September 2011 Bloom Day

Ay yi yi, it's dry this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. First, a wide shot to show you a typical San Antonio lawn (it's my neighbor's) and my bright spot this bloom day, my lantana bed. I suppose the lawns don't look too bad... if it were January, but this is September and most turf is already dormant (or maybe dead).


Last year, my lantana bed was twinkling with butterfly wings. This year, none. But I did see this guy.


I just happened to catch the Pride of Barbados between blooms. It looks like spent fireworks, doesn't it? There's lingering beauty while it fades away.


The dwarf plumbego seem fine. In fact, they actually spread a little this year. I planted them as a ground cover, but it will be many, many years before they form a solid mat.


Two of my part-shade plants, turk's cap and liriope, are doing their part to add a little interest this bloom day.


The pentas are happy now. This spring, I planted them in the backyard where the scorched zinnia (yikes! - it looks like a zombie, doesn't it?) are trying to make a go of it, but the penta were very unhappy. Since they can handle part-shade, I moved them to a pot in the front yard and they've shown their appreciation by putting on new blooms.

The esperenza doesn't seem phased at all by the heat, nor the drought. It freezes back each year, but as you can see, it shoots up to full height in a very short time.


This is the pride of my garden right now, blue pea vine. After keeping an eye out for it for three years, I finally found it in a nursery in June. I am very pleased with its flower and leaf color. The green has a cooling hue that adds a sense of peace to the garden.

To see what is blooming this month in other gardens, visit May Dreams.

A Small Favor
If you've read this far, could do me a small favor and vote for Blaze, the name I submitted for my industry's conference mascot? Anyone can vote; all you need is an email. If Blaze wins, I get a free registration at the meeting in Florida. Oh, wouldn't it be nice to fly over a place where green was the dominant color and "rain-starved" wasn't a phrase the weathermen uttered nightly.