October in the garden

It's pumpkin time!

The parterre garden is really looking lush and healthy.  Love the salvia greggi.

This lavender pot used to be the home of a giant agave Americana.  Took me forever to dislodge it.  This Texas sage is the Green Cloud variety that blooms the color of the pot.  Can't wait to see it in bloom.

One of the kitchen garden beds - mustard, broccoli, brussel sprouts, asian greens.

The zinnia bed in the kitchen garden has pretty much gone to seed.  Amaranth is in there as well.

A view of the long border.  that pale yellow sickly plant is a rescue plant from Lowe's.  It is a mountain laurel and I'm pretty sure it will do fine.  Gread bargain, they grow so slow.

I need to get rid of this perennial morning glory.  It is swallowing the Crepuscule rose as well as the shed.

Sweet autumn clematis starting to bloom.

Close up of that mountain laurel.

Another view of the parterre.

Ugh! Lots of weeding needed here.

Variegated lemon is blooming.

Roses are blooming again.

The horseherb has recovered from the heat and is really taking off after the rain.

I love the heirloom pumpkins.  They are like little works of art.  I didn't grow these.

The Brakelight hesperloe is blooming again.  I wonder if the seeds from the seed pod would produce more 'Brakelights' or the native variety.  I'm going to propagate and see.  Hesperloe seeds are very easy to germinate.

Red red rose.

Let's see, where is the kitchen garden gate?

Oh, there it is.

Pink knock out rose, with the yellow center.

Nameless yellow rose.

Belinda's Dream

View from inside the kitchen garden.

This little Straberry Fields Gomphrena is a tough little bloomer.

Another Lowe's rescue.

Butterfly vine.

View into the parterre from the archway.

The redbud tree.

'Dynamite' crepe myrtle.

Loaded Beautyberry.

The seedpods are spectacular.

Salvia farinacea.

Cowpen daisy with Mexican Bush Sage.  I'm going to move the sage to another spot where it will get more sun.

Lot's of frost weed.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day July 2014

We are in the 100 degree days of summer so not a lot is blooming and watering is getting difficult.  I've found a few hardy souls blooming though.

Firecracker Gomphrena

Brakelight hesperloe is putting out a new bloom stalk!

Coral Vine was just waiting for 100 degree days.

It's taking over the fence

Rock Rose is still blooming but rapidly going to seed.

Crepe Myrtles are so reliable.

Little Zinnias

Big Zinnias.  

I seeded them here so I could manage watering.  I couldn't keep them watered scattered about the yard.  I'm stingy with my water.  My water barrels need a good rain shower.  Maybe this week.

Foggy Morning Walkabout

This morning was so foggy and beautiful.  We have had days and days of drying winds then last evening a lovely shower.   

The Green Cloud sage blooming in the back yard. 

The coral vine is overtaking the kitchen garden fence.

The fire pit has been weeded and the blanket flowers cut back.

Still need to cut bak this patch of blanket flower and Zexmenia.

The green house needs a good scrubbing and a window replaced that was blown off in the last wind storm.

New slats are needed for the little bench.

Bargain plant from Lowe's discount rack.  Gardeners love a bargain.  Wish Home Depot would do this.  Most plants just need a little extra water and dead heading.

Green Cloud sage in front.  This variety is a heavier bloomer with a stronger color than the usual light gray variety.

A closer view.

The deer are out early this morning.  Can you spot them among the trees?

Lushness

The recent rains and a milder summer(so far) have done wonders for my garden.  Things are growing so well and everything is lush.  Definitely lush.

I've finally cleared the weeds and dead bluebonnets from the long pathway.

The parterre garden paths are mostly cleared.

I've moved a couple of citrus here.  I think I'll move more here.

Another view of the parterre garden.

Oops!  Need to clean up the crepe myrtle allee'.

I splurged on this deep red hesperloe called 'Brake Light'.  Cost me $25!  I must be crazy.

The long parterre path.  Looks so much better.

Lots of blanket flower going to seed by the firepit area.

A bit of clean up needed to get rid of that pile of weeds just to the right.  But lots of work finished.  My poor umbrella has a busted spoke because I forgot to wind it down before a big windstorm.  Darn.

Good ol Belinda's Dream.  A dream of a rose.

My gorgeous yellow rose, name unknown.

Beach vitex.  Not much to look at most of the year.  Very carefree.  Looks nice now with the small blue blooms.

Close up of the Beach Vitex blooms.

Pomegranates

That yellow rose again.

A side view of the crepe myrtle allee.  It is blooming even more lushly since this pic was taken.

Drat!  I thought this was a creamy light yellow lantana, not that garish yellow.  Off with it's head!  No, I'll just move it.  So tired of that bright yellow.