THE SLOW SUCCESSION

This week we hosted a large group of visitors from the Garden Clubs of America. As usual there had been fretting for several weeks about how the garden was going to look, what would be blooming and what wouldn't. You know the gardeners' cry, "You should have been here last week, or even this morning." I do try hard not to say that any more. Timing seems to be all important when a garden tour is on the books. Constant checking the weather report and temperatures. If only I could say, "come over today" That may be the only kind of garden tour in our future.
Of course the bluebonnets were blooming beautifully as well as the mallows, freesias, iris,

Globe mallow

and lots of other unusual things like kale and cabbage....gone to flower in our strange Spring, but left for the pollinators.

Flowers of Napa cabbage

Lovely clumps of fragrant narcissus 'cheerfulness'

and clumps of native wild alliums looking at home between the rocks.

And Texas yellow star, Lindheimera texana, which has established itself in a dry corner of the garden.

And because this was an afternoon tour even the Gilia rigidula was on show. Growing on top of the retaining wall between the secret garden and the English garden where it is much easier to appreciate than if it was growing low down on the ground. You are not likely to see this for sale unless in a specialist nursery. I found mine on the property and moved it to this spot.

But days later some of these plants are fading and others making an appearance. The warm sun this week and the claret cup cactus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus started to bloom.

And another round of the ladyfinger cactus, Echinocereus pentalophus.

and more and more blooms opening every day on the Lady Banks rose , Rosa banksia 'lutea'

And last evening as I strolled around the garden, I noticed the blue eyed grass,  Sisyrinchium was blooming. My Monday visitors missed seeing these.

I am now asking myself if my next garden visitors will see them. Will they last another 8 days. But of course there will be something else in bloom. The poppies and penstemons for sure and maybe the mallows will keep going for another week. The skullcaps and blackfoot daisies should be coming into their own. Yes. Spring and early summer are a succession of plants that bloom, fade and are replaced by others, so what am I fretting about? Just my nature.

WHY I LIKE ROCKS

It's easy for me to like rocks- I have plenty of them. It makes sense to use what you have and with terrain like mine rock gardens are certainly the answer. There is little soil and creating raised areas is the only way.
In the front courtyard area it's a colorful time in the spring.

Among my favorites are the square bud primrose, Calylophus berlandieri, and the blackfoot daisy,Melampodium leucanthum.
 

This year we only have a few bluebonnets which is probably a good thing as one plant can cover an area 3'x3'

The first of the Claret cup cactus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, buds opened today. I have three small clumps but not quite so many flowers this year. It isn't easy to find these native to Texas cactus but I would love to have more. I'm not the only one to love them. The ants have been particularly annoying this year, mounding up the soil around them. I had to take serious measures.

There is even a double take on this area. The reflection in the dining room window.

At this time of the year there is less color in the raised bed on the other side of the path. A few columbines and the mallow under the arching branches of the Lady Banks' Rose. Later there will be day lilies on the upper tier.

This is the area we removed damaged plants from last year. I added a few rocks along the dry creek and the pot. For the time being it will hold and Agave weberi 'Arizona star'

Although there is a good display of bluebonnets outside the walls it is not as prolific as in prior years due to the loss of last years bluebonnets to hail. ( Will I ever stop talking about that hail damage? Probably not as the damage is far reaching). Thank goodness for nature always leaving a few behind in case of such happenings and for garden friends who share their seeds.

Around the side of the house there are only a few in the pathway that was completely filled last year. I think I like it better this way. So much easier to walk without trampling. I wonder whether the large Agave weberi will live for another year or will the agave snout weevils found in this area last year have found a new host?

In the sunken garden more native plants. Skullcaps, erigeron daisies, chocolate daisies and the fading seeds heads of the gopher plant.

Our spring is about one month early this year but at least the temperatures have moderated. Let's keep it that way for a few more weeks.

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BOOM DAY, SEPTEMBER 2015

Drive around Texas after a fall rain and as like as not you'll see roadsides of rain lilies, Zephranthes ssp and gardens of oxblood lilies, Rhodophiala bifida. Today I had four different kinds of lily open in response to the rain we had last week. The most prolific are the Ox-blood lilies which I have clumps in a couple of places. Many years ago a garden friend offered me some of her bulbs. They were in full flower.  "Just take them home and put them in water, enjoy them in the house and when the flowers die just plant them in the ground" What a forgiving plant which will allow you to dig it up when in full bloom and then enjoy its flowering for days. Come fall, and following a rain you notice a small nub of green peeking through the ground and within a day or two the flower bursts open from a single green stem. Later, when the flowers die two strappy leaves appear and remain until early summer the following year before they disappear. During their dormant time they prefer to be dry. They also prefer to be planted with their bulb tip just above the ground.

