Garden Bloggers Bloom Day- April, 2009

Many thanks, as always, to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for creating and hosting this monthly event in the world of garden blogging.

Many of you read my recent whine about feeling like my yard  looks just like the local Whataburger, so I set out today to prove myself wrong. With this bloom from a passalong rose from Lori/Gardener of Good and Evil, I think I achieved that!

Double Delight Rose is gorgeous, with a scent to match.
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The Primrose Jasmine is at its peak.

The Mock Orange is just beginning. It will probably peak next week, especially if we get the “promised” rain in the forecast.

I didn’t even know that this recently planted Pittisporum bloomed, but it was covered with buds a week ago and these sweet, light yellow blooms have a fragrant scent to boot.

And I’m still loving my Double Ranunculus. It is going strong, with more buds to follow. These were bulbs picked up on a whim at Barton Springs Nursery last fall.

This most recent bloom on the same plant, though, is a single form.

This is my latest Ivy Geranium, a winter hardy geranium if I protect it from cold.

Another look at Double Delight from the front.

I finally got a decent photo of the bulbine.

The Abutilon is blooming. I love the variegated leaves with the busy, veined blooms.

And yet another Ivy Geranium. I love how you can see a bloom through the sheer curtains of the gazebo.

The Byzantine Gladiolus, an indulgence purchase from Southern Bulbs. Great color, aren’t they?

Coral Nymph Salvia Cocciniea. Molly Ivans is blooming in the front yard as well.

White Salvia Greggii, Pink Sunburst Canna, and The Flash peeking at me.

The Bottlebrush is just about to burst into blooms all over. I’m anxiously awaiting that, it’s a sight to see every spring.

Spotted Dead Nettle with Impatiens; a nice shade combo in a container.

A close-up of the Gladiolus.

Verbena is blooming in several colors now.

And this newly blooming plant just popped up as I was strolling through the garden taking pictures.

Other blooms are a kolanchoe, an aloe, ice plant, ajuga, red salvia, pink salvia, purple heart, and society garlic, bicolor Iris and butterfly Iris are just beginning.

Purple, Lavender and Amethyst

Pam/Digging assured me this Amethyst Flame Iris was a hardy producer when she passed it along to me last fall. I anxiously awaited the spring to find out if there really is enough sunshine for blooms in my newly planted bulb bed.

Apparently, there is enough!

So far, my variegated Souvenir de Bonn Abutilon purchased along with Diana, Sharing Nature’s Garden, at Barton Springs nursery, is blooming happily away. Lori, Gardener of Good and Evil, tells me she’s heard the variegated form isn’t so hardy, so I suppose I’ll soon find out how it handles our Austin weather extremes. (And aren’t I feeling like the name dropper…the other day, when I was having lunch with Michele, you know – Obama – she mentioned how much she loves the Austin Garden Bloggers. Oh yeah, I’m totally full of it.)

It seems that this Ivy Geranium was really happy in my tiny portable greenhouse through the winter, and began blooming last week. I set it out this past weekend to get some air in the 80 degree temps we’ve been getting, uncharacteristically, in March.

And just in case I was continuing to worry about not having enough sun in the bulb bed for hardy blooms, the Iris is showing me signs of things to come soon. So many buds for her first year in my garden!

And this Purple Heart bloom, along with unpictured Oxalis, lavender Trailing Lantana and Spring Starflower, is hitting hard that all early spring blooms in my garden are all some shade of lavender to purple. Note to self: enough already, add some yellow for contrast (Narcissus and Daffodils) and some pinks for softness during our next planting season, next fall.

I spent many hours in the sunshine on Saturday doing jobs other than planting and enjoying the garden. I put 80 feet of new edging in all around using Benda Board (recycled plastic that is easily molded to curves), and recycled the recently removed kitchen tiles as step stones into the recycled glass mulch obtained free from the city of Austin.

And I can’t help it; I have to end with one more look at the Amethyst Flame!

Is Spring happening yet in your garden? What colors do you notice the most of in your early spring blooms? And what do you wish you had more of?

Bloom Day, February 2009

Thanks to Carol, May Dreams Garden, for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

At first I wasn’t going to bother with bloom day, because I didn’t think I had much to post. Today is the final day prior to kitchen remodeling, which commences tomorrow morning, and much work still remained to get ready. However, in pursuit of a much needed break, I decided to roam around the garden with my camera. Pleasantly surprised, I found more blooms than I realized. Of course, each of these blooms is just one on the entire plant, so don’t get excited and think that spring has come early to Central Texas. I’m anticipating one last cold front or freeze before spring arrives in March.

A little cheat here; I purchased a new Abutilon with gorgeous variegated leaves last week with Diana, Sharing Nature’s Garden, when we went to Barton Springs Nursery. I love the combination of the variegated bloom with the variegated leaf. A busy plant, but I have just the place for her and her drama queen behavior.

Tucked away into my tiny, portable and overcrowded greenhouse, this hardy Ivy Geranium has given me another sweet lavender bloom. I’m loving this plant more and more as I observe her survival instincts.

The Chinese Fringe Flower, or Loropetalum, is just starting to bloom:

Another recent purchase (perhaps a month ago) is this white potato vine that I added to the shady latticework intended for privacy between me and my backyard neighbors. If I can get this plant going, it will be stunning when filled out and in bloom.

Technically not a bloom, but showing off some seasonal color is this Flapjack Kolanchoe:

And my first true spring bloomer of the season, a baby Spring Bouquet Viburnum. This one was put into a container once I received the large viburnum passalongs from Diana last Fall. Those large transplants are still in a bit of shock, so I’ll look for them to be covered in blooms next spring once they have recovered.

This little succulent certainly looks like a flowery bloom, doesn’t it?

And I can assure you, when my newly planted bulbs bloom, I will be so excited that I will be posting pictures immediately! And I’ll probably even cheat, and put them on the next Bloom Day post, even if it isn’t the 15th. Here are the promises of things to come:

Grape Hyacinth

Passalong Iris from Pam/Digging

Byzantine Gladiolus from Southern Bulb Co. These were the bulbs that cost $10 EACH, so I only purchased two. I had been concerned that the squirrels had eaten one of them, but fortunately, it showed up as well as you can see. If I can get these established, it will be worth the expensive bulbs.

At one of the seminars I took at Zilker Gardens last year, I heard that Guacamole Hosta might grow okay here. I purchased a bulb online (actually I purchased 4 others as well, but they aren’t up yet) and this one immediately went to town. I hope it continues.

And then, of course, that bloomin’ cat!