Now that Summer of Hell II is behind us, I seem to be able to live in the present and forget the horrible drought and heat. Though we are still in the drought, rains in October made our fair city look like spring again. Now that I have a few blooms in the garden and the weather is humanly cool, the cloudy morning took me outside to once again participate in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
My new favorite plant, Clarodendrun Ugandense, is also known as Butterfly plant, because of the butterfly shape of the gorgeous blue flowers. This one is planted in mostly shade, with about 2-3 hours of early morning sun only.
Planted next to it is a sweet little plant called Cat’s Whiskers. You can see where it got it’s name.
In the front sunny corner, the Lantana and Bulbine just won’t stop blooming.
Copper Canyon Daisy was a tiny new planting last spring; I’m thrilled it likes my partial shade location for it. Behind it, a new Lantana called Lucky White was rescued from the clearance table at Home Depot last spring.
And my long-time favorite, lavender Ivy Geranium bloomed all summer and continues until a freeze.
This cousin to Setcreasia was a passalong from Renee at Renee’s Roots, and I can’t remember the name. I love how the blooms resemble baby’s breath, and I look forward to creating a lush hanging basket from it next spring. I also like it paired here with Sparkler Sedge as a bright spot in the shade.
Here’s a new Stonecrop that I couldn’t resist at the nursery a few weeks back. I hope it will come back next spring as I like how it works with the limestone rocks.
This is a new purchase for partial shade, called Salvia Honeysuckle. I know it has another name, but I’ve lost the tag. Can someone help with identification for me? I love the gray fuzzy leaves with the red bloom. I’m actually surprised that it bloomed as it was planted just two weeks ago in anticipation of next year’s bloom season.
And it wouldn’t be fall without Nandina berries on my last remaining Nandina shrub.
Getting Grounded 
Hooray for Fall, is right. Great photos! You know I’m loving that butterfly plant! I’ll have to find a shady spot and get some. The cat’s whiskers is nice and dainty. The baby’s breath-shaped thing you got from Renee: might it be one of the spiderworts?
Iris, I know it is a form of Setcreasia, just can’t remember which one! Thanks for visiting, and thanks for cooler weather, yes?
I envy you your perennial Lantana. It does beautifully in my planters, but doesn’t winter over. Your flowers are beautiful! For us here in SE Colorado, drought is a constant spector, but this year we had moisture after 7 years of pure hell.
Lantana is a great staple of southern gardens, Fran. Some years it seems that’s all that survives! Glad you had a bit of rain finally.
Hey, lovely bloom day post, Robin. I’m curious about the cat’s whisker — is it by chance growing in part shade? I’m looking for shade tolerant white bloomers. BTW, that white blooming Setcreasia cousin is Tradescantia albiflora. Purple heart (aka Setcreasia) is also a Tradescantia. And I believe, as Iris noted, they’re also known as spider worts. Sheesh! Maybe in my next life, I’ll be a botanist, and I’ll be able to keep all the plant families and genuses straight. The silvery velvet-leafed plant with the orange blooms is a dicliptera. I have one too and I’m loving it, and so do the hummingbirds and butterflies. Easy to propogate from cuttings too, so I’m planning to spread it around.
Renee, I was hoping you would visit and set me straight! Glad to know about propogation for the new Salvia Dicliptera, too. Those leaves are awesome and I’ll definitely spread the love around with it. The good news is, both Cats Whiskers and Butterfly plant propogate by cuttings as well, so I’m hoping to add more. The Cats Whiskers gets 2-3 hours of morning sun only, as it is planted right next to the butterfly plant. It might prefer a tiny bit more sun, but definitely needs to stay out of afternoon heat. I’m happy to give you a cutting when it is done with it’s fall blooms.
I had cat’s whiskers one year or two and just loved them! Hope I can find them again next spring. Your honeysuckle is Dicliptera suberecta. I love this one! It goes non-stop. It does like to thicket. Pruning keeps it from flopping over (you can shape it very artistically, if you wish), and when it runs into your other plants, just pull up the roots of the runner. It’s a great plant!
Wow, that blue butterfly plant is lovely. It reminds me of something you’d find further north. My bulbine and lantana (purple) are loving this weather, too!
Linda, I’m happy to share cuttings, they say you can just stick cuttings in the dirt and they will grow. Did they die from a freeze? Good to know about the Dicliptera, I might end up moving it where it has a bit more room. Loved your show this week!
I love that butterfly plant. It is my favorite shade of blue and the flowers are a pretty shape. I also have a very shady yard so I’m always looking into plants that will flower in dappled shade. You’ve highlighted all sorts of plants that I don’t grow (yet). That’s what amazes me about GBBD in Austin…the variety in just our fair county.
