After a year of harrowing weather for plants, animals and humans, Austin gardens are behind schedule by almost a month.
Last year at this time, the Mountain Laurels had finished blooming, the bluebonnets were in full swing, and we were headed to 100F days way too soon. So I’m not complaining that we’re behind schedule if it means a more tolerable summer.
The Loropetalums (Chinese Fringe Flower) (below) are having a great year.
And across the sidewalk, the Marilyn’s Choice Abutilon (below) hasn’t stopped blooming since it was planted in the fall. I’m loving this plant!
Newly-planted Blackfoot Daisies will be giving me a happy carpet of white this summer in the new Sun Bed.
I added Four Nerve Daisy nearby to add to the many-month display of happiness.
A plant I’ve been wanting for some time is finally gracing my yard in the new Sun Bed. This newly purchased Pink Double Knockout Rose shows promises of many more blooms to come. Isn’t she gorgeous?
The White Iris is a passalong (love that!) and is the first Iris of the season this year. I have many buds on purple Iris Amethyst Flame, but no buds are showing yet on the passalong apricot Iris.
Meyer Lemon appears to be satisfied with remaining a container plant. After last winter’s record-freeze, I plan to keep it easily accessible for moving indoors in the winter as needed. Given the number of budding lemons, I’m hoping to gather fruit this year. Right now I’m enjoying the honeysuckle-scented blooms.
I KNOW this goes against the Austin Green Growing Guide, but ya’ll, I just miss seeing some southern plants in my yard! I’ve modified the soil in my stock tank and planted two Encore Azaleas. They might end up being considered annuals, but I’m going to give it a try. They are just starting to bloom.
I purchased a Hellebore last year from Natural Gardener. It is such a tiny plant, I had to lay on the ground to get a photo. It needs to be moved into a container where I can actually see it next year.
Had I known how small these Grape Hyacinth would actually be, I don’t think I would have bothered planting them (60 of them, no less!). After blooming this season, I believe I’ll dig the bulbs, save them through winter (chilling as needed) and put them in a container next year. They are about 4″ tall.
Not pictured today are volunteer Starflower (I love it), Homestead Verbena Purple, Moss Verbena, Oxalis, Alyssium, Diamond Frost Euphorbia, buds on the Mountain Laurel, and some annual Impatiens.
Though I have many single flowers in bloom, my garden still looks very brown. No perennials have started greening-up yet, and we are all still playing the “dead or dormant” game here in Austin. As Always, thanks to Carol, May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!
Getting Grounded 
Just beautiful, you are going to love the Double Knockout Rose!
Yes, I have another knockout ‘Sunny Yellow’ that isn’t a double, and I look forward to both of them giving me great blooms this year. Thanks for visiting, Darla.
Everything you have planted looks simply beautiful. I wish I could grow azaleas, but I’ve never been able to get the acidity of the soil just right. Thanks for sharing your lovely plants for bloom day.~~Dee
Dee, I’m sure I’ll struggle with the pH of the soil as well, but I’m enjoying them for now. Thanks for visiting today!
With that many Meyer lemon blossoms, you’re bound to get some fruit this year! In fact, you may have to thin them. 🙂
Rachel, I would love to be able to thin them out! Looks promising, doesn’t it?
Your Pink Double Knockout rose is beautiful! I just saw your post on your bottle brush plant-I hope it pulls through! It seems like this winter was an odd one everywhere.
It was a tough winter for many of us. Mother Nature must want to keep us on our toes!
I’m not going to complain about our being a little behind, either! Your white iris is stunning. My loropetalum doesn’t look quite as cheery as yours but is doing okay. The grape hyacinths are tiny but dramatic, don’t you think?
Nice blooms, Robin! The Abutilon must be pretty tough to have bloomed all winter – used to think of them as houseplants. My white iris are blooming too, with just one visible bud on the pale peachy iris. Good luck with the azaleas – I agree tat sometimes we need to grow flowers we love, even when the relationship is temporary ;-]
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie, you are my inspiration for growing things that I love; for that I thank you! And yes, I’m also impressed with the hardiness of that Abutilon. Perhaps that spot, even though the north side of the house, is protected by the big oak trees.
Oh, Iris, I wish I could say they are dramatic, but they just aren’t! No scent, and just not much presence. I think they COULD be dramatic if contained in a smaller area (now that I know their true size) or in a pot. But they are certainly your color, aren’t they?
aloha,
what a beautiful combination of plants and flowers for bloom day…your photography is amazing, thanks for sharing your garden today!
The Loropetalums are stunning. I’ve never seen them before and I love the colour.
They are an amazing fuscia color, that seems so at odds with the leaves. I love it, too!
wow nice blog and thanks for the inspiring gardening stories…
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your Encore azaleas! I love it when plants prove the experts wrong and just thrive like crazy!
Looks like your starting to get lots of color in the garden. We are about a month behind ya’ll, so I hope I have as much this time next month.
You have some magic touch! The Marilyn blooming & no frost damage? That iris is a keeper, simply lovely. And yes, the Knockout is perfect. How wonderful for it to be blooming with the lorapetalum. It all looks astounding. And I’ll take delayed flowers. Maybe it will delay summer too.
I’m all in favor of delaying summer, Linda! I have to admit I’m ready to see some greenery, how about you?
Nola, I hope they work out myself. I would love to see them in full bloom. Thanks for the support!
Wow! Lots of blooms already. We are still pulling out of winter here in Plano. Four-nerve daisies are all I have blooming so far. I hope the weather is more cooperative for you this year.
Believe me, there is much more barren ground than there are blooms here, Ed. We aren’t THAT far ahead of north Texas. Hopefully we all have a better year in the garden, yes?
Fantastic collection of bountiful blooms! Azaleas should do fine in a container, I would think, with plenty of acid-lovin’-plant fertilizer. Fingers crossed!
Caroline, I’m still trying to get the pH where they like it…all fingers and toes crossed!
This year, I’m also trying a potted Azalea & Marilyn’s Choice Abutilon – here’s hoping that mine turn out as happy as yours. And that “dead or dormant” comment – so true. I’ve been thinking I need to post a survivor’s list. Enjoyed the blooms.
I’ll be interested in finding out how your Azaleas do as well. I hope you enjoy the Abutilon as much as I do. And a survivor’s list is a good thing for all of us. Thanks for stopping by!