Bloom Day, December 2014

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Tina

Celebrating blooming things with Carol of May Dreams Gardens on this last Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day of 2014, I’d like to share some currently flourishing flowers from my gardens. It’s been mild here in Austin, Texas, though a few light frosts have come our way, none were significantly cold enough to dampen the blossoming spirit.

Wonderful native perennials continue strutting their blooming stuff late this growing season. Two native salvia species are providing nice nectar sources for passing bees and butterflies and a color show for the resident gardener. The Tropical Sage, Salvia coccinea,

…brightens the garden with its scarlet blooms, while Henry Duelberg salvia, Salvia farinacea, ‘Henry Duelberg’ provides spikes of blue.

Planted near to those two perennials is a group of Texas Craglily, Echeandia texensis.

There are few blooms left, but many seed pods readying for future golden lily loveliness.

Some of my Goldeneye, Viguiera dentata, still bloom.

I don’t really think I need to add anything to that! These individuals face west and receive the warmth of the afternoon autumn sun.

A few Turk’s Cap, Malvaviscus arboreus, flowers grace the gardens as well.

I don’t recall ever seeing this plant bloom so late before–I’m not complaining.

Native to areas west of Texas, but not specifically Austin, is the Globe Mallow , Sphaeralcea ambigua.

In my gardens it’s a reliable cool season bloomer–at least through the beginning of summer. The one mature Globe Mallow in my gardens is beginning a nice bloom production and that’s likely to happen throughout winter.

There are always a few Purple Coneflowers, Echinacea purpurea, charming the gardens. This one is planted with an unknown variety of basil-in-bloom,

…which I’d know the name of if I’d bothered to keep the tag. Ahem.

And here, Coneflower is partnered with the equally sweet Four-nerve Daisy or Hymenoxys, Tetraneuris scaposa.

I love native Texas plants.

As for the non-natives, well, they’re pretty cool, too. The Firecracker or Coral Plant, Russelia equisetiformis, requires a hard freeze to knock it back.

Obviously that hasn’t happened yet.

I feel good about this plant–it has such a tropical look, but in reality it’s water-wise and tolerant of the cooler season.

Roses are responding in kind to our temperate December by blossoming again. Whoop!

Glorious in vibrant red are these blooms of the Old Gay Hill rose.

Finally, the Potato Vine, Solanum laxum, has entered its bloom time. This vine twines up one side of my swing beam and blossoms primarily in the cool months here in Austin. It’s a timid vine in my garden, never growing too large. I forget about it during our long, warm growing season–it’s there, but unimpressive. Once the temperatures cool, its lovely clusters of dainty, creamy-bell flowers provide interest for my honeybees, still foraging on warm afternoons.

Enjoy whatever blooms you have–indoors or out. Then check out the many bloom posts by visiting May Dreams Gardens.

Wildflower Wednesday, June 2014

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Tina

Summer is in full swing in Austin–heat, blooms, heat, blooms. I tire of the heat and humidity, but beautiful native wildflowers thrive in our sticky summers and today is the day to show them off. Thanks to Gail at clay and limestone for hosting and promoting the use of native plants and wildflowers in the home garden.

A few years ago at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s fall native plant sale, I bought a Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta.

It was a total impulse purchase and I’m glad for that particular lack of impulse control! Each spring, this little annual (for me) pops up in a different place in my gardens. This year? It’s on the back patio, keeping the potted bougainvillaea company. I’ll let it seed out this summer and who knows where it will appear next summer.

I must share a photo or two of my wonderful Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea.

The quintessential summer perennial in my gardens, Coneflowers are tough, happy summer flowers. They are great for pollinators and also are terrific as cut flowers indoors, if you’re so inclined.

The Zexmenia, Wedelia texana, began blooming a little late this year, but is in full force now.

Zexmenia is a lovely Texas flowering perennial and performs no matter how hot it is in Austin.

I often pair Zexmenia with Rock Rose, Pavonia lasiopetala, in my gardens.

From morning through mid-afternoon, the combination of the pink Rock Rose and the yellow Zexmenia is pretty and fresh. Both perennials require little water and are favorites of native pollinators. The hibiscus-like flowers of Rock Rose close with the heat mid-afternoon, leaving the yellow Zexmenia to go it alone until the next sunrise.

A few years ago, I collected seeds of Drummond’s Ruellia, Ruellia drummondiana. I caught the first bloom of the season recently.

This ruellia, which isn’t commonly available, doesn’t usually begin blooming fully until mid-to-late summer. I was tickled to see one open early in the growing season. It looks like the ants are happy about that too!

The ‘Henry Duelberg’ Salvia, Salvia farinacea ‘Henry Duelberg’ still sports its pretty bloom spikes.

It’ll bloom until it’s too hot, then the ‘Henry’ rests, renewing its bloom cycle again with cooler autumn temperatures. I’ll prune the ‘Henry’ to keep it tidy until its fall bloom cycle.

Turk’s Cap, Malvaviscus arboreus, is an excellent summer bloomer and another favorite of mine.

It’s a superb wildlife plant as well: hummingbirds, bees and butterflies love its bright red blossoms and the birds devour its fruits in the fall. It grows as a thick shrub, so many lizards, birds and insects shelter in it.

The cheerful Engelmann’s Daisy, Engelmannia peristenia, should bloom through mid-summer.

One reason I chose this wildflower for my gardens is that I noticed how many bees visit it in other gardens. That hasn’t been true for this daisy this year and I’m not sure why, but Engelmann’s Daisy is still a bright spot in the garden.

Lastly, this is a nice conglomeration of summer beauties together:

Two native Texas perennials I haven’t profiled today, Damianita, Chrysactinia mexicana, and Rock Penstemon, Penstemon baccharifolius, are blooming in this photo. Usually, the Damianita takes a break in the summer after its profusion of spring blossoms. Rock Penstemon is a hardy summer/fall bloomer.

What native wildflowers are in your garden? For more wildflower goodness from many places, check out clay and limestone and its celebration of June wildflowers.

Wildflower Wednesday, April 2014

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Tina

Celebrating all things wild…well just all things wild and flowery, here are some of my wild ones this beautiful April in Austin, Texas.

The luscious Yellow or Hinckley Columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana, is still showing off after a month of blooms.

A favorite of my honeybees is the Coral Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens.

Though this year, I haven’t spied any hummingbirds sipping nectar from those tubular blooms.

The Lyreleaf Sage, Salvia lyrata, sports a color I can’t quite capture with my camera–a rich blue-purple. This tidy little Texas native blooms for about a month, then sets interesting seed heads for the summer.

The sunny blooming Engelmann’s or Cutleaf Daisy, Engelmannia peristenia, is so bright that it almost overpowers its native companions– the deep pink Hill Country Penstemon Penstemon triflorus, to its left and the ‘Henry Duelberg’ Sage, Salvia farinacea, on its right.