Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day—February 2008
Is it spring in Austin? After spending all morning cutting back the perennials and really seeing—plus smelling and hearing—my garden, I say Yes! It’s spring. Join me for a quick look around this Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day.
How do I know it’s spring? Well, the spiderworts are opening. Our native spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis ) is one of our early spring flowers in a woodland or part-shade garden.
It smells like spring! As soon as I walked into the back garden, a sweet fragrance wafted my way, and I looked up to see the side fence covered in a mass of yellow trumpets.
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens ), a delightful sight and fragrance.
Not only does it look and smell like spring, but it sounds like spring! This mockingbird was singing to beat the band this morning, filling my open windows with birdsong long before I went outside. The mockingbird is Texas’s state bird, and he certainly looked happy to be here.
The first grape hyacinth opened yesterday, another classic sign of spring.
Hymenoxys (Tetraneuris scaposa ) isn’t really a sign of spring because it blooms most of the year, but it looks cheerful and it is in bloom.
Nearby, the Bulbine frutescens has put forth its first flower of spring.
Dwarf bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis ‘Little John’) is one of my few reds in bloom right now.
Purple trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis ) received a morning reprieve so that I could take a photo for Bloom Day. But I’ll cut it to the ground later today.
A sign of spring? Not really. This black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’), partly hidden under a protective spray of lantana, never died back this winter. Now it has three flowers.
The potted ‘Blue Elf’ aloe is starting to bloom, definitely a sign that winter is on its way out. The aloe likes to put on a brave show when it’s still pretty cool, risking a frost. While my back garden is protected from light freezes, if I hear that Austin will get a hard freeze, I have to cover it or risk losing it. But that’s hard to do when the bloom stalks are coming up. In that case, I push metal stakes into the pot’s soil, with the end of the stakes above the height of the bloom stalks, and then I throw a blanket over the whole thing.
Soon all these tubular, coral-orange flowers will open, delighting any early-returning hummingbirds.
The mockingbird was delighted just to be alive today, and so am I.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Wonderful happy flowers to see. There is that bulbine again, I just love it. The grass is always greener, wanting that flower we cannot grow when we can grow so many things. We have tons of the tradescantia, it seeds everywhere and it attractive nearly all year. The color enhances every other flower. Looking forward to seeing our mockingbirds out and about. Soon.
Frances at Faire Garden
Frances, I wonder if the nurseries in Tennessee don’t sell bulbine as an annual? It’s such a great, easy-care plant for summer. It would do wonderfully in a pot in a hot, sunny spot, with little water. —Pam
lovely flowers, I esp. like the carolina Jessimine, if I have the name right. I am so looking forward to spring!!!!
Muum, thanks for commenting. Carolina jessamine is a wonderful promise of spring. —Pam
It looks like spring has made itself at home in your Austin garden. I’ve never seen a spiderwort flower as stunning as yours!
It’s getting there, Robin. I know they’re common as dirt, but I just love these spiderwort flowers, especially as they’re one of my earliest flowers. —Pam
You absolutely must be in the warmest part of Austin, Pam – wow!
Annie
It sure seems that way in summer, Annie. —Pam
Those spiderwort flowers are curious. Are the feathery things stamens, and the yellow parts pistils?
Geez, I’ll have to confess my ignorance of botany, Chuck. Heck if I know. —Pam
The Blue-elf Aloe looks amazing in its pretty pot and wow, the dwarf bottlebrush is stunning. I am surprised at how you’ve got a Rudbeckia in bloom. The Carolina Jessamine is a welcome sight!
I’m surprised about the Rudbeckia too. I thought I’d have a purple coneflower by now, but the one in bud is still waiting. —Pam
This is so amazing to me, Pam…of course we’re so colourstarved here, I’d happily hug a dandelion right about now. Oh, wait. I love dandelions all the time! Well, anyway, this is a terrific post, and filled my eyes with colour while we’re in yet. another. frickin’. grey. day!
I’m glad this post brought a little color to your grey day, Jodi. Soon enough you’ll have flowers too. I look forward to seeing your garden in bloom, but I’ve also been enjoying your snow pics. We don’t see much of the white stuff around here, so it’s an exotic sight to me. —Pam
Beautiful flowers, wonderful fotos!
I also have bulbine frutescens in my garden both yellow and orange form, the yellow hasn’t stoped blooming since last summer.
Thanks for visiting, Gintoino. Your bulbine is going a lot stronger than mine, which stopped blooming after a hard freeze. It’s just now blooming again. What a great plant though, yes? —Pam
What a great day in your garden… flowers, birds, it sure does look like spring. A feast for winter weary eyes. Thanks for taking time from your gardening to post for bloom day!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens (Gray and overcast here, temperatures down to the low teens tonight. High tomorrow will be 38, so I’m thinking I might get a chance to get out into the garden for a few minutes).
Oh, I wouldn’t intentionally miss Bloom Day, Carol. But I was lucky to remember on this busy day! I hope you managed to get out in your garden to chase away the rabbits today. —Pam
I don’t doubt that your mockingbird is happy. I’d be plenty happy to be in your garden too, Pam! It’s so neat to see the many different Austin gardens and the varied beauties you all have to share. Even (orange) coneflowers in February. Happy Bloom Day!
