Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, June 15, 2011

Well it’s been a couple of years since my last post.  I can’t say there was any reason for stopping, but I can say that I missed it.  I’ve enjoyed going over my old posts to see what was blooming when and how things have changed in the garden over the years.  Hopefully this will be the beginning of many more posts.  Gardening has been even more of a challenge than usual in Texas lately with several years of record-setting drought and a couple of record cold winters.  It’s been very interesting to see what has survived, what has thrived and what has died.

And now on to the blooms:

Tropical Hibiscus

Passion Flower

The passion flower vine has practically taken over a quarter of my back yard.  My neighbor planted it several years ago and every year it swallows up more and more of my space.  If it weren’t so pretty I’d be really upset.  It’s also the larval host of the Gulf Coast Fritillary Butterfly, so the bonus is that my yard is overrun with them as well.

Texas Star Hibiscus

I have 3 Texas Star Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus) in the back yard that are all over 8 feet tall.  This is the first bloom of the year.

Heliotrope Heliotropium arborescens

I was surprised to find that these plants survived our record cold this past February.

Zinnias

The zinnias I planted from seed are going insane!  I love em.

Hardy Hibiscus "Moy Grande"

I was surprised to find that this hardy hibiscus “Moy Grande”  (hibiscus moscheutos) survived our 48 hour dip into the 20’s this past winter.  Then I read that they are hardy to -20.  You northern gardeners should try this plant.  I grew them from seed a couple of years ago.  Every seed I planted grew.  I’ve given away dozens of them.

Hardy Hibiscus "Moy Grande"

This is another bloom on the same plant.  Somehow it has two different color of flowers on the same bush.

Unidentified coneflower

This is a new variety of coneflower that I planted last year.  Sorry I can’t remember the name.

This past May, my yard was featured in a local neighborhood garden tour.  I hope you don’t mind if I share a few photos with you.

Your host, Horselips himself.

That’s me, smiling beneath the arbor in front of the cannas.

Mexican Bird of Paradise

That sign just fell into the back of my pickup one day.  I swear it did!

That brick just fell into my car in New Orleans.  I swear it did!

The Chitalpa Tree (X Chitalpa Tashkentensis) is blooming its little heart out as usual.

Yellow water lily Nuphar polysepala

This year I put a little pond in the back yard.  I started out with one water hyacinth, a water lily, some horsetail, Louisiana Iris, a couple of goldfish and 5 mosquito eaters.  The plants have been very prolific and so have the fish!  Its also filling up quickly with tadpoles.  It’s really interesting to watch.

Giant Amaranth Amaranthus australis

Last year I bought one of these plants at the Zilker Gardenfest.  It quickly grew to over 15 feet tall with this HUGE seed head.  One day it fell over and the birds were going crazy feasting on the seeds.  This year thousands of them came up in the spot.  I considered thinning them, but I like the effect.  What do you think?

Some visitors giving my dog, Sanko, the attention he deserves.

My friend, Sandy, checking out the new outdoor shower.

Pomegranate Punica granatum 'Wonderful'

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)

Birdbath

Lion's tail Leonotis menthifolia

I have a very nice crop of old people this year, don’t you think?

And that’s it until next time!  Happy gardening.

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