We had about an inch of rain last week, the first rain in over a month, and the garden perked up a bit in response. Here’s a long view from the driveway across the front garden.

Front garden—still heat-dormant, but starting to revive

Birdbath area in front garden

The plants near the birdbath are looking a bit jungly, but I noticed that the white-blooming kidneywood has grown a couple of feet this summer. To the right of the kidneywood you can see a flame acanthus; to the left, Indigo Spires salvia; in the foreground, Mexican oregano. The birdbath is filled with chips of green glass and a river rock—my low-maintenance substitute for water.

Close-up of Indigo Spires salvia

On the other side of the front garden, under the vitex tree and amid the tired black-eyed Susans that I cut back recently, the red spider lilies are popping up. Otherwise known as naked ladies because their long, slim flower stalks are leafless, these bulbs bloom in the fall. Mine like dappled shade. Lycoris radiate is native to Japan, but it does very well in Austin with no special care.

Red spider lily with red peppers of chile pequin visible behind it

Chile pequin—another showy early-fall plant

Two more signs that fall is on the way. The inland sea oats are drooping under the weight of their pretty seed heads . . .

Inland sea oats

. . . and the American beautyberry’s berries have turned fully purple. The mockingbirds have noticed, so I wanted to get a photo before the berries all get eaten.

American beautyberry

The yellow bells, or esperanza, growing in the back garden behind the cedar elm don’t seem to recognize that summer is closing up shop. Being partly shaded, they never bloom before August, but in September their butter-yellow flowers light up the back yard. Set atop 5- and 6-foot stems, the large, bell-shaped flowers are eye-catching. In Austin, yellow bells dies back to the ground in the winter.

Yellow bells (Tecoma stans )

They caught the eye of this busy bee as well.