Garden Blogger's Bloom Day May 2015

It's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day and time to join bloggers from all over to share what's blooming in our gardens.  GBBD is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens on the 15th of each month.  If you've been reading Central Texas blogs you already know that it's been raining for weeks.  In San Antonio our rainfall for the year is seven inches above average and our nearly four years of drought are officially over as of this week.  Here's a look at what's blooming in my garden the last few days.

Indian Blanket or Firewheel.  I just love having wildflowers take over the back garden.  Most were not planted, they just seeded themselves in from a nearby field.

Mexican Hats

Greenthread or Navajo Tea

Native Monarda, Bee Balm or Lemon Mint is just beginning to bloom pale purple backed by those bright Indian Blanket flowers.

There are plenty of cool hues in the garden this week.  Purples in the form of Larkspur still blooming due to our cooler, cloudy spring.  The red accent is Gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields' which reseed every year and there's even a remaining Bluebonnet tucked in the mix.

Salvia Amistad which attracts hummingbirds

Verbena Bonariensis continues to hold up in the stock tank garden though it is listing a bit.  I've been trimming it back a bit at a time so as not to upset the butterflies.

Duranta 'Sapphire Showers' is almost eight feet tall since it didn't die back this year.

Pink phlox, no tag and I don't remember seeing it before.

Delicate pink canna bloom with an oddly colorless canna bloom.  These canna were grown from seed so just about anything can happen.

Clammyweed draped in Mexican Feather Grass



Bunny Ears cactus blooming bright yellow with Larkspur.  The silvery foliage is Wormwood started from a 4-inch pot several years ago.

Iris Dietes (left) and St. John's Wort (yellow), an invasive that I keep contained in a small area.

Heading back to the warmer side of the color wheel.  The flowers of St. John's Wort are so delicate.

Yellow Cestrum, another plant that did not die back so it's blooming much earlier.

Dyckia 'Frazzle Dazzle' with cute yellow blooms against silvery foliage.

Gray Santolina topped by yellow blooms.  Ruby Crystals grass in the background.

Reds supplied by Shrimp Plant

Yarrow 'Paprika'  with its gold centers fits right in to the spring garden.  It will retreat when the heat sets in.

Bat Faced Cuphea is both red and deep purple.  Can you see the little bat face?

Magenta Gomphrena 'Fireworks'.  Gomphrena will always have a place in my garden, it's so reliable and drought tolerant.

Coral blooms on the Hedgehog Cactus and ...

Hesperaloe which the deer are leaving alone this year.

Lantana 'Bandana' brings in the orange hues.

Lion's Tail, another plant that did not die back this past winter and is already blooming.

A very special pair of orange Zinnias.  Not only are the flowers a color I loved adding to the garden, they were gifts from our garden club president in recognition of my service in putting together several programs and field trips this past year.  Thank you Karen!

There are two Zinnia plants because I have volunteered to be club historian next year (or two).  I'll attend all the meetings, events and field trips to take photos.  It's something I look forward to and expect to enjoy since I blog about most of our trips anyway.  I just need to work on including more people in my shots.

See May Dreams Gardens for more from Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.

Before and After: The North Side

I used to avoid it altogether.  There was no good reason to go around the corner to see the north side yard.  We were focused on other projects and not much would grow here anyway, or so I thought.

March 2010

Then a trench for electrical service to the new detached garage/workshop became the unlikely spark for progress.

December 2010

Construction completed, rocks were used to form a raised bed, and a much needed gravel path was added from the gate to the deck. 

March 4, 2011

Filled with top soil and compost, the bed was ready to plant.
 

March 24, 2011

and then the best part....

April 2011

These plants were shared with me by fellow gardeners!  Yes, this bed was filled by the generosity of local gardeners.
 

June 2011

The plants grew well all summer, shaded from the relentless sun by the house

July 2011

Just a little morning and afternoon sun was all they needed this year

August 2011

Now instead of rushing through, I almost always linger here amazed at the sight of all this blooming in a year of record heat and drought.

Today

A few weeks ago the wind blew some of the plants over the walkway and I'm even enjoying that part.

Many of these plants I wouldn't have selected from a nursery this early on since I'm more focused on structure.  Those gorgeous yellow blooms are Forsythia Sage (Salvia Madrensis), a large shade loving, fall bloomer that is perfect here.  Other plants include Monarda 'Raspberry Wine', Walker's Low Nepeta, Red Salvia microphylla, and Shrimp Plant 'Fruit Cocktail' (Justicia brandegeana).  Some are commonly shared plants like pigeonberry, cannas, red spider lily, ruellia.  The blue potato bush (Lychianthes rantonnetii) arrived as a small rooted cutting and is now overgrowing the space and it really needs more sun.

 

Even though this was meant to be a holding space, the north side turned out to be the best spot in this year of drought and heat.  Over the winter additional beds will be built and these plants divided or transplanted in the spring.  Weeping yaupon or another tall plant will be added for some height against the house.  The old fence will be replaced soon too.

This area could change a lot next year, but I'll still have the pictures of this amazing little garden with all its promise

So thank you my San Antonio gardening friends.  These plants have flourished just like the friendships they represent.