Angel's trumpets

For all the subtle coloration on the buds yesterday, these datura blooms are white. They opened up last night as soon as it was dark and had a lovely plumeria-like fragrance (floral but clean & not too sweet); very fleeting though.

Buds and bugs

So, I bought 3 angel's trumpet plants (4"pots) a few years ago at the Ladybird Center plants sale...and did nothing with them, except move them to slightly larger plastic pots every year. Only one made it through this last winter, and FINALLY it looks like I'll get blooms from it. I had no idea the buds were so tall (they grow inches in a day, and are almost 10 inches at the moment). Also, I assumed they'd be white, but these seem yellow with a dusty mauve. Very exciting!


On the less glamorous side, 4 queen butterflies stripped the milkweed I planted in July and are furiously searching for more milkweed-y goodness. Sorry guys! I'll have to plant some more this fall. I'm hoping they got enough to get to cocoon stage.

And these horrible cactus bugs showed up on my prickly pear not too long ago. I guess they're pretty common, but I can't say I'm a fan. (The up-close shot was pretty fearsome, so I settled for a bit further back)

Hot color in the garden

Yep, it's summer...hot, hot summer. And the flowers in the back right now are, appropriately, blooming in flame colors. Mexican sunflowers (top) have the most gorgeous, velvety petals, and this is the first one to bloom. Below that: Turk's cap, firespike (started blooming this week), and golden cosmos.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: August 2010

So, summer's in full swing, and even the prolific bloomers, like flame acanthus are not very photogenic right now. It's just too hot (up around a hundred everyday) to look pretty. But the obedient plant on the north side of the house (just a couple of hours of morning sun) started blooming this week and is a refreshing spot of color.




Close-up of obedient plant; golden cosmos with tiny pink butterfly; the chives in the front just sent up buds this week; and this caterpillar on the milkweed is new...maybe a Queen caterpillar of the monarch family.

Also blooming right now: turk's cap, chaste tree, russian sage, flame acanthus, indigo spires sage, mexican petunia, standing cypress, firebush, and thryallis. And to see what's blooming around the world today, visit May Dreams.