Why bother with a Bloom Day post this month, I thought to myself. I don't really have many blooms in the garden, do I? But I took my camera out to the garden anyway and found that I probably had more blooms than I had realized.
By my little pond, the inland sea oats have already "bloomed" and ripened into oats.
Likewise, the beautyberry bushes have already bloomed and are now full of tasty berries for the birds. I would show you my white beautyberries but those are already gone. The birds pounce on them as soon as they ripen. Apparently, they are very tasty. The purple berries last longer.
It wasn't 4 o'clock yet so this 4 o'clock plant (
Mirabilis jalapa or marvel of Peru) was not yet in full bloom.
This pink one though always seems to bloom a bit early.
The crape myrtles are full of their flouncy blooms all summer long and into the autumn.
Pride of Barbados, aka peacock flower.
Sweet-smelling almond verbena.
Tropical butterfly weed. The bloom cycle of the native butterfly weed is long since over.
The blooms of the
Duranta erecta ripen into yellow berries that are devoured by the birds as soon as they appear.
The yellow cestrum, of course, blooms year-round in my garden.
The old lantana still has some blooms.
Hamelia patens, aka Mexican firebush.
My 'Julia Child' rose is still good for a few blooms.
And 'Belinda's Dream' is still dreamy, although the blossoms are a bit battered.
Last but not least, wedelia blooms among the rocks.
Thank you for walking through my garden this month. I'm always happy to be a part of Bloom Day.
It's always enjoyable to see blooms of plants I can't grow in my zone 5b garden and this post didn't disappoint. Crepe myrtles, my favorite! Maybe one day I'll get to sniff almond verbena. I remember oleander from the two years I lived in Florida. Happy you decided you had enough blooms to publish a GBBD post.
ReplyDeleteNot as many blooms as I'd like, of course, but then we are never satisfied, are we?
DeleteA little bloom here, and a little bloom there, adds up to a lot of blooms!
ReplyDeleteDelighted to see your Beautyberry! So pretty!
Beautyberry is actually one of my favorite plants that I have in my garden, both the white and purple varieties.
DeleteI can't tell you how long I've coveted those lovely purple beautyberries. Sunset Western Garden Book claims that there's one species in that genus that'll grow in my climate but I've yet to be able to find it in a local garden center. I'm still truing to figure out where I can put a mildew-resistant crape myrtle.
ReplyDeleteThe purple beautyberries grow wild here and mine is one that actually grew wild on our lot. My white-berried one, though, came from the nursery.
DeleteThe beautyberries are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteAnd the birds REALLY like them!
DeleteYour garden has many lovely blooms Dorothy and your Crape Myrtle and Beautyberry are especially beautiful! I always enjoy the Callicarpa more for its brilliant purple berries in late summer into fall and someday will get one in my garden. Thank you for the fun visit!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for visiting, Lee.
DeleteLove seeing your garden pics. Is it still warm there? We had one frost warning recently ... the geraniums & petunias made it through .... but the tomato & squash plants had some damage. Still we will get 70s for next week in the afternoons ...
ReplyDeleteOur predicted high for the day was 97, but it only got up to 95 - practically a cold wave!
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