bloom day

Bulldogged blooms and buds

Boy. Even though we haven’t had much winter here in Central Texas, we have had a few freezes and some cold winds. But many of our native plants are hanging on, providing us with a little peek of color here and there in the garden.

These next photos, however, are in my greenhouse, where they think it’s the tropics! I’ve kept the heater going so they are toasty warm when it dips down to cold temperatures.
This Desert Rose loves the warm sunshine coming through the glass.

This is the back side of a Plumeria bloom. She’s way in the back and I can’t get around the other side, but I am stunned that she’s blooming in January!
Here’s a little bloom from the Bougainvilla given to me by Robin of Getting Grounded here in South Austin. Thanks, Robin!
A tiny little Blue Daze bloom.
Ok – this is hard to see, because I didn’t use the good camera, but this stalk coming out from the left of the photo is the bloom from a succulent that is a passalong from a neighbor some 12 years ago.
This is the Geranium that normally adorns my statue, Artemis’, head.
Some Purslane in Mexican Pottery.
Blooms on a small Airplane Plant.
A bright orange bloom hiding down inside my Honeysuckle.
And the Mexican Lime tree is happily blooming away.
Oops — forgot this one’s name….we’re outside now, on the rock path out back.

Oh – you know her – Dakota, the digging dog! (She helps me take pictures)
A Winecup with a friend.
A Portulaca with the friend of the other friend!
Some Sweet Alyssum mixed in among the rock path. However gave this plant its common name, sure got it right, didn’t he or she? It really is sweet.
Some bright blue and purple Lobelia.

Here are the buds from my new “Maggie” rose. She smells delicious.
The purple trailing Lantana is in bloom in several places in the front — what a trouper!

The yellow Euonymous sure likes the cooler temperatures.
The Society Garlic is blooming happily and smelling up the front bed!
The Loropetalum in the mailbox bed has beautiful fringe flowers on it — hence the common name, Chinese Fringe Flower.
Some perky blooms on the pink Skullcap.
A hiddle white trailing Lantana bloom.
My Japanese Quince is starting to bloom. I always think of it as one of the first harbingers of Spring, but I am realizing that I have lots of other plants in bloom that never stopped.
A much rarer yellow Skullcap.
Help me remember what this is? It likes the winter and reappeared after being gone all Summer.
Ever faithful Rosemary.
The little Coralberry shrubs I planted in the “wild” bed are starting to bloom.
And, unbelievably, this Maximillian Sunflower is STILL blooming — it came on late in Summer and never stopped.

Thanks again to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for this giant garden party that allows us to post what’s blooming for us on “Bloom Day” each month, and to Renee, of Renee’s Roots, whose Austin American Statesman newspaper story last week focused on Carol’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.

By |2019-07-15T19:14:17-05:00January 15th, 2009|Blog, bloom day, Sharing Nature's Garden|25 Comments

Bloom Day already?

I can’t believe it’s the middle of April already. My the time flies when you having fun Flinging with your fellow bloggers! It was so wonderful to get to meet the founder of Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, Carol, of May Dreams Gardens, in person at the Fling. Here’s what I have to offer for April’s Bloom Day…

My Variegated Meyer Lemon tree has so many blooms on it, I’m already planning a lemonade stand!
And here you see the first of the lemons — it really is a miracle, isn’t it?

Lots of photos to share today. One or two of this and that blooming all around the yard. This month, there are some really interesting things to share as well.

Oxalis
Sedum (with a hint of weedy clover buried in it!)
Winecup
The first, teensy, tiny hint of a pink Skull cap bloom peeking out
I forget what this one is — I think it’s a Texas native … anyone know?
Nicotiana
Oh – I’ve forgotten what this is — I bought it a few months ago …
Drummond phlox

This is a succulent that was a passalong I received 13 years ago from a former neighbor with a greenhouse full of an amazing collection. She is the person who got me interested in cacti and succulents. Aren’t those blooms amazing? I think this one is either in the Aloe or the Gasteria family. It has medium, tongue-shaped leaves that are dark green with white speckles and they are very hard and firm, not fleshy at all.

Impatiens that came back from last year
Verbena
Japanese flowering quince
A long shot of the Society garlic providing a delicate border
that also keeps the deer at bay!
Angel wing begonia
The first baby blooms of a red verbena
My pomegranate tree
Morning Glory
Osteospermum
Euryops
Phlox
The last batch of daffodils
Blackfoot daisy
Oh – Austinites, or fellow Texans – please remind me what
this is – it’s late and my brain is dead!
Lavender
Chrysanthemums

That’s it – I quit there. There are a few more standard things but you’ve seen them all here lately, so I’m leaving them off for now.

Next I will have to show you the veggie garden (sans weeds!) with its little sprouts popping up. This morning, Kallie ate 4 strawberries from our plants with her breakfast and she said they were yummy and sweet.

By |2017-11-29T23:27:55-06:00April 14th, 2008|Blog, bloom day, Sharing Nature's Garden|22 Comments

Bloom Day, (+two!)

Garden bloggers around the world posted their blooming plant photos on Saturday for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

I’m not only a day late and a dollar short, I’m TWO days late. But I think you’ll enjoy the blooms anyway! I have 31 photos, but many of these are single plants or just a few blooms. The first photo is my little Peach tree.

Grace Ward Lithodora
Malicoides Mix Primula
Sorbet Babyfae Ruby and Gold Violas
Phlox
Verbena
Japanese Quince
Loropetalum
Osteospermum
Coreopsis
Petunia
Snapdragon
Lavender
Phlox
Verbena
Verbena
Blackfoot Daisy
Euryops
Oxalis
Cactus
Cyclamen Persicum
Nicotiana
Four-Nerve Daisy
Prostrate Rosemary
??? I forgot what this is! Anyone want to guess?
Strawberry
Snapdragon
Variegated Meyer Lemon
Penta

That’s all folks! The blooms are wonderful, and next is a layer of tiny little green leaves that are peeking up in various beds, the fruits of my efforts last year that, thanks to a mild winter for us here in Austin, have decided to grace us with their presence again. Even some plants that are normally annuals are coming back, like Impatiens and Begonias. More on them later as they get big enough to identify clearly in photos.

Happy bloom day!

By |2017-11-29T23:27:55-06:00March 17th, 2008|Blog, bloom day, GBBD, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Bloom Day, Scarlett-style!

So, here’s about 1/3 of what’s blooming in my yard. It was drizzling and grey and overcast on the 16th when I was scurrying around to do my make-up photography for the bloom day that I missed. At least I got to it!

I’m also pleased to report that I’m having some brush cleared and a bed made in the “wild” area beyond our fence for some agaves and some Sago palm pups I have elsewhere. I’ll take some photos to chronicle the transformation and share!

Vincas
Geranium
Morning Glory
Mexican Flame Vine
Morning Glory
Salvia Leucantha
Blackfoot Daisy
Verbena
Salvia
Lantana
Mexican Mint Marigold
I have no idea ~~ help me ID this one!??
Salvia
Mexican Heather
Pink Skullcap

By |2016-04-14T02:47:57-05:00October 17th, 2007|Blog, bloom day, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments
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