Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day—April
This Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, it’s all about the roses. Naturally, all but one (‘Carefree Beauty’) refused to bloom for the Spring Fling on the 5th, but they’re rockin’ now.
‘Belinda’s Dream,’ my favorite, looks dreamy in the morning light.
It leans over the garden fence out front, and passersby often stop to bury their noses in the pink petals.
The purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea ) are up in force, attracting a variety of bees and butterflies.
They mingle with the airy spires of Gulf Coast penstemon (Penstemon tenuis ) under the new crepe myrtle.
Passion flower (Passiflora )
Pigeonberry (Rivina humilis ) hugs the ground but sends up dainty pink spires.
Zexmenia (Wedelia texana ), my all-purpose filler plant. I swear it could grow on soil contaminated by toxic waste. Austinites, do you have one of those spots in your yard, shade or sun, where nothing will grow? Try zexmenia.
More coneflowers! The black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’) are just starting to bloom.
Austin’s batty mascot plant, bat-face cuphea (Cuphea llavea ).
‘Duchess of Albany’ clematis
Passalong purple iris from my mom’s garden
Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata ), a native Texas wildflower
Another native plant, Texas betony (Stachys coccinea ) does best in part sun.
‘Valentine’ rose revs up the color in the back garden.
Purple pickly pear (Opuntia macrocentra) is in full bloom.
Nearby, ‘Carefree Beauty’ rose continues to blaze away in hot pink.
Engelmann’s daisy, or cutleaf daisy (Engelmannia peristenia ), has lovely flowers, but it’s gotten floppy. I had to cut back some of the coarse flower stalks yesterday so I could use the path.
Hymenoxys (Tetraneuris scaposa ), a nearly everblooming little native.
Our state flower, the Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis ), still making a good showing
As are the oddball maroon bluebonnets
Yellow columbine (Aquilegia )
‘Tangerine Beauty’ crossvine (Bignonia capreolata ) still blooms, but its glory days are over until next spring.
A few ruffly, screaming orange flowers adorn the pomegranate (Punica granata ‘Wonderful’), which now resides in the back garden near the Green Hall shed.
Native spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis ) still blooms, but its glory days are over too.
‘Radrazz’ Knockout rose is my newest one.
‘Hot Lips’ salvia (Salvia microphylla ) blooms in one of the stock-tank planters.
Shoshana’s iris is one of my latest blooming irises. I don’t know its real name, so I’ve named it after the daughter of the friend who gave it to me. Shoshana died unexpectedly on a school trip to Chicago, and is buried in the cemetery across the street from my neighborhood. I think of her often but especially when this lovely iris blooms.
Anacacho orchid tree (Bauhinia congesta ) is still attracting bees by the dozens with its lovely white flowers.
I usually plant a white narrowleaf zinnia in this spot, but this year I’m using the lookalike native Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum ) instead.
Mexican snapdragon vine (Maurandya antirrhiniflora ) has regained the top of the birdhouse post and opened its first flowers.
Purple oxalis (Oxalis triangularis ), a lovely “evergreen” plant whose flowers open with the sun and close in the afternoon.
The white-flowering oxalis blooms under the white ‘Marie Pavie’ rose. These oxalis are not invasive here in central Texas but form small, well-behaved clumps and bloom prolifically.
Lovely ‘Marie Pavie’ roses scent the patio garden.
A passalong iris from my friend Nadene. Update: ID’d as ‘William A. Setchell’ by Therese in the comments.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides ) can’t be beat for fragrance. Its sweet scent outcompetes ‘Marie Pavie’ and wafts in through the open windows.
‘Indigo Spires’ salvia will have to stand in for my other salvias (Salvia greggii , Salvia guaranitica , Salvia farinacea , and Salvia leucantha ), which I neglected to get photos of.
I hope your day is filled with flowers—if not in the garden, then on the computer! Visit May Dreams Gardens for links to Bloom Day posts from gardens all over the world.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Wow! I have never even heard of half of these flowers. Texas must grow much different flowers than here in Tennessee?
I grow a lot of native Texas plants, Tina, which could account for the flowers you don’t recognize. Also, Austin is Zone 8b, and we have alkaline soil so we can’t easily grow typical Southern flowering plants like azaleas, forsythia, hydrangeas, and dogwood. Garden bloggers from east, southeast, and even north Texas will have those plants, but central Texans do better to use drought-tolerant tough guys that prefer alkaline or neutral soil. Thanks for commenting! —Pam
Wow – your indigo spires is up much earlier than mine. I love the Duchess of Albany clematis and your prickly pear. You have lots of beautiful white blooms in the garden right now. I didn’t notice that when I was there. The prickly pear bloom is so pretty with its yellow and orange bloom. And, as always, great photos.
