Sunny Dahlberg daisies (Thymophylla tenuiloba) make up for a lack of sun this November morning.
The star of Bloom Day this month has to be pineapple sage (Salvia elegans), which blazes crimson above yellow-green foliage that smells like pineapple when crushed between your fingers.
It’s just gotten better and better since summer’s heat started to ebb.
Silver-leaved Aussie native Chrysocephalum apiculatum Flambe® Yellow has only a few button-like flowers left, though the foliage still looks nice.
And the ‘Senorita Rosalita’ cleome just keeps going. I’m sure you are bored of seeing it by now…
…but I’m not! Even though it has thinned and gotten leggy, it’s still full of bee-attracting flowers. It’s definitely the showiest flowering plant in my new garden.
Agastache ‘Acapulco Salmon & Pink’ sprawls below. I really need to move this plant next spring so it has more sun and more room to grow.
Seed-grown black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) continues to bloom also.
A katydid is resting on a couple of faded flowers.
Golden thryallis (Galphimia gracilis) still looks nice.
‘Pam’s Pink’ Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus), though, is fading fast. The last two flowers are keeping each other company.
‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia just won’t quit. I love this plant.
Another look, with ‘Black Heart’ sweet potato vine, ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave, and white trunk of Texas persimmon tree.
Faded lavender flower spikes on Agastache neomexicana
‘Ava’ agastache has slowed down but still has several long flower spikes.
Among the cupheas, little Mexican heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia) is studded with purple flowers like this one.
The passalong pink cuphea from Annie in Austin continues to flower profusely, grateful, I imagine, for cooler weather and a bit of rain.
But the batface cuphea (C. llavea) is winding down for the season. Good night, little bats.
‘Radrazz’ Knock Out rose continues to unfurl its cherry-red flowers.
Tattered roses remind us of the season. That’s the pink cuphea blooming in the background.
The prosaic lilac flowers of purple heart (Tradescantia pallida) fill the shady, rarely watered strip behind the pool. Passalong variegated shell ginger from Diana offers a high-powered, tropical contrast.
Bulbine frutescens is such a tried-and-true plant for many Austinites. It does best in full sun but makes do in part shade in my garden. That’s purple heart behind it.
A closeup look
To end my Bloom Day post, little ‘Grapes’ gomphrena.
To illustrate the lengths to which we bloggers will go for Bloom Day pics, here’s the bigger picture.
And an even bigger picture. Where’s Waldo?
To see what’s blooming in other gardens around the world on this date, visit May Dreams Gardens.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
You have a lot still blooming. And, yes. We do go to great lengths to find a bloom to photo.
Comment by Linda/patchwork — November 15, 2009 @ 11:55 am
I’ve gotta get some bulbine. I say that every time you show it. But this time I mean it! And I love the leggy cleome. It’s funny how plants can continue to interest us even when they’ve started to grow in ways we aren’t supposed to find attractive.
And, wow, you used the word prosaic in a bloom day post! ;)
Comment by chuck b. — November 15, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
The Pineapple sage has been my favorite addition to the garden this year- it’s fun to see how it does in other gardens. Your pictures are amazing, as usual!
Comment by Carri — November 15, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
It never got hot enough this year for my pineapple sage to really bloom. I had a few blooms and was able to collect some seeds hopefully next summer will be a better year for them.
Comment by Robin — November 15, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
‘Grapes’ gomphrena is new to me, Pam. Thanks for going to such lengths to show it off! I never get tired of your ‘Senorita Rosalita’ cleome, and I can’t believe I haven’t tried some yet: it’s lavender-ish in color, right (not pink)? (You know how I like to stick with purple/blue/whites, generally.)
‘Senorita Rosalita’ is lilac-colored, I’d say. Proven Winners characterizes it as lavender-pink though. —Pam
Comment by Iris — November 15, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
Pam, Senorita Rosalita and Diamond Frost Euphorbia are both on my must-have list for next spring. Outstanding! It’s fun to have Bloom Day posts again, isn’t it?
