago.

The most prolific of all is the blanket flower, Gaillardia pulchella. It just enjoys every season.

Texas lantana will sneak up on every patch of bare ground.

As will the narrow leaf zinnia. The mild winter has meant a proliferation of seedlings.

"With my feet in the water I have the best spot of all" says Helvola.
Let's see what we all look like at the end of the summer!

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY, JUNE 2012

The middle of June already!  What is more amazing than that is that flowers are still blooming in my garden as we join Carol of Maydreams for a late spring bloom day. After all, we have been having summer in Texas for weeks on end with very little in the way of rain.

The pink evening primrose, Oenothera missouriensis, is blooming along the pool edge, for the second time this year. I cut it back severely several weeks ago and here it is again. Angel's fishing rod may not grow in this climate but the arching flowers of the gaura are a great substitute.

One favorite from last year is the Gomphrena 'fireworks' In the fall the root had gone so deep that I couldn't pull it out. I just cut it to the ground thinking the root would rot over the winter. Happily the mild winter didn't kill it and here it is back again. Gomphrenas of all varieties are a summer favorite because they just keep on blooming.

Here's the flower, hence the name.

On the other side of the pool more favorites, like the narrow leaf zinnias Zinnia linearis,  line the edge. They come from seeds saved from last year.

By and large this is a self seeding garden and at the far end a beautiful cone flower has seeded in among the stones, its growth curtailed by lack of irrigation.

They would normally grow much taller as the ones above next to the yellow knockout rose.

The chocolate daisy never seems to stop blooming. It is there in the morning but flowers have faded by late afternoon.

Among the flowers that the hummingbirds adore are Dicliptera suberecta, above, and flame acanthus, Anisacanthus quadrifidus, below.

I think it's about time to cut back the lantana, in the sunken garden, once again before it takes over..

Another plant ready for a clipping is the wall germander, Teuchrium chamaedrys. I am gradually re-establishing the plant as a low hedge in the English garden.

Last week we planted a new tree close to where the 5 Spanish oak trees once grew. It will never take the place of those trees but it may eventually offer some shade in the lower garden. It is the native, desert willow, Chilopsis linearis 'bubba' Although they say this is a small tree I have seen some pretty large ones around here. I have put it on a drip system to make sure it makes it through the summer. On the subject of the lost shade in the once Spanish oak garden I planted a new seed today. I talked at dinner about the possibility of doing an overhead arbor in this garden! We really miss the shade we once had and I see the plants in this garden are none too happy.

And who would not fall in love with its pretty orchid-like blooms?

There are lots more blooms but I think I will end here with my 50c pot of plants. They came from the rescue table at Lowes. Each 4" pot was marked down to 10c. All they needed was some TLC.

Have a great bloom day and a great summer!

THE BIG CLEAN UP

Every day since we got home I have been out in the garden for the only 2 hours it is possible; 7-9am. The sun just wakes up every morning, bless 'im, and that makes it impossible to stay out there any longer. Of course there are others out there with me. If you look closely you can spot 2 hummingbirds seriously annoyed with me because I was out there in their garden with their Texas sunflowers. What was that I said about not allowing those plants in the garden this year.

They are there anyway and in the end I will let most of them stay. Mostly because there is little else doing as well as they are and the hummingbirds and goldfinches love them.

My vegetable beds are known for having plants other than vegetables in them. These zinnias self seeded in here and took advantage of the water that was meant for the tomato plant. They are doing a whole lot better than the tomato.

It seems zinnias steal the show right now although I normally have lots of these growing in between the pavers this year there is only this one clump.

But right now my absolute favorite is the Gomphrena 'fireworks' It is sure to be in next years garden.

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.

A VISIT FROM OLD JACK

I always pay attention when the weather man says there is going to be a freeze in the hill country but not in the city. We are only 7 miles from downtown, but frequently the coldest spot in the area. So last night I covered and brought in and picked.

I picked all the peppers, squash and tomatoes.

Glad I did.

Some plants, like this Berggarten sage, don't mind the dusting of ice crystals.

But the basil is a different matter. By tonight the leaves on this plant will have turned black.

The bees will no longer want to visit the flowers on this Thai basil plant, which I photographed yesterday afternoon. This weekend I will have my work cut out pulling out all the damaged plants. Winter is finally on the way.