Your photo of nandina berries is lovely with the dew. The nandina berries are turning color in my garden now, too but I’m chopping them off as soon as I see them. Nandina is an invasive species in central Texas and is spread by birds eating the berries and then planting them in their droppings. For more information, check out this post on nandina that Cheryl @ Conscious Gardening did last week.
Amy, the butterfly plant is actually a bit tropical, and I have to protect it from freezing if we have a bad winter. It does, however, grow back from roots most of the time (I hear). Thanks for visiting.
I know you are right about the berries, MSS, and I’m still finding runners from Nandinas that I’ve removed years ago. I have a cutting for you of both the butterfly plant and the cats whiskers – I’ll bring them when I get larkspur! I got them both for myself when looking for shade plants, and I’m pleased with what they did in such a horrible year.
Robin — Fabulous Bloom Day post. I’m so behind, haven’t done mine yet, but when I had to read yours about the Butterfly plant. My cutting didn’t survive, but the Cat’s whisker did and it’s happy (yeah). I love your Dicliptera, and was pleased to read more about that Tradescantia that I also got from Renee. Your lucky Lantana was lucky you took it home – it looks happy there. Happy GBBD.
Diana, let’s try again with another cutting; I’ll give you a fresh one when bloom season is over. Perhaps into the greenhouse for the winter?Glad to hear the Cats Whiskers is rooting, I definitely want that one to grow larger here as well. Happy GBBD is so true, Diana, now that we have blooms to see again!
I saw that butterfly plant at both the Antique Rose Emporium (in the display gardens) and at the Botanical Garden and just loved those flowers. I’m glad to know how it does in an Austin garden and must try it sometime.
Pam, I would love to give you a cutting to start anytime. It’s absolutely stunning. I know Annie has one as well, so it seems to do well both north and south Austin.
Yes, that stonecrop will return, and it will spread, too. It is very easy to root, and divides well. I started with one small clump, and now have clumps all around; it is very adaptable, grows well in sun or shade and tolerates long periods without water.
Sounds like a plant to love, Nola. I didn’t realize it would handle shade, too. All the more reason to use it, yes?
Robin, you’ve got some lovely blooms despite all that your plants have had to endure this year! I think our gardens are enjoying the change in weather as much as we are. Here’s to winter being a kinder and gentler season in its extremes than this past summer was!
Here’s to that, Cindy. May we all have a lovely year of of liveable weather!
Thanks for all the great ideas for my shade garden! I really like the blue butterfly plant with the white cat’s whiskers.
You are quite welcome, Caroline. I’ve got a lot of shade, so I’m always looking for interesting blooming shade plants. I like that combo, too.
Robin, things look beautiful at your house in the fall. Sorry about the summer from Hell II. We have those too sometimes, and I just want to bury my head. Your photo of the raindrops on berries is wonderful.~~Dee
Hi, Dee, thanks for visiting. I’m very happy to have the hottest and driest summer on record in over 150 years behind us!
Robin, I read about your pretty Blooming Day more than a week ago, but apparently wandered off mid-post to look up cat’s whiskers and never returned to comment. One fun part of coming late is getting to read the extended comment conversation! ;-]
My butterfly plant came potted from a friend and I think it was from seed. I had no idea this plant could root from cuttings – thanks for the heads-up on that. Also didn’t know the lavender ivy geranium could make it through one of our summers. You’re giving me ideas for next year.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie, I found out about the cuttings by reading Daves Garden about it. I hope it works, cause I want to share this gorgeous plant as much as I can. And the Ivy Geranium is in mostly shade, with some dappled sun, and manages to bloom anyway. I really like it. Thanks for visiting!
Robin, I popped over from Annie’s link to see your butterfly plant and I’m so glad I did. It’s absolutely wonderful with that pretty shape and glorious shade of blue. I do remember now seeing it at Annie’s. The cat’s whiskers is so sweet and looks good with the butterfly blooms.
I’m happy for you that you came through the summer of hell to better times. I hope the summer of 2010 will prove to be much more pleasant for all the Austin garden bloggers.
Ivy geraniums are a particular favorite of mine because they remind me of my mother’s Australian garden.
I’m trying 2 new salvias this year and loving them. Your Dicliptera is a new one to me. Love those fuzzy leaves.
Your Nandina berries dripping dew is a wonderful photo!
Kerri, you are too kind! So far Summer 2010 is not quite as bad as the last two, and we’ve gotten some occasional rain so far. I love fuzzy leaved plants also. Thanks for stopping by.