Comment by Robin — November 15, 2009 @ 1:02 pm
LOVE the colour shading of your Agastache! I also love that bright Bulbine. All your blooms are beautiful; I envy your ability to garden year round. :)
Comment by Nancy Bond — November 15, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
Lots of pretties still blooming at your place this November Bloom Day. Have we talked about Knockout Roses and Pineapple Sage being the same reds? They go well together.
Comment by Nell Jean — November 15, 2009 @ 1:58 pm
I never get tired of seeing blooms! Waldo is a tiny little flower, isn’t he? Yes, it is the perfect illustration of how the tiniest bloom can be bigger than life, even in a garden full of blooms like yours. Thanks for joining in for bloom day once again!
Comment by Carol, May Dreams Gardens — November 15, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
My pineapple sage started blooming like crazy last week, too! Amazing color going on in your garden. I’ll have to try out some cleome next year. And I especially like your contrasting combos like the ‘Black Heart’ and ‘Diamond Frost’ or purple heart and ginger.
Comment by Amy F — November 15, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
Lovely post, my pineapple sage has geared back up alos after a haircut about a month ago. Love that purple heart!
Comment by Susie — November 15, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
Wow Pam, you still have a great showing. Happy GBBD. H.
Comment by Helen Yoest @ Garden With Confidence — November 15, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
Fabulous! I never tire of the cleome either. All your plants are simply gorgeous. Hard to believe it after such a hot summer, and all of yours are babies. Obviously they are pleased!
Comment by Linda Lehmusvirta — November 15, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
A beautiful bloom in your corner of Austin. Wish I were there. I thought of you a lot this week and wished I could hop a plane to talk gardening with one of my first blogging friends.~~Dee
I’d love it if you did, Dee. You are welcome anytime! —Pam
Comment by Dee/reddirtramblings — November 15, 2009 @ 4:31 pm
Love the “Where’s Waldo” collection, esp. because we got to see your Agave desmettiana and the ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia with the ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave…not that I am anti-flower or anything!
Comment by Loree — November 15, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
Happy bloom day! Love the sage, but also the variety of things you have in your garden.
I finally got all my bulbs in this weekend, so didn’t have time for a bloom day post. Maybe in December…
Comment by Town Mouse — November 15, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
fantastic photography Pam !
Comment by Michelle D. — November 15, 2009 @ 5:29 pm
Love the photo of the Turks Cap – yours is the only other ‘Turks Cap’ I’ve seen in this month’s GBBD posts besides mine – plus, yours is a variety I haven’t heard of – so darn cute! Thanks for the beautiful garden tour on this lovely Fall day….
Comment by rebecca sweet — November 15, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
You just keep on posting about the Cleome — I’m adopting one next Spring! Love your Pineapple Sage – it’s so vibrant – just my kind of color. I am loving my Diamond Frost Euphorbia – I only hope it looks as good as yours as it grows. So – do you bring in the Manfredas or cover them since it’s going to be 39 this week?
I’ve never covered the ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave, Diana, though of course it hasn’t gotten very cold the past couple of winters. It is considered cold-hardy for zone 8a according to Yucca Do, which first propagated it. You might be more in danger of losing the ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia if it gets very cold. —Pam
Comment by Diana — November 15, 2009 @ 6:45 pm
I do wish Agastaches would be happy in my garden. They sulk no matter where I plant them. I’m so glad yours are hanging in there and blooming for you!
Comment by Cindy, MCOK — November 15, 2009 @ 6:51 pm
Hi, Pam – You have a lot of pretty blooms. Your blog is a great reference for me to figure out the names of some of the plants that I have or want to get :) Does the foliage vary from green to purple for the purple heart? I have some that is very green. Pretty post…thanks, Pam.
Thanks, Amy. I think there are different cultivars of purple heart. In fact, I have some that is more green than purple too. —Pam
Comment by Amy Emerick — November 15, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
I really like all your agastaches and cupheas, but the bulbine is fantastic.
