Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day—August
Mexican oregano and white narrowleaf zinnia
Yesterday I spent 8 hours in the car, driving home from a visit to my mom’s, so I missed Bloom Day. The temperature in Tulsa soared over 100 every day, but Mom still had a number of plants blooming, including cleome, roses, crepe myrtle, and Rose of Sharon. When I got home, my own garden seemed kind of dry and August-spent by comparison.
As I took these photos at 7:30 this morning, it grew darker instead of lighter, thunder rolled, and then it began to rain. While huddling over my camera to protect it, I blurred some of the photos. It’s a bit of a rush job, I’m afraid. But I’m thrilled to have the rain. So, a day late and a few blooms short, here’s what’s hanging on this month, waiting, as I am, for cooler weather.
‘Carefree Beauty’ rose, reblooming after a hard pruning and natural fertilizing. Stuart, for you: I used rabbit compost around its roots and a seaweed-based foliar feed. The roses and the water lilies are the only plants I specifically fertilize, except for an occasional top-dressing of compost throughout the garden. OK, moving on.
White Turk’s cap
Majestic sage (Salvia guaranitica ) and bat-faced cuphea
Red Turk’s cap
Katie’s dwarf ruellia (aka Mexican petunia)
A pink dwarf ruellia
Pale pavonia
‘Marie Pavie’ rose
Guara and ‘Indigo Spires’ salvia peek through the trellis screen.
Old faithful—coral honeysuckle
Black-eyed Susan. Look at the difference in light between this photo, one of the first I took, and the last one.
It got dark fast, and the rain was coming down. This is the mystery pennisetum.
Also blooming out there in the rain are:
‘Duchess of Albany’ clematis
Pink pavonia
Flameleaf sumac
Purple coneflower
‘The Fairy’ & ‘Valentine’ roses
Blue mistflower
Star sedge (in the pond)
‘Helvola’ water lily (pond)
Flame acanthus
Cigar plant
Hymenoxys
I like the look of the last photo. Very mysterious.
Yes, in the dark it’s kind of ghostly. —Pam
It’s raining up here, too – very welcome after nearly 3 weeks of dry sunshine. Welcome back!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Thanks, Annie. It’s much cooler down here. Isn’t that strange? —Pam
Less than two weeks of summer temperatures and we’re all praising the rain. I was glad I didn’t have to water the front this morning which was on my list of things to do. I spent the time just watching the rain.
Your white turks cap is ghostly and odd. I wish my pale pavonia would decide to bloom this year.
We were spoiled. But my garden was definitely looking thirsty this morning, before the rain started. Yea for rain!
The white Turk’s cap isn’t as vigorous as the red, but I do love the odd white blossom shining the gloom of the wax myrtles. My new pavonia is blooming like there’s no tomorrow. I hope it will carry on next year. —Pam
I like the Mexican Petunias and the Majestic Sage. We just don’t seem to have a lot of blue flowers in our gardens right now. Happy to hear you are enjoying the rain, even here on the local news they reported that places like Austin could get as much as ten inches of rain out of whatever storm system has blown your way.
Thanks for participating in Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, Pam!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
I heard that prediction for as much as 10″ of rain too, Carol, but I’ll believe it when I see it. At the grocery this evening, someone told me that San Antonio, an hour and a half to our south, was hard hit. But so far my garden has only received an inch and a half. More would be welcome. —Pam
Gorgeous pictures despite the rushing, Pam. I really liked your ruellias – I’ve never seen them here before. Such dainty little flowers and great foliage.
Your pennisetum is wonderful too. Very mysterious. I’m hoping to get a few of these in my backyard this spring because they are just wonderful grasses.
Great to hear that someone else is claiming how they grew their blooms. Huge Kudos, Pam.
Thanks, Stuart. The ruellia is a super-tough perennial here in Austin. I once threw several clumps that were infested with Bermuda grass onto a pile of dirt behind my shed; several weeks later, with no rain and in the heat of summer, the discarded clumps were blooming. Naturally, I had to invite a plant like that back into the garden. It dies back in the winter but returns reliably in late spring, and it seeds out readily. A taller variety can be invasive, so I grow only the dwarf ruellia. —Pam
I’ve never seen the white turk’s cap. A friend gave me a piece of the red last year and it is blooming right now. I really like it.
The hummingbirds will like it too! —Pam
I enjoyed seeing your garden in this rather different quality of light! Kinda spooky and mysterious. Full of portent.
You should see it at Halloween. 😉 —Pam
I like the look of the Gaura with the Salvia – that is a great combination. The ‘Marie pavie’ rose is simple and beautiful – I wish I had Black-eyed Susans looking as yours do. The Pavonia is new to me.
The black-eyed Susans are a little past peak and will blacken soon. I do enjoy the cheerfulness of simple prairie flowers. The pale pavonia is new to me too, but I like it so far. —Pam
The red turk’s cap is gorgeous in that dark setting. I love the contrast.
Thanks, Marie. I like red in the shade too. —Pam
When I was there last week, it sure looked like you could use some rain. The temp. wasn’t too bad — until I had to go to Denton (don’t ask). It’s a miracle I’m still alive.
I’m glad the temps in Austin weren’t too bad while you were here. It seems that it was cooler here than farther north. —Pam
Pam, I admire your Mexican petunias set against the cobalt blue pots. I also admire your restraint in not putting anything in the cobalt blue containers – I’m sure I would, and ruin the effect!
Hmm, Austin to Tulsa, from hot to hot! Welcome back.
Hi, Lost Roses. The reason the blue pots are empty is because I find it too much work to keep potted plants alive through our hot summers. So I either plant up a pot with a cactus or leave it empty—no watering required! —Pam
Beautiful photo’s and so many beautiful flowers in your garden!
Just found your blog…enjoyed my visit! The white turks cap is as interesting looking as it’s name!
Welcome to Digging, Catherine, and thanks for your comments. I just popped by your blog and enjoyed your beautiful photos as well. I love all those blues too. —Pam