June Bloom Day- PCF Pow Wow

Happy Father`s Day to all and here is Purple Coneflower Pow Wow for Bloom Day. I waited a year to see this display and it didn`t disappoint.

Surprise Garden Visitor

   After returning yesterday from East Tennessee (an all day drive), to attended my youngest son`s wedding, a four day trip. I was out mowing and catching up on the yard and gardens this morning, when I looked up and saw a feathered visitor walking across the lawn. I was unsure at first what species it was, but soon realized it was a young turkey. I ran and grabbed the camera to catch this shot before he wandered further. You never know what you will see!

Hail Hell

   A small storm visited us this morning packing quarter to golf ball size hail to the tune of 2 inches deep.  It destroyed much of my gardens and I took a few sad pictures to show it. I could hardly stand to photograph much more . Looks like 2013 is going to  be a wash. The flower gardens had been looking so good, but they ,along with the vegetables, were slaughtered. I`ll try to document the damage further and maybe keep track of any bounce back. Nature does heal itself , hopefully.

The scene downtown gives some idea of the impact.

Wildflower Wonder

   I often ride the back roads in a 50 mile radius of my home looking for plants to transplant into my prairie patches, gather seeds for same and I usually take the camera along in case I see anything that begs a photo. Here are a few shots of things I`ve seen lately that warranted recording.

Penstemon cobaea, False foxglove

Texas thistle

Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima, Pinewoods coneflower

Horsemint, Monarda punctata( as per gardens in the sand)

Prairie coneflower.  Ratibida columnifera

Prickly poppy, Argemone polyanthemos

Sabatia campestris, Prairie rose-gentian

   I`ll go again soon, I`m sure, and grab some more goodies by the back tracks. It does get to be very addicting. We will see what the month of June has to show. Send Rain, please, we missed all  that seemed to fall everywhere but here last week !

Garden Fever

   The days have warmed and , for the most part the nights, bringing rapid growth to the dormant plants. Who among us doesn`t get dirt fever at this time? I walked this morning all over the property trying capture what is coming on, for fun and as a record of the changes that will surely come over the next few weeks. The front bed that I built last fall is filling in nicely with Dwarf Pittosporum, Dusty Miller(in bloom now), Blackfoot Daisy, Society Garlic, Narrowleaf Zinnia, Powis Castle, Salvia Coccinea, Conoclinium coelestinum, Inland Seaoats, Hydrangea,Heuchera Coral Bells, and Plumbago.

The front yard island bed has been expanded somewhat and Mystic Spires, Duranta and Gold Duranta,Mexican  Mint Marigold, Mums, and Pacifica mum are emrging along with new plantings of Ponyfoot, Gray Santonilia, Paprika  Red Yarrow, Winifred Gilman sage, and seed plantings of Zinnia Linaris.

   The front prairie patch is rapidly changing. It`s overcast today and the light may not be conducive to great pictures but there is a lot of activity. max sunflower plants, Phlox,Gayfeather seedlings and the tall white flowers you see are Wooly white, a biennial that blooms in it`s second year, tall ,from a compact rosette in it`s first year. Below, a camphor bush beginning to bloom. It looks like we are going to have a lot of them again.

Closeup of the Wooly White flowers

Louisiana yucca about to bloom with a bluestem clump next to it.

I`ve been trying to reclaim and old bed next to the "driveway" and have placed a lot of different specimens in to see what might liven it up. Here you see Big Red Sage, White Gregg Salvia, Pine Muhly, Gayfeather, Dwarf Red Crepe Myrtle, Wavy Leaf Opuntia, Society Garlic, and False Indigo.

The Mealy Blue Sage beginning to look strong, the Scarlet Sage is a bit slower this year.

Another of the side beds with Flame Scanthus, Lambs Ear, May Night Sage, Obediant Plant, Veronica, Sedum, Salvia Greggii "Hot Lips", Pow Wow Purple Coneflower, Red Ruellia and beginning to burst Coreopsis along with some bluestem.

Closeup of the Coreopsis:

Out near the pool, the first Daylily Blooms.

The grasses are thriving:

Who doesn`t like Catmint? I think they should call it Kidmint, once I told my grandkids what it was they won`t leave it alone. LOL

On the other side of the fence emerging plants too numerous to name.All survived the winter well.

I gathered and scattered lots and lots of seed last fall  in the prairie patches from the countryside and and I believe the pic below is a sunflower bud. Correct me is you can identify it. This in the back patch along with the following pics.( It turned out to be Blackeyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima)

Indian Paintbrush and Lupine from seed I gathered in Colorado( one came up!)

A sea of white Aster like flowers that I have no clue what they are.

The bluestem waking up. I look forward to the silvery spikes.

The view from the back patch looking north.

White Texas Yarrow and Gregg Salvia.

  Emerging Dwarf Mexican Petunia, Mondo and Blue Fescue at the edge of the woods along the creek side. It will be fun to compare these photos with the ones in late May. Hope everyone is having as much fun as me with their Spring Fever!

Coral Honeysuckle Volunteer

Don`t you just love it when awesome blooming plants set up shop on your place all on their on? I found this Coral Honeysuckle climbing a small tree in the middle of my back prairie patch this week and was just thrilled. We`ve had 4 weeks in a row of cold fronts , some with frost and the weather has slowed the progress of the gardens, however, they are beginning to burst forth in spite of the cold nights and the hard work from last fall is surely going to pay big dividends soon. Check back for the evidence.

Spring! At Last !

   Spring is finally beginning to show itself after what has been a much colder winter in east central Texas this year. We have been much more fortunate receiving rainfall than many other areas of the state, but we have also had much more freezing temps. Spring has been slower to show it`s signs, but hopefully the moisture will create quite a show as the temps warm. Here are a few snaps from a chilly walk around the place this morning.

Verbena and Daylilly

Trailing Vinca and Mealy Blue Sage

Gayfeather ,peeking out.

Bluebonnet in the prairie patch

Louisiana Artemisia

Cacti from the Big Bend(they survived!)

Stonecrop Sedum

Inland Sea Oats, so good to see that the plants I transplanted last fall are going to come out strong.