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Monday, July 15, 2013

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day: July 2013

It's mid July and the garden has begun to slip into summer dormancy.  With temperatures reaching 102F/38C over the weekend it's no wonder the garden is slowing down just like the rest of us.

This is also Garden Blogger's Bloom Day and time to see what's still blooming before the flowers fade away for a few weeks.  Each 15th of the month garden bloggers join Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see what's blooming.

Many of the currently blooming flowers are hot and bright just like the weather.



Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caeselpinia pulcherrima) with Gomphrena 'Fireworks'.

I've shown these two before but this time it's reversed with the Mexican Bird of Paradise in the foreground.


This Queen Butterfly in flight adds a nice bow on the topknot of this bloom.


Gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields'

Gomphrena has a reputation for not easily reseeding.  I've found that if you try to plant the seeds they will not grow but if you leave the plants in place they will reseed all around the garden.  This 'Strawberry Fields' plant (R) seeded itself in the gravel path a good three yards or so from where the original plant was placed last summer.  Gomphrena seedlings from my three different varieties are popping up all over the garden and I will need to wait for blooms to see which is which.
 
Narrowleaf zinnia is usually a perennial in my garden.


Esperanza (Tecoma stans) keeps on blooming in the heat

Some plants stay small and delicate to survive the sun.  Dahlberg Daisy is a tiny plant which packs a big punch in the hot cactus garden.


Sticking with the cactus garden, the native barrels continue to bloom.


Tiny yellow flowers of Butterfly vine (Mascagenia macroptera) turn to incredible butterfly shaped seed pods.  The tan ones are maturing and the greenish one is younger.  The mature seeds are brown.


Leonitis mentholatum looks like an orange tarantula.  The stem continues to grow right through the bloom which eventually turns into a prickly seed pod (R).

 
It wouldn't be summer in Texas without shrimp.  This is red shrimp plant.

  
The ruffles on the Datura are called skirts and this one makes a pretty summer dress.   I don't know the name as it was shared with me by a gardening friend.

 
This aloe has bloomed three times this year and it's beginning to send out pups so I should have more plants next year.


Salvia 'Coral Nymph' is pretty and stays cool by producing very light flowers.


Ruellia produces blooms in the cool of the morning which drop off in the heat of the day.




Nepeta keeps a low profile to keep on blooming


Rains in the last few weeks have pushed the row of Silverado sage into bloom.


Plumbago thrives in our weather and the white variety has become a favorite in my garden.


That's the bloom tour of my garden for July 2013.  To see more blooms from around the world, including those who are celebrating winter blooms, check out the links at May Dreams Gardens.

28 comments:

  1. Beautiful blooms. You have so much going on there.
    Very little is blooming here. :(

    Happy Bloom Day.

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    1. I know you will find what works in your very tough garden soon Linda!

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  2. Hello Shirley. Your wisely-chosen plants seem to be standing up well to the heat, yet they retain their delicacy. That must be gratifying. Too often gardens can be wiped out by prevailing conditions. A very nice tour.

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    1. We have so many local gardening experts to help us through the tough environmental challenges.

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  3. Beautiful blooms, although not much that I recognize or that grows here. I really like that Mexican Bird of Paradise, wow!

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    1. The plants we grow are so very different which is why I enjoy traveling through my blog.

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  4. Mexican Bird of Paradise is sometimes for sale here but I don't think we get enough heat to make it really happy. Yours is gorgeous and perfectly paired with Gomphrena 'Fireworks!' It's interesting to hear you talk about summer dormancy. During our warmest weather (20 to 30 degrees cooler than yours,) the heat lovers really go to town! Happy GBBD!

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    1. Besides the obvious difference in summer highs, we also do not cool down at night enough to give our plants a respite so they quietly slow down and wait for a few weeks.

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  5. I love the hot colors, but HOT is something you get entirely too much of, sounds like. I hope you have a nice stack of books to see you through.

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    1. We also have about nine months of incredible weather to help us get over it.

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  6. Your Mexican bird of paradise is one of the most beautiful plants I've ever seen!! I am in love! I must find one now! Thanks for sharing your beautiful flowers! Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!!!!!

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    1. I hope you do find one and it blooms for you too.

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  7. You have a lot in bloom despite the heat. I love the picture of the butterfly on the Mexican Bird of Paradise! Happy GBBD, Shirley!

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  8. You have lovely blooms and I especailly love the butterfly shot...perfect timing!!! There has been a heat spell here up north as well. Your gardens seem to be still thriving despite the heat.

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  9. I noticed the Ruella in a Wichita Nursery's display garden last week, it surprised me as I didn't think it was hardy. Hot colors in Shirleys garden this month. Very well done.

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  10. Thanks for the tour of your garden, so many lovely flowers – most of them I have not even heard of! Your datura is very pretty, I wish I could grow it here but our winters are a bit too cold – and my garden is too small anyway for such a monster plant! Happy GBBD!

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  11. 102--wow. I guess I can't complain with 90s for this week. Things are fading a bit even in my garden, so I can imagine! So many of your plants are ones I've seen in botanical gardens, but I can't/don't grow here. Love the Butterfly Vine, Shrimp Plant, and Datura! It's wonderful to compare blooms with people in very different climates!

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  12. Love your Mexican Bird of Paradise...I bought one recently against my better judgement, we'll see.

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  13. Love the combo of the Pride of Barbados and the Fireworks gomphrena -- lavender/purple and orange -- it's my favorite color combo in the garden!

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  14. Everything at your place is still looking colorful and beautiful Shirley - your circle garden is still going strong!

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  15. The orange flowers look like peacock flowers. They are blooming very early. Over here it has to reach a certain height and maturity before flowering.

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    1. It is the same plant which blooms here when they reach about 2 meters tall which is typical in their native North America. In Malaysia they apparently grow and bloom much taller which would be amazing to see, almost like trees. We do get colder which causes them to die back annually.

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  16. What a glorious tour! I love your garden.

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  17. Shirley, nice blue flowers Ruellia, such gentle. This aloe was surprising me I thought it could bloom one time in its life and then to die. Seems it will live long life!
    Happy GBBD!

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    Replies
    1. The aloe and agave are similar but the agave is the one which will only bloom once and die. The Aloe will bloom many times as will the also related yucca.

      I so enjoy visiting your blog and seeing a view of your country that I have never imagined would be so beautiful.

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  18. As always, you make me really want to find space for some Gomphrena...especially if they reseed! Stay cool!

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  19. What an absolutely stunning plant is that Mexican Bird of Paradise!!

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  20. Lots of lovely blooms, some of which I'm not familiar with. I love that second photo.

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