Bloom Day March 2011

What a beautiful today. 64, light breeze and sunny. I hope you all are having a wonder-filled bloom day, Thanks to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for hosting GBBD and being the inspiration behind the sharing. Welcome to my zone 8b garden in the heart of Austin, Texas, in the tenth year of my marraige to the love of my life, in this hear yard...Thanks for stopping by.

Rosemary and my favorite "hell zone" plant, hymenoxis.

I get so excited just before the buckeye bursts into coral blooms for a short visit.

Hello Martha Gonzales, the first rose to bloom this spring.

We are hoping for a beautiful crop of apricots due to the snowflake blossoms just fading now.

Oh peaches, you will be welcomed freshness in my morning yogurt smoothie, and Margaritas.

The Mountain Laurel in her gorgeous hues has perfumed my front yard like a sweaty palm holding purple Sweet-Tarts...that's what it smells like to me anyway.

By this afternoon, the cross-vine had opened a few of her flashy blossoms...she's calling to the hummingbirds, but we haven't seen one...yet.

Oh Lady Banksia, you are my buttery-popcorn favorite cheer right now...but you are oh so hard to photograph in all your showering delights

Old Blush, this is the first blossom, but this afternoon...over a dozen opened up.

Lady Banksia

It just doesn't translate...she's anchored the West side of the house.

Terrible photo, I know...but both figs are lookin' great...and this is after a transplant!

The simplicity of the arugula flower...the remaining plant from the entire winter garden, lost this year to weather...first time ever in my yard.

Loriapetilum or Fringe flower, from the Hazel family...so, since I have a new neice named Hazel...this is her flower and I'm reminded of her sweet spark when I see it.

Well..here's the rest of my list:

Iris

Autumn Sage

Oxalis

Spider Wort

Carolina Jesamine

Fernleaf Verbena

Daffodil

The more exciting things in my garden have to do with what made it through the winter without help. I didn't pamper, other than watering thoroughly before the worst of the freezes and pushing the leaves up around the base of things. I brought my house plants in, but that was really it and I thought I'd lose more. The most surprising things that are coming back are the brugmansia and the Philappine Violet...I just figured they'd had enough. Part of being saved has to do with the many microclimates in a dense suburban yard and

enriched soil...which I am really bad at keeping up with.

I hope everything is magical in your yard!

Happy Gardening!

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!

Spring has Sprung

We went to Boulder to take the girls snowboarding for Spring Break and I missed the GBBD but caught a few photos of the yard before and after. I've been having the hardest time staying focused this spring...or maybe it's every Spring...due to the wind, or that's my story. Anyway, it rained the day we left and then again today and I'm starting to feel like this is an actual spring and all. There is so much going on in the garden that I just have to share!

About ten years ago I bought a tiny plant in a 2 inch square pot and it was labeled "Desert Flower"...got it at the former Tex Zen Garden on Burnet. I've since found out that the real name is Hymenoxis or Four nerve Daisy. This is what 10 years of ignoring the little flower looks like. If you can't grow anything in a tough (notice it's right on the street) spot...try this beauty.
3 year old "Old Blush" climber on the porch has been blooming non stop.

This photo doesn't do the pinks justice...Indian Hawthorne, Oxalis and Autumn Sage.

The Heartleaf Scull-cap is knee high and spreading like an invasive species...we can't say that though since it's a native...it's just a little aggressive.

Close up of the Cross-vine...I still don't know the difference between Trumpet and Cross?

The little side garden is plumping up...they're all transplants.

The peach across the street has 22 peaches...mine just put out it's first bloom...go figure?

Mexican Sage...one of my favorites!

The Arugula gone to bloom along with Swiss Chard and Mustard greens

I love the onions bursting into bloom! Symmetrical perfection with an asymmetrical strip-tease.

My neighbor Hai's mother propagated these Loquats. It's the third year in the ground...right on time with the fruit! Yum, I can't wait to make jam!

The Cassia was blooming when I put it in the ground and has been blooming ever since.

Cheese and Wine Iris's, still no buds!

Spider wort.

Mini-pom buds.

Cross-vine gone wild! Each year it seems more spectacular!

Greg's little cousin Shelby and my hen Florance Jean.

My sweet Autumn Sage is so great with little kids! Shelby was very proud to have held onto Florence Jean...not an easy task!

Here's the mystery mold. Two mornings in a row this crumbly day-glo yellow slime showed up on my mulch not far from some mushrooms. I'd love to know what and why this is happening?

Anyone out there a mold fan?

Hoping for rain...Happy Gardening!