March 15, 2010

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day from east Austin!

I thought maybe I’d gotten the wrong address when I walked into the garden one evening last week. Where was I? Where had all these plants come from overnight?

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Sky Jacket’

The first of the Dutch iris.  I planted them so long ago (picked up at a local nursery) that I don’t it by name, but it has performed beautifully when divided over the years.

Narcissus ‘Falconet’. The cups are now turning deeper orange.

Narcissus with N. Sweetness and Valentine rose in den bed.

Spring starflower (Ipheion uniflorum) with oxalis in the cat cove.

Also, framing the back of the cat cove, the Lady Banks rose opened Saturday afternoon.

On the fence beyond, very fragrant Clematis armandii.

This evergreen vine is tough as nails and extremely vigorous once established. Since I can’t get a water hose back there anymore, it was pretty much on its own. I ran a soaker hose along the back fence but only ran it once or twice during the “summer of death.”  Originally I planted it because it was a somewhat shady area. Then, when the city cut down all the creek trees, it got blasting sun. Once it got used to that, it tripled in size, even in drought.

In the little walkway in back, the golden groundsel (Packera obovata) reliably returned.

It disappears in the heat, but pops back out once it’s cool. Many beneficial insects and butterflies are scrambling for dining space on the flowers.

It’s a native groundcover, one you can pick up at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Spring Plant Sale April 10 -11.

See what’s blooming all over on this Garden Bloggers Bloom day at May Dreams Gardens.

I thank all of you who made our CTG Spring Special pledge event so very successful!  In fact, it was such a hit that we’re repeating it. Details soon.

Happy Bloom Day to all!  Linda

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