Yes, those black-eyed Susans surprised me too, hiding as they were under the lantana. But I rooted them out in service of Bloom Day! —Pam
nice to see your grape hyacinth blooming– can almost smell it. I need to see if mine (looking scraggly) have even budded.
Here comes the rain!
The problem with hyacinth is that it’s so darn short you have to get down on hands and knees to smell its fragrance. I should be able to tell you how this one smelled, as I had to lie on my front walk to get this photo (what I won’t do for Bloom Day!), but I didn’t think to sniff before I got back up. Doh! —Pam
With all those lovely blooms I can see why you feel so good to be alive. It makes me feel alive and hopeful that spring
will be here soon too. I love that bottlebrush red. Wow
Spring is creeping northward as we type, type away, Lisa. I hope it arrives in your garden soon. —Pam
The flowers are beautiful (particularly the aloe–I love that) but here’s what really stopped me dead in my tracks and, I’m sure, tinged me a lovely shade of green: You had your windows open overnight??!! Ah, we’re still months away from that luxury here!
Yes, we’ve had some warm days (and nights) lately, Kim. Tonight, however, it’s cold again—in the low 40s—and my husband doesn’t enjoy sleeping as cool as I do, so the window is shut. But with an expected high of 68 tomorrow, that window will be open again soon. I suppose by the time you can leave your windows open, mine will be shut and the A/C will be running, sigh. —Pam
Wow I really thought I had commented on this post already. Such wonderful blooms! My grape hyacinths have yet to open but I might have planted them really late. I love that bottlebrush. Carolina Jessamine is one of my need to haves list for next year. It was my first encounter with them this year and oh they smell so wonderful full of bees buzzing around.
Priscilla, thanks for your comments. I’m quite sure that bottlebrush would do even better for you in San Antonio than here in Austin, since you get fewer freezes. —Pam
This black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’), partly hidden under a protective spray of lantana, never died back this winter.
Talk about kicking a man when he’s down. I can see the remains of mine barely sticking out of the snow. Every time I visit Texas looks better and better.
I imagine warm, ole Texas does look pretty good about now when you’re ready for winter to be over. The mild winters were a big draw for us too. That and an absolutely gorgeous spring. When summer rolls around, however, I’ll be envying you northerners your mild climates. —Pam
I think you guys are a bit ahead of us – things are definitely starting to happen here, but even though it is warming up today for sure, there still seems to be a lingering sense of cold (okay, cool…) air.
That Bulbine looks just beautiful.
My garden is not exactly dripping with flowers, Pam. Remember the power of the macro-focus. But I do feel that spring is here now—and I’m anxious about the fact that I haven’t gotten all my perennials cut back yet. —Pam
You certainly have the advantage over us here in the frozen north for this edition of Bloom Day Pam. The Spiderwort is such a wonderful color and I love that Carolina Jessamine vine.
An open window??!!! The thought boggles my fresh-air deprived mind!
Love seeing ALL your blooms!
Thank you, Kerri. Austin’s winters are an up-and-down roller coaster, generally, with warm, spring-like days alternating with cool, drizzy days. Today we had the latter, but tomorrow promises to be the former. So the windows will be thrown open again tomorrow morning! —Pam
What a wonderful variety of colors you have! Definitely looks like spring has hit Austin! If I were a mockingbird, I’d be singing in your garden too!
They were singing again this morning, Mary Beth. Thanks for visiting. —Pam
I woke this morning to 16 F but if it is spring there then it is on its’ way north and east! Your post went a long way toward rejuvenating the gardening spirit which seems as dormant as the garden right about now!
Can’t you just visualize spring creeping northward, with grass greening and buds opening? It’ll be there soon, Layanee! —Pam
Here in Tulsa, in my yard, the first plant that blooms is Carolina jessamine, and that will be in another month or so. It’s amazing to me that you have so many blooms in your yard in February!
When I look at a map of the US, it always surprises me how far south Austin is. Why, we’re practically in Mexico. No wonder spring comes early and summer hits hard, right? It’s nice to know that Tulsa gardeners can enjoy Carolina jessamine too. Thanks for commenting, Becky. —Pam
I’ve wanted a Carolina Jessamine for a few years, and now I have one too. It’s not a big specimen yet, but by next spring it should be a treat!
I hope it’ll bloom for you this year, Nancy. Enjoy that fragrance. —Pam
Not only are the individual photos beautiful, but your sequence of them is delightful! Envy, jealousy….sigh.
Glad you enjoyed it, MMD. But hang in there—it won’t be long before spring wakes up your garden too. —Pam
Just beautiful, Pam. Thank you.~~Dee
Cheers, Dee. —Pam
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Sean
You are very welcome. Thank you for visiting, Sean. —Pam
Goodness, you’ve got a lot of things in flower. You are obviously a bit farther into spring than we are. Carolina jessamine is only just beginning to flower. Gorgeous photos!
That’s surprising, Karen. I would have thought Savannah would be fragrant and blooming by now. It sounds like spring isn’t too far behind though. Enjoy that jessamine! —Pam