Hummers love betony
‘Belinda’s Dream’
I saw the hummingbird darting around the back garden again this evening, as I looked through the window during dinner. While I dined on roasted chicken, it was dining on Texas betony nectar. How could I not have remembered the betony when I speculated this morning as to what the hummer is living on? I even included a photo of the tubular red flowers in yesterday’s post.
Meanwhile, the garden is abloom with spring flowers. I know it isn’t Bloom Day yet, but here’s what’s catching my eye in the garden this week.
Gulf Coast penstemon flowers on tall, branching stems.
Last fall I transplanted three of these penstemons among the echinaceas under the vitex tree. The echinaceas in that partly-shady location aren’t blooming quite yet, which is good for the more delicately colored penstemons. I’d hoped that the yellow columbines nearby would bloom at the same time, but they aren’t flowering yet either. Oh well, the penstemons are lovely all by themselves.
There’s nothing delicate about the flowers on this small, native evergreen. Damianita’s yellow flowers have all the subtlety of a bucket of yellow paint splashed at the curb. I just love them. In full bloom right now, they look great paired with Mexican feathergrass between the curb and the sidewalk. Tough and beautiful.
Here are some more, backed by a passalong iris I call Shoshana’s iris. Behind them, yellow-flowering zexmenia is filling out and starting to bloom.
‘Carefree Beauty’ as seen from the sidewalk. Neighbors, joggers, and passing drivers have been admiring this flamboyant rose.
Silver ponyfoot, a quieter little plant with a cute name. It’s growing in my cattle-trough planter and starting to cascade over the edge.
Manfreda maculosa. This is a smaller manfreda than the one growing behind the silver ponyfoot in the cattle trough. I got it at Barton Springs Nursery ages ago; it’s been growing in that brown pot for probably 10 years. It has pushed up a bloom stalk, which you can sort of see in the center of the photo.
A parting glance at ‘Belinda’s Dream’
Wow! Those roses are beautiful. I like the feathergrass and Damianita combination, so pretty.
Thanks for stopping by, Robin. —Pam
Hummingbirds like betony? I have several Texas Betony plants, but none are viewable from a window, so if someone’s been sipping nectar, they did it unnoticed. Pam, the penstemon looks pretty cool – can they grow in normal soil, or do they need perfect drainage? I also like silver ponyfoot a lot.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie, while most penstemons are sun-lovers and need excellent drainage, Gulf Coast penstemon will take part shade and happily grow in clay soils like mine. I bet it would look great in your garden. —Pam
Love your colourful garden Pam! Hummingbirds, eh? I can only dream about them or see them at the zoo.
To my utmost surprise my roses are in bud which is very, very early for here. The weather is doing strange things again. You’re back to your normal weather programme in Austin? 🙂
Hummingbirds in zoos? Now that would require a finely wrought cage.
Yes, we’re back to our normal (variable) spring weather. It’s supposed to be 81 degrees (27 degrees C) today, dry, and sunny. Perfect! —Pam
I’m jealous that you already have hummingbirds. I’ve been keeping a lookout here but haven’t seen any. Maybe I need some of that betony! And Annie, I think that Gulf Coast penstemon will grow in just about any soil. It’s a tough plant, at least in my garden.
— Susan
Yes, everyone needs betony! 🙂 So the hummers are holding out on you? Maybe someone down the street has a hummingbird feeder that’s keeping them occupied with territorial battles. —Pam
I love that you are growing the “ponyfoot” in your cattle trough. 🙂 And I’m going to call it that from now on… a much nicer name than dichondra, which sounds like the latest and greatest heart drug.
I completely agree! We must preserve those cute common names whenever possible. —Pam
Pam, the hummingbirds and exotic butterflies are kept in very big greenhouses in zoos with lots of plants etc. so that we can enjoy them too.
We also have tropical butterfly “zoos,” but I’ve never seen one with hummingbirds. It makes perfect sense though. —Pam