Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, May 2014

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As we roll into our long warm season here in sunny Austin, Texas,  perennials segue from the early cool season blooms to heat-loving (or at least heat-tolerant) late spring/summer blooms.  Several different native yucca plants grace my gardens this May, such as a Pale-leaf Yucca, Yucca pallida.

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Another native yucca, Red Yucca, Hesperaloe parviflora,

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will bloom continually until fall.  The flowers are delicate looking and favored by hummingbirds.

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Another native yucca, Twistleaf Yucca, Yucca rupicola, shot up a bloom stalk this spring.

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Heat-loving Zexmenia, Wedelia texana, begins its long bloom cycle in May.  This hardy perennial blooms prolifically throughout our hot summer and into the cooler October.

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A favorite spring and summer bloom  for butterflies, bees and people is the Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea. 

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Here it resides across from patch of cheery Zexmenia.

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The Heartleaf Skullcap, Scutellaria ovata ssp. bracteata, is a beautiful, spreading ground cover which develops stunning blue/lavender flowers, blooming April through June.

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In the late spring garden, the Heartleaf Skullcap is stunning–in both bloom and foliage.

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The lilies in the pond are blooming as well. This pretty pink one is the ‘Colorado’ Lily,

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and the creamy yellow is the ‘Claude Ikins’ Lily.

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Both lilies bloom almost year-round in my pond, even occasionally in  winter.

Revel in your blooms, wherever you (and they) May be.  Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for May.

10 thoughts on “Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, May 2014”

  1. Great post! Your blooms are all so lovely. Even with a “just-in-time” rain and though we are experiencing a bit of cool weather currently, Texan gardeners all know to expect the heat and the fatigue that accompanies it soon and very soon. Your checklist of heat tolerant beauties is a great reminder that some other Texans – native flowering plants – have developed their own coping skills. (and here is where I fight the impulse to add “but watch out because the d*mned deer will eat every one of your yucca flower stalks!”. [Ooops.])

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    • Thanks, Deb! I love our native plants–I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed in the performance of any native, though I don’t have deer to contend with (venison anyone??). The rain and the (last?) cool front is so welcome. I don’t really mind our heat and Texas plants can cope with the heat, so…we’re off!

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  2. Love the picture of the Red Yucca, it is perfectly framed by the window behind it. I planted Heartleaf Skullcap last fall and it looks like it wants to take over the entire flowerbed. I wish my Purple Coneflowers were that prolific;)

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    • I Steph! Thanks–I like the Red Yucca there as well. Watch out for that Heartleaf–it does spread. This time of year and into summer, I keep an eye on it and yank it out if it seems like it might smother something. I’ve never had it kill another plant though. The coneflowers are happy here, apparently. I’m glad for that!

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  3. Hmm, skullcap as a groundcover… I wonder how well they would work in my Louisiana garden? Since I get more rain than you all, I never know. But maybe I’ll try anyway. 🙂 Everything looks lovely and your water lilies are way ahead of mine!

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    • Hi Jean! You might be a bit wet for Skullcap. They can rot out, though we don’t seem to have that particular problem anymore with our increasingly dryer climate. I think that’s actually one of the things that saves Skullcap from being too invasive–it dies off, at least a little, with wet feet. I also pull a good deal out each year. Try it, though–it is beautiful.

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