Garden Blogger's Bloom Day December 2014

So many blooms to share this beautifully mild December.  If we hadn't had a freeze in November there would be even more blooms.  I'm joining Carol at May Dreams Gardens and many more garden bloggers in posting what's blooming for December.

Devil's Tongue Cactus bloomed late last week.  Usually an October bloomer, this one was a surprise.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day May 2014

It's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day and time to share the plants blooming in my garden.  It's been a very dry spring in San Antonio but substantial rains in the last few days are helping out quite a bit.

The biggest and best bloom surprises are these Color Guard Yuccas planted just over two years ago, which are sporting their first ever blooms.  With more than 10 hours of direct sun a day during summer months these plants have grown to nearly four feet diameter in a very short time.  The third bloom was caught on a leaf and is lagging behind.  I will look forward to these creamy, bell-shaped beauties each year from now on.

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.

GBBD June 2012 - Three Special Tropical Blooms

It's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (GBBD) hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.  For June 2012 I'm focusing on three special blooms, each with its own story.

This gorgeous canna bloom is the most amazing shape, color, and scent.  The story behind it makes it even more special.

It was grown from seeds sent to a gardening friend here in San Antonio by a gardener in Trinidad and Tobago who enjoys creating new cannas for his collection by cross pollinating.  About a year ago Barbra divided the plants and shared a few with me.  I call this canna 'Trinidad" but it has no official name.  The flower is a soft pink and curves downward more than most cannas.

The new flowers unfurl in a pattern similar to a bird of paradise.  The sweet tropical scent is a bonus.

 

This vigorous spreader and prolific bloomer is not fussy either.  I typically grow cannas in pots on the deck for summer color.  Here in zone 8b I can leave cannas out all winter.

The Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) has had several blooms this week.  This one is from last night and I didn't get out there to check until this morning but I still enjoy seeing the blooms in their various stages.

  
This is the first time I've grown the night blooming cereus and the cuttings were passalongs from Ragna. These were stuck in a pot back in May and ignored so it's very easy to grow here though it does need winter protection.

This is a Sanseveria bloom and there are two at once in this pot on the deck.  It's a first ever for me to see one of these bloom.

Sanseveria was one of the plants I grew in my room back in high school so I've grown many of these over the years.   Since none have ever bloomed for me it was indeed a surprise and special event.  This plant was shared with me by gardening friend Patty.

The blooms are lily shaped and delicate.  The sanseveria will only bloom once at each cluster though the foliage does not die after blooming and will continue to create offsets that will eventually bloom.

Three special blooms on three special plants from three special gardening friends makes for a special Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

Join Carol at May Dreams Gardens as bloggers from around the world share their blooms on the 15th of each month.

Bluebonnets! GBBD March 2012

Ahhhhh, Bluebonnet time!  When it comes to native wildflowers in Texas, there is no contest for the favorite.  Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis), the state flower, wins every time.  That's just one reason why I'm featuring these Bluebonnet photos -- all taken in my backyard -- for Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, March 2012.