Comment by Les — November 15, 2009 @ 7:52 pm
Hi Pam.
Wow, that katydid!
I have never seen one of these, that is one really impressive bug. Did you manage to get more pictures of it? It looks like some futuristic cyber-bug.
Enjoyed seeing your bloomers (Ahem). I will be getting some of that ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia!
ESP.
Thanks, ESP. I only took the one photo of the katydid, but he did pose nicely for me. Look for the euphorbia next spring. It is considered an annual when it freezes, though it did survive the winter in my garden last year. —Pam
Comment by ESP — November 15, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
That ‘Grapes’ gomphrena is too cute. Hmm, that just gave me an idea for an area where I want something kind of airy like that. Your cleome is unbelievable. I hope you’re not too inundated by seedlings next year!
Proven Winners claims that this cleome is sterile, Jean. We shall see. —Pam
Comment by Jean — November 15, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
On a rather gloomy cold wet day in England My spirits are lifted by seeing your November blooms.
Thanks for popping by, Jenny. Have a nice trip, and hope to see you again soon when you return. —Pam
Comment by jenny — November 16, 2009 @ 6:34 am
Bulbine frutescens is a new one to me – gorgeous color and cool fuzzy stamens! All your pictures are nice. Austin must be beautiful in the fall.
It’s pretty nice in the fall, winter, and spring, Daricia. Summer is our challenging season, although there are many plants that shrug off our extreme heat and seasonal droughts. Thanks for visiting. —Pam
Comment by Daricia — November 16, 2009 @ 7:07 am
Great display. I love the pineapple sage and the Diamond Frost euphorbia is wonderful, isn’t it?
Comment by Phillip — November 16, 2009 @ 8:57 am
I’m not tired of seeing that Cleome, it’s a great color and the plant has a beautiful form. I really like your monochromatic grouping with the Diamond Frost Euphorbia. The limited palette makes for a dramatic vignette.
Comment by Mr. McGregor's Daughter — November 16, 2009 @ 10:37 am
If only the season were just a bit longer here, I could get that display from pineapple sage. I can almost smell that one. Your bat does seem to be waning although still very batlike.
Comment by Layanee — November 16, 2009 @ 11:47 am
I always enjoy your close-up shots, and this post is no exception. Everything looks just fabulous (as usual!).
Comment by Caroline — November 16, 2009 @ 9:40 pm
You have so many blooms now Pam. I too appreciate the hard work of the Diamond Frost. It doesn’t mind neglect and keeps on blooming.
Comment by Lisa at Greenbow — November 17, 2009 @ 5:01 am
I really love the close ups and then how you take us back out into the larger view… great shots! Lovely endless blooms and dramatic foliage. Carol
Comment by Carol — November 17, 2009 @ 8:54 am
The katydid looks like it’s wearing armor, prepared for battle in some fantasy film. He’s wearing a Darth Vader helmet!
I’m glad for Salvias and Cupheas now, too, and one of these days will succumb to the lure of Diamond Frost. It looks perfect in your garden, Pam.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Comment by Annie in Austin — November 17, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
You’ve got a lot blooming in Texas! I took notice of the “batface” — I had some of that growing in a hanging basket this summer — the hummingbirds loved it! — now it’s hanging in my basement –struggling along. Wonder if it will survive the winter there?
love seeing your beautiful photos!
Comment by Judy — November 19, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
I always enjoy your Austin garden so much, since it’s so different than we see here in the moist and cool Midwest. Although we’ve been enjoying quite the mild fall, and I still have lots of flowers to enjoy. I even have new buds and blooms waiting for me. It’s wonderful! I especially like that Bulbine frutescens, it’s really unique. And no, I never get tired of seeing your cleome! I’m the same way, because the stars of my garden get featured often. I know I enjoy seeing them at different stages of growth, different times of year, etc.
Comment by RobinL — November 22, 2009 @ 4:34 pm