Thanks, Diana. So much wasn’t blooming on the day of the Spring Fling, dang it. It seems my garden needed one more week to really burst into bloom. —Pam
Pam, that opening shot is one I’d be willing to hang on my wall above my computer just so I could stare at it all day long. Just breath taking!
Why, thanks, Melanie! —Pam
Gosh what an array out in flower already. Your garden is about 2 months ahead of me here in the W Midlands in the UK. Being new to garden blogging I haven’t heard of Bloom day is it something you do every month?
Welcome to the garden-blogging community, Helen. Yes, if you’ll click on the link I provided to Bloom Day, you’ll find founder Carol’s post, with links to all the other Bloom Day participants. Read her post; she explains the rules. I hope to see your Bloom Day post one of these days. —Pam
Just yummy. I hope to have my post up tonight. I’m a little behind. I was just telling a visitor to the garden that she should grow ‘Carefree Beauty’ and ‘Belinda’s Dream.’ What great roses they are. On Sat., I’m going to a nursery where I’m going to find passionflower. It needs to live here. Thanks, Pam.~~Dee
It’s nice to know that you enjoy those pink roses too. I can’t stop singing the praises of ‘Belinda’s Dream,’ especially. I hope you find that passionflower, Dee. —Pam
Pam you have a wealth of flowers in bloom this month. But by far the one that grabs me is the little bat face cuphea. I have never before seen a photo that captures the face of the sweet little bat so perfectly. That could be used as on the poster for the bat watching under the bridge. Wonderful.
Thanks, Frances. I’ve tried to photograph that cuphea many times, and this is definitely my best image. A sweet face though? I think it looks a little scary! 🙂 —Pam
Your photographs are stunning, as always, Pam! It’s not only people from other states who must comment how far ahead you are – how about people from other parts of Austin? My coneflowers, Texas betony and large salvias are nowhere near blooming. Your ‘Belinda’ looks wonderful!
In your photo of ‘Hot Lips’ the color pattern looks so different from that on my plants. This makes me wonder how much effect temperature has – sure hope my ‘Hot Lips’ are the real thing.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
It often surprises me too how varied the climate can be within Austin’s city limits. For instance, two nights ago it froze (30 degrees F) at the airport but only dropped down to 41, I think, at Camp Mabry. My garden seems to reside in the warmest part of Austin, and of course the front garden, where many of my salvias are planted, faces due west with little shade. That makes a big difference in bloom time. —Pam
Pam, Love all the flowers blooming! I tell ya, I’ve planted zexmenia and CANNOT get it to grow. I’d heard it was pretty indestructible…any thoughts?
That’s a first for me, Lee! The only thing I can think of that it wouldn’t like is soggy soil. Have you tried a different location? —Pam
I had to laugh when I saw your bat-faced cuphaea – usually it takes quite an imagination to figure out a common name, but that was crystal clear! Your garden is just going gangbusters – how gorgeous!
That bat-face cuphea is appropriately named, but it’s hard to get a clear photo of the tiny, narrow blooms. This is the first one I’ve taken that clearly looks like a bat on-screen. Glad you enjoyed it, MMD. —Pam
Your photos are a feast for the eyes. Your climate is so different from soggy Portland OR that my visits to your site are voyeuristic in nature, but satisfying in the extreme.
Austin’s climate is practically at the polar extreme from Portland’s, which is kind of interesting since the two cities are very similar in their liberal outlook, environmentalism, and enjoyment of natural beauty. Whenever I see a Pacific NW garden in a magazine, I daydream about what it must be like to live in such a garden-friendly climate—moderate temperatures and plenty of rain. —Pam
I LOVE jasmine! I’ve always wanted to grow them, but it’s too cold for them here. Would you breathe some of it’s sweet fragrance in for me? MMMM!
I read that star jasmine is not a true jasmine, but the common name “honors the wonderful jasmine-like perfume produced by this vine.” It does smell wonderful, and I will happily take a big whiff for you. —Pam
So many really lovely flowers…and so tempting to want them seeing that they grow in alkaline soil! Do you have a lot of humidity? Your roses are beautiful as well…and the iris… and I love the bat faced cuphea!
Yes, we have Humidity with a capital “H” in summer, when prevailing winds blow from the Gulf of Mexico. But it’s been dry lately thanks to cool fronts from the north. Thanks for commenting, Leslie. —Pam
It’s really amazing how far ahead of us you Austinites are. Echinaceas! Rudbeckias! Roses…we’re a long way from these things, and it fascinates me to see how you deal with your climate and soil conditions. Naturally, I love it that you plant so many native wildflowers too. I loved this post, and if I had to pick a favourite-it would be your oddball scarlet bluebonnets. I love oddballs.