Our native rain lily flower, Z. drummondii, comes from a deep rooted bulb. I try to gather the black seeds before they fall because much as they like my my herb garden I would like them to bloom elsewhere.

My pink rain lilies,  Zephyranthes ssp, don't seem to produce seed at all. How I wish they would.

But the yellow ones do, and they now seem to be popping up in different places.

Long stems of liatris open their flowers from the top down. I watched a queen butterfly visit today. She must have forsaken the Gregg's blue mistflower, Eupatorium greggii,  blooming in the back garden.

This year I took out the gray globemallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua, in the potager. Much as I loved its prolific orange blooms it just seemed to clash with the other plants. In its place I planted the more delicate pink variety which drapes over the low wall.

And my native Texas Indian mallow, Aubutilon fruticosum, in the front garden has a similar delicate appearance but velvety leaves.

Temperatures may still be in the 90s but both flowers and gardeners know we have broken the back of summer and we have only fall to look forward to you.
And Rock Rose wishes you a Happy September Bloom Day.

Thanks Carol at Maydreams for hosting Bloom Day for gardeners everywhere.

OUT IN THE GARDEN AGAIN

We were gone for 9 days over Thanksgiving and I have been playing catch-up all week. I didn't miss much over the last few days weather-wise but today was a different story. Misty this morning but warm enough to wear shorts. Definitely a day to be spent outdoors. Weeding is the order of the day-and there are so many of them. But first a walk around to see what's in bloom.

After that short spell of winter with several frosts we are back to more seasonable temperatures. The kind plants love. The globe mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua,  is no exception. These milder temperatures always bring out the best in this plant.

The bees were also out today. Too busy to bother about me trying to hone in on a close-up. On previous warmer days they have been all over the alyssum but today they favor the mallow.

No one is visiting the yellow bulbine, Bulbine frutescens, save the gardener. I had a nice surprise this year when tens of seedling bulbines appeared in the cracks of the pavers. That is a first in all the years I have had them. It was a tough year for the mother plants as extremely cold winter temperatures killed many of the plants. Native to South America my zone 8 garden presents a problem during very cold winters.

This weather will be short-lived. Cooler temperatures are expected for the weekend but the plants won't mind.
I hope you have an enjoyable weekend in the garden or if the weather keeps you indoors then enjoy your gardening books.

GARDEN BLOGGERS BLOOM DAY APRIL 2014

Welcome to my April garden for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day hosted by Maydreams Gardens. It is a gorgeous day here in Texas after yesterday's lashing rain, wind and hail and the threat of a frost last night. Thankfully it never got down to 32°. There is a mighty clashing of colors going on out there.

Eyes down to the Claret-cup cactus, Echinocereus coccineus.

Eyes up to Zepherine drouhin. Both are putting on a spectacular show.

Of course the Lady Banks rose is also in full bloom right now although somewhat smaller in bloom size this year.

 My yellow Rosa banksia 'lutea' is enormous compared with the white one.

I purchased this white one at the Rose Museum in Tombstone, Arizona, which boasts the largest Lady Banks' rose in the world. It came originally from Kew gardens as a cutting and this is a cutting from the Tombstone rose. I have it planted on the fence behind the pool; not the best place as I have to continuously cut it back.

While on the subject of white roses this white Knockout lights up the English garden.

Along with the lovely fragrant Felicia.

There are lots of native plants. The yellow Missouri primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa.

And the square-bud primrose, Calylophus berlandiera, along with bluebonnets in the sunken garden.

Gulf coast penstemon, Penstemon tenuis.

And my ever blooming chocolate daisy, Berlandiera lyrata.

Rose campion, Lychnis coronaria.

Mock orange, Philadeplhus X 'natchez'

The sweetest smelling stocks, Mathiola incana.

The cross vine, Bignonia capreolata back again on the greenhouse.

Beautiful heads on my multiplying onions, Allium cepa.

Blue flax, Linum lewisii

 An unknown tiny rock daffodil with wiry stems. Planted several years ago this is the first time it has bloomed. It must have liked the extra chilling.

Orange mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua.

There are poppies galore, and columbines and so many more flowers in bloom. Come back again later this week and take the long tour of all the gardens enjoyed by a visiting garden group today. In the meantime visit other garden bloggers sharing their blooms on the mid April day.