Not-Yet-Autumn-Greens

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While today may be the autumnal equinox, it remains hot and humid here in Central Texas.  A wet and (for Texas) mild August lulled me into stupidly thinking that summer 2016 had breathed its last hot breath.  During this past week, summer returned with a fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk-it’s-so-hot reminder that summer is not done with us yet.  While it’s been toasty, some of my hot season blooming favorites are now showing off  their cooling foliage.

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This lush group of perennials soothes my perspiring brow.

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This group includes Garlic chives,  Allium tuberosum,  Branched foldwing, Dicliptera brachiata,   Drummond’s ruellia,  Ruellia drummondiana, Katie’s Dwarf Ruellia, Ruellia britttoniana ‘Katie’s Dwarf’, and Gulf penstemon,  Penstemon tenuis.           .

There are some blooms flowering on these perennials.

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Looking closely, you can see the small, lavender flowers of the Branched foldwing and the larger flower of Katie’s Dwarf Ruellia.

Except for the spring blooming/summer seeding Gulf penstemon, all of these plants flower prolifically in July and August, slowing, but not ending, flower production during September and October.

The green onion-like foliage of Garlic chives pairs nicely with the full-leafed Drummond’s ruellia,

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…and mixes it up well with the petite leaves of the Branched foldwing.

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This particular group of Garlic chives hasn’t bloomed this year, but I  appreciate their slender leaves mingling with other foliage nearby.

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Throughout the warm months, there are always Texas Crescent butterflies, Anthanassa texana flitting in my garden.  Host plants for this little cutey insect are those  in the Acanthus family, like this Drummond’s ruellia, whose leaf serves as a resting spot for this Texas Crescent.

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A wider view of the Drummond’s ruellia, sans butterfly.imgp9963-new

Cooler weather is on its way in the next few days–the first cool front of the season!

I’m thanking Christina and her lovely Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for hosting Garden Bloggers’ Foliage Day.  Check out her blog for foliage from many gardens and from many places, and then share your own leafy loveliness.

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13 thoughts on “Not-Yet-Autumn-Greens”

  1. I wonder why it is that green foliage feels cool, I think that is a reason our gardens feel so hot in mid summer when the greens seem to turn grey. enjoy the cool weather when it arrives, Tina. Thanks for joining GBFD.

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  2. Tina me encantan sus plantas perennes y su color verde que relaja. Me gusta especialmente la Ruelia de este Drummond. Y la foto donde descansa la bella mariposa. Todas las fotos son muy bonitas. Gracias. Saludos de Margarita.

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  5. The ruellias are going crazy around here, although signs of decline have appeared. I agree that the green is restful and pleasant, but that butterfly is the show stopped. I’ve not seen one of those, although I did see a swallowtail of some sort this morning.

    Do the butterflies tend to be more approachable in the early morning? The one I saw today was sitting on a tree leaf, and allowed me very, very close before making a move. I wondered if, on heavy dew mornings, they need to dry off a bit before starting their day.

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    • Yes, the ruellias are definitely at their peak in August, but that’s just fine since, typically, there’s not much else at the peak. The Crescent’s been a big hit, but I think of them as so common–I should appreciate them more, I suppose.

      Hmmm. That’s hard to answer. My take is that butterflies let people near them when they bloody well feel like it! They definitely slow down with chilly or wet conditions, though.

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