I’m growing fonder of those red bluebonnets, but they’ll never replace the true blues in my heart. Roses in Austin tend to bloom best in spring and fall, resting during the heat of the summer. It seems normal to me, but I’ve heard other northern gardeners say that the seasons seem compressed in an Austin spring garden. —Pam
Pam, Your garden is an inspiration to all of us, no matter where we garden. Having seen it in person, I can appreciate even more all of the blooms you have today. What a beautiful place you have created for yourself and your family.
Thank you, Carol. I really wanted these roses to bloom for you guys, but it was not to be. Still, my garden was in full flower that weekend just by being full of wonderful garden-blogging friends. —Pam
What a grand show. It’s so inspiring to me right now while I’m building new gardens. If I think how far I have go it’s to overwhelming. I would rather see it step by step. Your roses look like they really rewarded you this year with quite a show. Thank you.
You are wise to take it step by step. That’s how I made my garden too, though I had a plan for the front garden to steer by. The process is just as fun as the result anyway, so either way you’re set! —Pam
Lovely pictures! My garden is bursting with blooms and fragrance as well. I’m having a hard time deciding which pictures to post!
I’m curious– why blackfoot daisies this year instead of the zinnias?
Because I couldn’t find the zinnias in time to fill the bare spot by the Spring Fling. 🙂 —Pam
What a wonderful array of blooms you have Pam. I just love seeing the roses. They are a love of mine but I can’t
seem to grow them. They have too many issues for me to deal with since I don’t like to use chemicals. Blackspot
seems to have originated in my garden. I do think it is too damp here. Roses get all icky here. I love to look
at them. I do have two that hang on. One is a climber, it is red and the other is a pink carpet rose. So I guess
I will just be happy looking at roses in other gardens such as yours. I love all the salvias you have too.
Thanks, Lisa. I love the roses tremendously considering that I didn’t start growing any until fairly recently. I’d always thought they’d be too picky and thirsty for a drought-tolerant Austin garden. Once I discovered the antique roses, I never looked back. Have you tried any of those, Lisa? —Pam
I believe the passalong iris from your friend Nadine is ‘William A. Setchell’, an unlovely name for a lovely flower. They are very prolific in my garden! http://www.argyleacres.com/gallery/view_detail.asp?iris_id=382
I think you are right, Therese. Thanks for the info and the link! —Pam
I’m going to have to run out tomorrow and see if the zexmenia you gave me is blooming yet. It could be hidden under all the larkspur. I noticed when I stopped by your house last week that your roses ‘Carefree Beauty’ and ‘Belinda’s Dream’ were all abloom–and I thought the very same thing. Where were you guys for Spring Fling. Pam was counting on you. But they looked lovely last week.
I see you have winecups, too. I must be the only person in Austin who can’t grow them. And somewhere I’m going to have to find room for a Anacacho orchid tree–I just love yours.
I’m trying winecups for the first time. They are growing well but only blooming a little. I suspect that my soil is too rich for them. Perhaps your garden has too much shade for them, MSS? —Pam
Your garden is a real credit to you Pam. The little bat-faced cuphea is so cute! Tiny bats with red wings….what an amusing flower, and just perfect for Austin 🙂
I can’t even imagine a rose bush with so many blooms! I’d be sticking my nose in it too.
I love that Dutchess of Albany Clematis. I was surprised to read about the different (correct) pronounciation of clematis too, just recently. I’m not sure I could get used to saying it like that….with the emphasis on the first syllable, right?
Wonderful blooms! Happy Bloom Day!
Thanks, Kerri, and the same to you. I’m glad you enjoyed the bat-face cuphea—but I think of the red parts as its ears rather than its wings. In any event, it’s a fun little plant, especially for kids. —Pam
The roses look beautiful. And I can’t wait until My Belinda’s Dream looks like yours. Right now it is just sticks!
Mine was sticks too in mid-February. I bet yours will green up and bloom soon. —Pam
Pam, I’m doing my gallop through again because I wanted to give you congrats on your Mousie nominations too. I flew through a little too fast earlier today, got excited over these photos, and plumb fergot. Digging is one of my favourite blogs, as I’m sure I’ve told you before…and your photography is stunning, always.
Thanks, Jodi, and right back at ‘cha. Congrats on all your Mousie nods. —Pam
I’d grow zexmenia just because it’s fun to say! It sounds a bit like a cartoon superheroine. 🙂
Lots of beauty all around your garden as usual, Pam… as you said, I’m enjoying lots of blooms on the computer this month, so I appreciate your contribution to that.
Zexmenia saves the day! Grows where everything else died! I like that, Kim. Now I’ll picture her with a little yellow cape. —Pam
We have the star jasmine and the yellow columbine in common I see. My roses are not in flower yet, although the first buds have appeared. Love your Irises, such wonderful colours! You’ve got quite a few blooms to show for GBBD Pam, lovely!
