A pre-Bloom Day look at the garden

I will be on the road later this week and away from my garden on June 15, or Bloom Day as it is known to garden bloggers around the world, so here is a pre-Bloom Day look at what's blooming in my garden this month.

It's almost summer and the summer phlox is in bloom.

There are lots of white blooms in the garden this month. They help to bring a note of coolness to my hot garden space.

There's almond verbena with its wonderful scent. Too bad I don't have smell-a-blog.

The white crinums are blooming.

And so is the white 'Texas Star' swamp hibiscus.

And the datura, sometimes called devil's trumpet or moonflower.

But here's the real moonflower, and, yes, it's still blooming, too. 

The beautyberry bloom is not much to look at; the real attraction is the colorful berries that come later.

This pretty little white flower is blooming in my wildflower bed. I'm not sure what it is called, but I think it is some kind of alyssum.

Also in the wildflower bed is this prairie coneflower.

And this black-eyed Susan.

Speaking of coneflowers, here's the purple one.

And the red one.

Many of the sunflowers are at their best and brightest just now.

This pale one is another bloomer in the wildflower bed.

This one is a native wildflower, as well. It is fully twelve feet tall and covered with these blossoms.

The Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) is blooming.

And so is the angel wing begonia.

Justicia 'Orange Flame'.

The 'Lady of Shallott' rose has been a real winner for me.

I love this little ornamental pepper. It was a "volunteer" in the garden, reseeded from a plant that I had last year.

More from the wildflower bed - blanketflower.

Blanketflowers, sneezeweed, and black-eyed Susans.

Also in the wildflower bed - I don't know its name but I think it is some kind of scabiosa.

And here's a poppy, also from the wildflower bed. Love poppies! 

Its popular name is horsemint and butterflies love it.

A red coreopsis, also from the wildflower bed.

And speaking of red, here's 'Darcy Bussell' rose.

The 'Cashmere Bouquet' clerodendrum bloom will soon be completely open.

The dependable blue plumbago.

'Belinda's Dream' rose, a bit past its prime.

Anisacanthus wrightii, aka flame acanthus, is blooming and that makes the sulphur butterflies happy. 

The crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' is starting to bloom.

i've never grown hostas because I was convinced they wouldn't do well here, but I decided to give them a try this spring. So far, so good, and as a bonus, I get this pretty flower. 

The summer garden would not be complete without marigolds.

'Pride of Barbados.'

Delphiniums.

Behind the garden shed, the big elderberry shrub is blooming.

Cypress vine, a ubiquitous summer bloomer in my garden.

Yellow yarrow.

Dahlia.

Variegated Turk's cap.

On the patio table, a pot of portulaca, aka moss rose, brightens the space.

This 'Endless Summer' hydrangea has all blue flowers, except for this one pink one. What's up with that?

Blue potato bush.

And finally, our recent rains have induced my Texas sage shrub to flower.

It has covered itself in these luscious blooms.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be taking a short "blogcation." I hope you'll miss me and that you'll come back when I return in just over a week.