'Daisy':
The flowers are single, but their flat-open, daisy-style shapes positively blanket the shrub in bloom.
'Double Mint':
The small, double flowers of 'Double Mint' are showier in some ways, but they are sparser in coverage (this year, at least) than 'Daisy'. Of course, there are still many buds waiting to open...
Both are lovely. I've noticed that when the 'Double Mint' flowers age, they open more completely than the big, old fashioned gardenia's blooms do, so they end up looking a little like the flowers of 'Daisy'. (Sorry, no picture of an older 'Double Mint' bloom.)
I've mentioned before that the pineapple guava is covered in flowers, this year. Here's a photo:
The unknown salmony/coraly rose in front of the garage is blooming. It's another rose that doesn't look particularly healthy, but it's still hanging on... Maybe these roses would do better with a hard pruning, at some point. I don't feel confident caring for these more delicate roses.
The non-delicate pink shrub roses are blooming happily, at least.
Another tough plant-- lantana. It's also in front of the garage. That neglected bed is getting overgrown with weeds and grass. In serious need of attention.
'Georgia Peach' heuchera:
As promised, I took a few photos of the bloom of the giant plume ginger. (Incidentally, I mislabeled this as "hidden lily ginger" in an earlier post. Maybe both can go by the same common name... In any case, this is Curcuma elata-- should be no mistaking that, since it's the scientific name... Unless the horticultural powers that be decide to reclassify it, that is...)
The flower is pretty-- exotic-looking-- but if it weren't for the foliage, I probably wouldn't bother with this plant. The leaves last much longer than the flowers do, of course, and make more of an impression, when they're all unfurled.
Blanket flowers and salvia:
My purple coneflowers have just started to bloom. Quite a few seedlings came up from the seed I collected last year and started in pots. I've just now started putting them out into the flower beds. Much more still to do.
These particular flowers look pathetic at the moment, but I'm sure they'll improve.
Coreopsis in front of pink shrub roses, front garden:
Along the garden path...
Assorted daylilies (mostly foliage-only, at this point), purple heart, and 'Nana' coreopsis.
The toad lily foliage is so pretty!
The variegated is still taller than the non-variegated, but both are most assuredly in evidence. I'm looking forward to the flowers, later on in the year (late summer).
Back along the garden path...
Daylilies (in need of dead-heading), annual coreopsis (taller), perennial coreopsis (shorter), and a hint of 'Victoria Blue' salvia in the background.
Same as above, but with some gladiolus foliage, 'Victor' dwarf crepe myrtle, and (in the back right) night-blooming jasmine:
Behind the trellis, 'Golden Goddess' bamboo. Amazing to compare to what it looked like at this time last year! I don't think I'd even planted it, yet, so it was sulking in its pot, all tiny and sad...
The gardening companions...
Luna:
Trixie:
Trixie likes to hang out at the front of the covered patio, dangling her legs over the edge of the little step. Shaded concrete pavers are cool on the tummy, I'm sure (though I've yet to try it out for myself (g)).
Yesterday, when I walked back from the mailbox (where they're widening and resurfacing the road, by the way), I came upon a kingsnake. I seem to see one every year, about this time in the season, for the past few years. They're my favorite snake to see, since they can eat the venomous snakes-- though I like it best when they keep out of sight, so I don't have to worry about the dogs finding them.
Then, in the late afternoon, it sounded like our neighbor might've been shooting a snake (two shots, one right after the other). It's definitely time to be aware of the possibility of snakes, from now until the weather cools down again toward the end of the year. Watch your step and look (maybe stir a stick or something around) before wading into dense plantings that hide the ground.
