The extended rains last week did Central Texas much good. While we are still in a major drought, the rains brought much needed relief to the scorched earth and cooler temperatures for wonderfully pleasant days.
And the plants responded right away — greenness abounds, and among the green are the most vibrant blooms of all colors. I think fall just might be my new favorite season. I forgot how beautiful it is. Although technically, I guess it’s still summer! Here are just a few of what’s blooming in my yard today, for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day.
Amazingly, of my three surviving Endurance Sunflowers, I still have three, and all are blooming. Although I’ve loved sunflowers all my life, this is my first time growing them, and I finally understand why bees love them so. Even my young sunflowers are really putting out the pollen, and they are only going to grow bigger and bigger. I’m thrilled! My sunflowers have a few specks of dirt on them — because they are still babies and low to the ground, they got splashed during the rain.
I’m finally starting to see color combinations in the yard again. In the main butterfly garden, the Gregg’s Mistflower is starting to bloom once more, with Blackfoot Daisy and Zexmenia nearby. The butterflies are already fluttering about again. I missed them when all my plants gave up their blooms in the heat.
The Pigeonberry plants are blooming like crazy. They berry, too, but the birds pick them off so fast.
Here, I found a berry.
Speaking of berrying plants — I was woken up in the middle of the night with one of the dogs trying to break through the window screen to get to something outside. While I hope it wasn’t a prowler, I did get up to discover my American Beautyberry plants were missing berry clusters. I went outside to see if I could see anything — seriously hoping at that point that it wasn’t a prowler! No creature found. Bolted. Who wouldn’t when that massive husky is trying to lunge for them though a mere window screen? Thank goodness it held tight.
This Red Yucca’s is technically on my neighbor’s property, but it’s right where our yards meet, and I think I’m the only one who pays attention to it. But oh I could photograph those blooms all day. Love, love, love. Someday mine will bloom!
The Salvias are blooming like mad. They are such an interesting flowering perennial — it can be challenging to photograph them, as they tend to look straggly even when they really aren’t, but they look wonderful backdropped by other blooming yellows, blues, or even just trees.
Though most of my Turk’s Caps are the traditional red, I do have a pink bloomer in the front. It’s quite special. Makes me feel like a little girl, loving that pink.
I have a new plant in the yard — actually all over the yard, as I placed them in many spots. It’s the native Texas Poinsettia, also known as Wild Poinsettia, or Fire on the Mountain (Euphorbia cyathophora). These were given to several class members of the Habitat Steward Training I’m in — we got to pull them directly from the gorgeous wildlife garden of Cathy Nordstrom. Thank you, Cathy! The reddish-orange you see is part of the leaves, just like the red of the Christmas pointsettias. I think it’s amazing. It’s a spreader, so at some point I’ll probably be giving some away. It’s so easy to pull and replant, too. I planted them all over because I have so much land to fill.
And I have a surprise bloomer — blooms on my newest Key Lime tree? Of course, they are all at the level where the husky lifts his leg. I don’t even want to think about why the tree is blooming only there. Nor do I want to think about what I’ll do if limes actually show up and get peed on.
Speaking of the husky… Camouflage FAIL, Loki.
And stop laying on my Lindheimer Muhly! And get out of the butterfly garden! And stop peeing on my plants!
Wow, I’m the first to comment! What a treat. I have to say that the picture of your Red Yucca is truly amazing! What clarity! I’m jealous of your camera. I also loved the pink Turk’s Cap! What a beauty. I have lots of the same type of salvias in my garden and I’m in love with them! Here they are annuals. Sniff. I wish I could keep them all year long because I love how they blend with other blooms and provide a beautiful backdrop. I love the wild poinsettia, too! Your dog is beautiful. Our son has one just like yours and she is an amazing pup! Have a great evening.
You were so fast, Miss Daisy — I just barely posted, and here you are replying! Thank you, as always, for your kind words. Hey– I’m making progress on the mosaic. If all goes well, I’ll have pictures soon!
Your red yucca picture is so striking. How cool that you got a passalong native poinsettia from Cathy Nordstrom’s garden. I just saw one growing in a sotol at the Wildflower Center.
That pink turk’s cap is totally cool! I’m a Husky lover, so I LOVE the last photo, even if he is squishing your Lindheimer Muhly (sorry.)
Pam, I had never seen or heard of the plant until I was visiting Cathy’s garden. She was so wonderful to share, although honestly she was just thrilled we were taking them — they were running rampant through her beautiful yard. She got some free weeding out of it! 🙂
Amazing pictures, Meredith. I know what it means when you say that you are starting to see the color combination. It is such a joy!
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those are some beautiful blooms – it’s hard to believe they were taken here in austin, when days before we hadn’t seen any rain for weeks!
great site – and resource – you’ve got here. i’ll be checking back!
Joseph, thank you for visiting — you are welcome anytime. I will be checking back to see how your garden grows, too. It will be fun to watch our zucchini progress, too, though mine are in serious danger of getting trampled by that pesky husky of mine, especially when there are workers in my neighbor’s backyard.
Thanks for checking out my blog. You’ve got some great blooms yourself. That’s a very handsome dog too.
Thanks, Randy. Our dog is indeed handsome, but he’s also a handful!
Great post from the cute little bird at the top, to the beautiful dog at the end.
The pink turk’s cap is pretty. And, I think deer don’t eat turk’s cap…much. We’re getting a fence soon, so maybe I’ll be able to have plants that aren’t ‘trimmed’ on a too-regular schedule.
Oh…your dog is so good looking. The photo is just perfect. The one lone red berry photo, luv it. I don’t suppose one could grow the lovely Red Yucca here in Zone 4. My first visit here. It’s fun to see gardens far from my own.
Donna, thank you for visiting today! Please come back anytime! I honestly don’t know the range of red yucca, but Zone 4 sounds like it might be too much for it. I enjoyed visiting your blog today, too — thank you for introducing me to it!
Meredith — Love that pink Turk’s Cap — I only have red ones. That single pigeon berry is a beautiful photo. I wonder if Loki was after the deer — my dogs act like they are going to crash through the window sometimes when they see deer, cats, squirrels, etc. out there! They are bound and determined to protect us, aren’t they? She’s beautiful, too, just like your blooms.
I figure it was either deer or possums, Diana. I didn’t mind the berries being gone, as that’s why I planted them. But my dog almost breaking through the window screen, that’s another story!
Ha! You’re funny! And your garden is spectacular. I love all the subtle plants and flowers. A very grown-up garden.
Hi Meredith,
I just started following your blog. LOVE it! Your garden is lovely, and Loki is one handsome guy. :o) I had a German Shepherd (who is in heaven now), so I can relate to your last line!
Thank you, Cheryl, and welcome. Yes, those dogs can be pesky garden companions. It sounds like your German Shepherd was a wonderful dog. They are such a beautiful breed. Probably a lot in personality like my naughty husky, haha.