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Saturday, March 26, 2016

Easter Egg Colors Abound

Easter weekend in San Antonio means local parks are filled to the brim with family campouts.  The tradition is generations old and families begin arriving on Thursday when park curfews are lifted to hold their regular Easter cookout spots.  A local website features a fun montage of photos on the techniques employed.  Saturday brings Easter Egg hunts taking place all over the city.   My own garden is bright with Easter Egg colors so let's see how many colors I can find blooming during Easter week.

We'll start out front with Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus), a native beauty which enjoys wide distribution in Southwestern states including Texas.



Planted several years ago as one tiny pup, it will eventually form a three-foot hedgehog mound covered with bright blossoms each spring.



Bright yellow Damianita at the foot of Agave ovatifolia.  I'm pleased with the performance of this evergreen native which replaced 'New Gold' Lantana last year.


Iris purple just says Easter.


Orange Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigerabrightens up a front corner with Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue' in the background.



Deep pink Salvia Greggii in the streetside garden.


More golden color from Four-nerve Daisy (Tetraneuris scaposa) nested in fresh green Flax Lily.  Four-nerve Daisy is an evergreen repeat bloomer making the list of easiest plants to grow in my garden.



Red Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeana) blooms gradually turn from pink to red.


Yellow Caesalpinia pulcherrima is a bit hardier and blooms earlier than the red variety.



I've had a challenge keeping Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea munroana) alive in my garden.  With encouragement from gardening friends I planted another last fall and so far, so good!


Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) is another easy care native plant I'm trying in the sunny tank garden this summer.  Blackfoot Daisy blooms throughout our mild winters.



Typically an annual, the Hyacinth Bean Vine (Lablab purpureus) continued to bloom throughout our mild winter.  Planted by accident (I thought it was a different plant), I'm looking forward to seeing how it does in August heat on the full-sun arbor.


Larkspur with their upside down bunny ears.


Bright orange Nasturtium will be finished soon.


Bilbergia Nutans produces gorgeous, delicate blooms.


Now that's my kind of Easter Basket!


With all these blooms, no need to hide Easter Eggs to find bright colors in my garden.

Happy Easter!

13 comments:

  1. Perfect Easter basket! Yes, you have so much color in your March garden. I'm surprised Larkspurs thrive in San Antonio--I was thinking they were more of a cold-climate plant. So much beauty in your garden. Happy Easter!

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    1. Larkspur grows amazingly well here. We are well ahead of WI weatherwise of course.

      Happy Easter!

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  2. That basket looks great! So many pretty flowers for Easter. I would like to try a globe mallow - what do you think they need to thrive?

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  3. I'm not quite sure about the drought tolerant nature of the plant which is listed as highly drought tolerant and tolerant of a range of soil types. This one is in sandy soil and seems happier planted in fall with more rain to get it established.

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  4. So many gorgeous pops of color featured here. Are you noting early blooms in your neck of the woods? I got my first Datura flower yesterday and if I'm remembering correctly (which is not a sure bet) that is the earliest ever for it to flower, probably due to it never dying all the way back this year.

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    1. My triple purple Datura didn't stop blooming all winter until it finally gave up and began growing again from the base. New blooms will be along soon. The white native Datura is well up and on its way to blooming soon.

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  5. Very nice! I wish I could grow the blackfoot daisy...we tried, too wet here in NW Houston! I saw a lot of them around Pedernales this weekend, so that was nice to see.

    Happy belated Easter!

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    Replies
    1. They don't like wet feet. I love finding them in the wild too. They hate to be transplanted so I purchase my plants at the nursery.

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  6. your Bilbergia has the exuberant colours and delicate flowers I enjoy on Lachenalia. Yours is a beauty!

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    Replies
    1. Lachnelia flowers are quite similar and quite beautiful too.

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  7. Happy Easter to you, Shirley! Your garden is full of fabulous spring color!

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  8. Claret Cup Cactus is awesome Shirley! Seems if I would visit a Conservatory in Botanic garden. Bilbergia is pretty and works well as Easter flower.

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  9. Beautiful Easter colors Shirley....and what a wonderful tradition of the cook-outs....ours will wait until Memorial Day here.

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