Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: September 2013

Happy Bloom Day! Been a while since I've done any blogging...or much gardening. It's still basically summer here, but the drought-tolerant plants have continued to bloom through the heat. Here's a look at what's blooming this weekend in my garden, and be sure to visit May Dreams Garden to see what's blooming around the world.

Firebush has been a huge bee attractor
Gaura floating above the artemesia
Gregg's Mistflower

Front garden tumbling over the straight edges, as usual
Candy stripe cosmos (the only cosmos seeds that grew in the curb strip)
Mystery volunteer...might be my favorite volunteer ever

Globe mallow, blackfoot daisy and bronze fennel blooms

Globe mallow and blackfoot are curb strip champions! (Sadly, so is the spurge in the bottom right...trying to get a handle on it)

Backyard: Thryallis, bronze fennel, zinnias, fireworks gomphrena and lemongrass

Fireworks gomphrena

Bluebeard has started blooming again (anticipating fall, perhaps?)

Orange shrimp plant shaded by the unstoppable angel's trumpet

Kidneywood with a trumpet vine background

Black and yellow garden spider (apparently the zigzag is made by the female when a male is nearby)

Foliage Follow-up: June 2013

So, it's Foliage Follow-up Day over at Digging! The more I garden, the more I choose plants based on foliage rather than bloom. There's just something so fun about playing with textures and a more subtle palette, and right now the blonde Mexican feathergrass tangles and pale green velvet-soft leaves of the indian mallow are two of my favorites. But let's kick it off with Tropicana canna.
From the top: canna; artemesia; Mexican feathergrass; indian mallow; Gold Dust abutilon; mint and lemongrass; Greg's Mist, artemesia, firebush, Blackie sweet potato; basil; iris w/feathergrass and standing cypress; potted agave.

When I pruned up with Crepe Myrtle the other day, I was surprised to find I had almost missed the bark shedding, which I think is really beautiful. The morning sun bed last week: And this morning, sans angel's trumpet: Sad to lose the blooms and full foliage, but the angel's trumpet was taking over (pulled up over 100 seedlings this year and still have a raised spot on my palm where I got stabbed through gloves with a seedpod two weeks ago). And hopefully the lemongrass and mint will fill in quickly.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: June 2013

It's time again to share what's blooming in your garden at May Dreams Garden. This month in my yard, the predominant colors are purple, orange and white. Pruned up the crepe myrtle and chopped the past-prime artichoke off at the base Thursday.

Indian mallow (cosmos and standing cypress beneath) Trumpet vine is a beast, a beautiful beast that lends a lushness to the backyard. It also threatens to shade out the other plants. I could easily prune an armload of this vine a week right now. I finally have fireworks gomphrena! Lemongrass and mint in the background. Orange cosmos are popping up everywhere, but I love them next to the bronze fennel. Garden muse Lena lurking behind. Late larkspur coming up at random. Milkweed Curb strip dependables: blackfoot daisy and globe mallow Mexican petunia volunteers (tropicana canna foliage in the middle) Cigar plant Beach vitex White Rose of Sharon in my neighbor's yard provides a starry sky effect every morning and evening. I inherited this bouquet on my sister's way out of town...so nice. Hope everyone has a lovely, bloom-filled weekend!

This Week in the Garden

The front walk is looking very blonde these days with all the Mexican feathergrass and pale yellow firecracker fern. My cat, on the other hand, is not looking blonde at all End of the artichoke days I read here that you can cut the plant back to the ground in June and it will put out new stalks in the fall. So cool, especially as I was thinking of it as an annual! I've put some burgundy okra seeds at the base of the plant, and hopefully they'll fill in the spot while it's dormant. On the more vibrant side, golden thryallis and coral bean are kicking into gear against the front of the house. Cigar plant is looking its best along the side of the house. And while the copper canyon behind it has finished blooming, the foliage makes a lovely backdrop. Trimmed up the possumhaw this week. And while I was at it, I noticed some nice, soft (sedge?) grass clumps along the drip irrigation line (hoping they'll multiply). Still brainstorming landscape ideas for this side yard. Only one more fennel bulb left (last one harvested was sauteed with butter and white wine and mussels), and that one's just for seed. The neighboring plants are appreciating the space the fennel harvesting freed up. The other plants on Friday: red okra, a couple of basils, shallots, japanese eggplant...and a Cherokee purple tomato, with two full-size green tomatoes on it. You can see one resting on the stone border. Protected by bird netting. Which does absolutely nothing to stop a determined squirrel. I've learned my lesson: only cherry tomatoes from now on. Next to the veggie bed in the decomposed granite is a volunteer watermelon...guess that's the silver lining in having raccoons or squirrels break into a couple last summer. Volunteer angel's trumpet has taken over this bed, and I'm slowly cutting it back...which is hard because the blooms are gorgeous. Gotta give the lemongrass, mint and shrimp plant I planted last fall a chance, though. The same bed from the other direction: loving the bronze fennel, but I wish I had planted it behind the shorter Blue Beard Caryopteris right behind it...again, I was thinking it was an annual. Surprise! Some non-orange cosmos came up from seed I threw out last year. Another surprise! Some daylilies survived the renovation on the garage apartment two summers ago. So much happening in the garden these days before full summer...enjoying everything but the mosquitos.