This is a good month for flowers in an Austin garden. And I know every month is a good month in the Netherlands, YE—or at least in your garden. 😉 —Pam
Pam, you’ve got such gorgeous blooms and you’ve photographed them beautifully. I’m off to work now and this was such a nice way to start my day!
Thank you, Kylee! I’m happy to have started your morning off with a virtual bouquet. —Pam
Wow Pam! Spring in Austin is definitely like summer in New England. That first shot is a beauty! I have written down ‘Duchess of Albany’ clematis for that never ending list of must haves! Doesn’t it make you smile when you see all the bloom day posts? What could be better than flowers in the morning, flowers in the evening….
How lucky you are to have an entire summer like Austin’s spring. That’s got to make up for a lot of winter. —Pam
There you go, teasing me with that birdhouse again! I love seeing it in the pictures with your roses.
That bat face flower is amazing.
Congratulations on your Mousie nominations!
Thank you, Robin! Regarding that birdhouse, it’s starting to show the effects of sun and rain. It’s in that charmingly rustic state right now, with a few shingles missing and a little flaking. But I fear that it may begin to fall apart in a couple more years. The sun is brutal on wooden things down here. —Pam
“Spring in Austin is definitely like summer in New England.” I have to agree with Layanee. It seemed a perfectly normal upstate NY day in late June or early July while I was at Spring Fling. I had to keep reminding myself it was early April. I wish I could smell those roses. Beautiful! Congrats on your nominations.
That is such a strange idea to me, as a lifelong Southerner. You must dream of summer all year long if that’s what your high summer is like. I envy you that season, if not the winter.
And congratulations on your Mousie nomination too, Kathy! —Pam
Oh, Pam – your garden is absolutely exquisite. How lovely it must be for the people who walk by to see all the blooms and sniff your roses. I’d say you’re doing a great public service. Or maybe Austinites simply take all these gardens for granted, since it seems they must be surrounded by them. Thanks for sharing your photos. And many congratulations on your well-deserved Mousie nominations!
Thank you, Nan, for your kind words and good wishes. Congratulations on your well-earned nominations too! —Pam
I have always LOVED Cuphea llavea, but for whatever reason it never made it into my garden – UNTIL NOW! I’m ordering some right now to plant in my back yard, which I am re-naming ‘The Monster Garden’. Bats definitely belong in a garden full of monsters!
Thanks for the inspiration, Pam – you did it again!
I’m sad I can only vote for you once in each nominated category. Discovering your blog is one of the best things that happened since I started this cyber gardening journey. You make me a better blogger, by constantly putting out remarkable posts that delight and inspire. I’m proud to be a regular Digger!
I am just bonkers about the idea of your Monster Garden. You must post often about it, and I agree that the bat-faced cuphea deserves a place in there. Germi, your kind remarks just warmed my heart. I feel exactly the same about your blog, and I greatly regret not getting to meet you at the Spring Fling. But perhaps next year, yes? —Pam
What beautiful blooms! I look at your blog all the time and am always blown away by your photographs. I am new to this (so sad I missed the Spring Fling… it sounds like you all had a great time!) and I only just found out about “Bloom Day” but I intend to participate next month. Your pink roses are just beautiful! I have two pink rose bushes right next to one another that look very similar, but I think they may be different types (the previous owner planted them). I believe that one is ‘Belinda’s Dream’ but am unsure about the other. Do you know if Belinda has a look-alike?
Thanks for your kind words, Nina. Welcome to the garden-blogging community. I think there are some other Belinda roses, but I don’t know about them. You might check the Antique Rose Emporium website’s search feature, which is very informative and has good pictures.
By the way, your link to your blog wasn’t valid, so I removed it. Would you care to send it again so people can find you? Cheers! —Pam
Thanks for the advice, Pam! I checked out Antique Rose Emporium’s site and think I have a few candidates for each of my roses. Sorry for the bad link! Here it is again.
Beautiful garden! I live in Austin, too, and have noticed that this year for some reason I’m seeing a lot more white spiderworts than usual.
I’ve also grown a snapdragon vine (Maurandya/Maurandella antirrhiniflora) that I collected wild from seed. It did very well but looked much more delicate and muted than yours.
And on the Tetraneuris scaposa, I’d seen it growing wild out of solid limestone and under junipers in central Texas, so I recommended it to my parents when they built a home in the Dallas area. They planted them as a border and within two years the things were filling almost every available garden space, and truly blooming all year, even in Dallas ice storms!
I remember my Tetraneuris blooming during Austin’s ice storm a couple of years ago. It’s a tough little plant, isn’t it? Thanks for your comment, Dean. It’s always good to hear from another Austin gardener. —Pam