Sunday, June 30, 2013

Early Summer blooms Part 2: Patriotic colors for Fourth of July

The Fourth of July holiday is coming up this week so I put together a patriotic display of flowers in red, white, and blue from my garden to kick off the celebration.

Red Knock-out rose



Canna Australia




Gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields'


 Bat-faced Cuphea 


The first blooms of Salvia darcyii planted in the spring


The red shrimp plant combines with a bit of white.



White flowers are a favorite of mine in the garden because they play well off brighter colors and look so cool in the shade, especially when mixed with silvery foliage.

The gardenia bloomed early this year.  Gardenias do not like our alkaline soil but this one has managed to establish nicely.  I enjoy growing them because they remind me of gardenias in our yard when I was growing up in Houston.  Never mind that Houston is a much friendlier place for acid-loving plants than where I live now.  The fragrance is intoxicating.
 

White Plumbago is blooming in the front yard
 



 Another look at the white plumbago


 Salvia 'Augusta Duelberg'

  
 Blackfoot Daisy


Abelia




White clammy weed, a gift from Michael at Plano Prairie Garden.


White crape myrtle by the neighbor's gate next to our driveway.


Blues include blue potato bush


...and Duranta 'Sapphire Showers'


Gregg's Blue Mistflowers are irresistible to the Queen Butterfly.


Tradescantia or spiderwort


Purple is a sort of blue so I'm including this gorgeous purple datura.


There you have it.  Red, white, and blue in the garden to start off the Fourth of July week in appropriate style.

10 comments:

  1. You have a lot in bloom in the summer heat, Shirley! Have a great 4th of July!

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    1. Thank you Kris! Hope you and your family have a great holiday as well.

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  2. I can't decide if the Bat-faced Cuphea is cute or scary, like flaming skulls. I would love to grow Gardenias but maybe I have killed enough already. I love the fragrance. The Duranta is a beautiful shade of purple, and neat the way it cascades.

    Thanks for all the lovely flower photos for the 4th. It's great you can keep them all alive in a hot dry place.

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    1. The Bat-faced Cuphea is cute! Flaming skulls, I'll have to look at it again.

      I just had to have gardenias even if they aren't the best.

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  3. What a nice project to celebrate the fourth of July with your flowers! The combination of white plumbago and silvery foliage is just gorgeous!! Your garden always inspires me:) I love Gardenias, especially its smells. But I've never seen "Bat-faced Cuphea", it literally has funny face:) Happy Independence Day!

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    1. Thank you Keity, I'm so glad to hear my garden is inspiring to you.

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  4. I'm a big fan of white flowers too...they seem to have better fragrance than any other color. Red is also a fave, so I have that covered, but I'm sadly lacking in blue. I may just have to go on a shopping trip before Independence Day is upon us.

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    1. Yes, it's fun to include the garden in every celebration.

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  5. That you have so many blooms in those three colors is a tribute to your extensive and beautiful collection, Shirley. I salute and admire you.

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    1. There are a lot of blooms here right now Lee and it's been fun to put them in categories to see just what a range they cover.

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