Thursday, April 15, 2010

Tax Day Tally...GBBD


February's Bloom Day found me at Texas A&M finishing off a two year National Landscape Design Certification with Bill Welch and in March I was in Kansas City and the Ozarks visiting family...so this is the first time in a long time that I'm logging in on Carol of
May Dreams Gardens World Wide, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day...and boy have I enjoyed taking stock!
This is the the gateway to my backyard. On the right, your looking at Cross Vine on the green gate and on the left, my favorite Earth Kind Texas Rose, Ms. Cecile Bruenner, the rambler.
I can't explain how over the top this baby is! So, I just had to show off, two shots!

And here's the second shot of the beautiful Cross Vine, in glorious bloom all over Austin!

This is Old Blush on the front porch pergola.


The Heartleaf Skullcap is pushing up through the deck while Lady Banksia blooms her buttered popcorn baby roses above. I'm hoping that she and Old Blush will meet in two years time.

Sweet bee going to town on Culinary Sage, blooming up a storm this year!

My dear old neighbor Freida Neff passed along these Larkspur.

Indian Hawthorn

One of several Salvia Greggi versions blooming in my yard this spring.

Germander

Culinary Thyme

Hello Blanca. The bees are playing tricks on me. I have both white and yellow Iris blooming in my purple iris beds!

Pittosporum

More Autumn Sage...of the Cherry variety.

The predictable Red Yucca.
Gregg Dahlia

Yea! The orange Bulbine made it through the winter from hell, the yellow is a goner.

Four Nerve Daisy, or my favorite "hell strip" plant, Hymenoxis.
Monkey faced Viola, crazy lady...she's taken off in my driveway!

Fuchsia Moss Verbena

Diamanita and Prairie Verbena

Belinda's Dream

The Arugula, gone to flower and seed. This is the fifth year of collecting seeds...a Texas winner for winter greens!


This rose was purchased the year I bought my house, 1997 from Home Depot. I have moved it 3 times, this year it finally bloomed! Can someone please identify her for me? Annie, Manda...anyone? The next photo is the whole plant.

Isn't she a pretty one?

I had to put this one in, even if it's blurry...look at those greens! Onion!

I never thought I'd see the day that Swiss Chard went to flower in my yard...but she thrived in this horrid cold winter!


Spider Wort


Culinary Sage, Mint, Onion and the Cecile Brunner...and that's the peach tree in the middle ground.


Peggy Martin rose, now being referred to as the Katrina Rose because she was the first and possibly only gal to come back.

Yay and hallelujah! The ocotillo made it through!

Hello Knock Out!

Poor Clematis gettin' eatin' by bugs so soon!


My other Cecile Bruenner, if I haven't said it before, she's my favorite Texas Rose! I have two...and I'd have more if I had the room! BTW, the chickens are giving her a good pruning at the base!

My Cheshire caterpillar about to be engulfed by the nasty invasive honeysuckle...that my girls still love to eat!


Oh yea, Apricot! The first year to have a tree-full of fruit! Whoot Whoo! I hope the worms don't get her like the peach! It's a marvelous year here in Austin. Really! You should see the wildflowers and I'm expecting to have to make jam all summer! The following list includes further camera shy bloomers for the lovely month of April! I can't wait to see what's blooming in your neck of the woods!

April Bloomers at Conscious Gardening:

Old Blush

Belinda's Dream

Randy's Rose

Knock Out

Peggy Martin

Martha Gonzales

Lady Banksia

Cecile Bruenner

Iris

Hymenoxis

Verbena, Prairie and Moss

Rosemary

Oxalis, Purple and Pink

Salvia Greggi

Cabbage

Arugula

Thyme

Culinary Sage

Lavender

Germander

Larkspur

Hymenoxis

Viola

Spider Wort

Iris

Trumpet Vine

Clematis

Snap Dragon

Agave

Gregg Dalia

I think that's it...though I might add more later...

Happy Gardening!

15 comments:

Kelly said...

Wow, what a bounty. Love the climbers especially - mine are on order to cover a newly installed arbor. Can't wait till they look like yours!

Pam/Digging said...

Your garden is full of lovely flowers. Sorry, I can't ID the red rose. Maybe Annie can. Isn't your trumpet vine actually crossvine though? It's really showing off beautifully this year all over Austin. And yea for your ocotillo!

Queer by Choice said...

After all those lush, vine-covered arbors, the last thing in the world I expected to see was an ocotillo! I did a double-take and had to check where you're located. What an amazing job of gardening in Texas!

Sue Catmint said...

Hi Cheryl, your garden looks superb. I particularly love the photos of the climbers and ramblers. Your porch looks so inviting. I have some of the same: banksia rose, salvia greggii,sage and mint. cheers, catmint

ConsciousGardener said...

Right you are Pam, thanks for catching that!

I had to sneak that Ocotillo photo in because I am so thrilled that it came back! I planted it on a mound along with other dryer species but lost my Cassia and I'm still not sure if my Knife Leaf Acacia will come back. I love the southwest plants!

Rock rose said...

Everything is looking absolutely gorgeous Cheryl. AN ocotillo. Incredible. Can't wait to see the pictures of when it blooms. Should be soon I'm guessing. DId your P violet survive?

ConsciousGardener said...

Jenny, I think it went to seed! One died for sure! I've got little sprouts coming up and I'm protecting them from the chickens and bunnies! If they make it, I'll pass 'em along to you:)

Linda/patchwork said...

It's good to see so much survived in your garden.

My bulbine was a goner, but it was yellow. Maybe there's something about that color bulbine, that is less hardy. I planted an orange one this time.

I love all these Lady Banks roses. They're spectacular, this year. Hmmmm...where to put one???

Happy gardening..
~~Linda...

Dorothy Borders said...

What a lot of glorious blooms you have. It makes me happy to see that we have many of the same plants and to see how they are doing in another zone 8B garden - but a very different zone 8B than mine here near Houston.

Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog said...

You have some of my very favorite roses blooming (although I haven't a clue about your mystery rose, it is pretty). Your whole garden looks stunning (so nice when I see shots of the whole yard). I'm jealous of your ocotillo.

Gail said...

Love Ms Brunner~~She's one of my favorite roses and I am not even gonna try to grow her in my shade and shallow soil...but I so admire her good looks. I so want to borrow your fence idea...the blue bottles are delightful...Your entire garden is delightful. gail

LindaCTG said...

Your garden is just too lovely! I'm with you, a fellow fan of Cecile Brunner & Peggy Martin, and all your others. Forget missing Bloom Day Feb., a chance to be with Bill Welch is the best! Wish I'd been there. Greetings to chickens & bunnies.

ConsciousGardener said...

I agree Linda, he's so charming and always has a fabulous power point! Cheers!

The Curious Holts said...

You do have the MOST beautiful garden ever. Sigh...someday.

Tanya Boracay said...

Lovely Garden. This is perfect for christmas.

Just like to share with you a beautiful quote...

"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life" - Albert Camus

You can get more quotes about happiness at http://www.quotelandia.com/category/Happiness