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| These altheas are both 20 year old passalong plants from my Dad. |
Despite (and maybe because of) all the hot and dry last year, everything seems determined to put on a great early show this year while occasional rains are still part of the program.
I always meant to participate in garden bloggers bloom day but never seem to get organized in time. It has taken me over a year but by George! I think I finally got it! Now, in no particular order, here are some of the showier blooms making it a pleasure to be out and about here in Zone 8B, the Balcones Canyonlands ecosystem, where despite welcomed recent rains we still need a full two inches to climb out of the drought hole we find ourselves dug into.
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| We have three, but this particular potted hibiscus is always the first to bloom. |
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| Purple coneflowers never fail to stop me in my tracks. |
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| Grandpa Ott Morning Glory Vine |
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| Cannas are reliable, rain or shine. |
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| Longhead Prairie Coneflowers, aka Mexican Hat |
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| Gaillardia pulchella - Indian Blanket |
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| Pink four-o-clocks dance in the shade |
And lest you think it is only all about the flowers around here?
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| Taken on Mother's Day, this female Cardinal enjoys the local breakfast buffet. |
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| Ripening strawberries require extra protection from marauders. |
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| 'Maters! (!!!) |
There are a smattering of other plants blooming, but in the interest of having the page load before the next month's bloom photos were due, I decided to list the rest: Lantana of every sort soldier on with their bouquet style blooms. Shasta daisies are on their last legs. Golden tick coreopsis are just kicking into gear. Over wintered purple verbena are dancing in every bed, while the only reminder of bluebonnets are their seed pods casually tossed where I hope to have new plants next season.
Thanks to Carol, of
May Dreams Gardens for getting this all started. And thanks to all the gardeners who post their blooms, month in and month out, to make GBBD a most fabulous way to see what is happening in every zone imaginable.
4 comments:
Your altheas are wonderful - and how nice that they are passalongs from your Dad. What a treasure. I, too, love coneflowers - but I think I must have weeded all mine out! :( And your tomato is just as exciting as a bloom! Happy GBBD!
Plants received as gifts are always special to me as well. Love your hibiscus too. Happy GBBD.
HolleyGarden: Thanks for dropping in. I am facing taking out an entire bank of coreopsis that is currently blooming in a spot where a path is being carved out. I am determined to at least wait until they finish flowering because I'm not certain I can transplant them without just killing them outright. (and I agree- getting any tomatoes after the awfulness that was last summer is a BIG BONUS!).
Missy: Thank you! It is good to have you here. I appreciate you taking time to comment.
I wish I could take any credit for the hibiscus but The Hub takes care of all our potted tropicals year to year. He is much more patient with their needs than I am or ever will be!
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