Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day: Yes, We Do Grow Flowers in Texas!

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! hurrah! ...

Several attendees at the Garden Writers' symposium expressed disappointment that the private gardens on tour seemed to be short on blooms.  Part of it is the time of year: temperatures in the high 90s and low 100s during August, combined with a lack of rain, result in fewer blooms in September.  It did seem that the plant palettes of the gardens I saw were heavy on foliage and texture.  There are gardeners in Texas who are all about the flowers, though, and I definitely fall into that category.  

Pavonia lasiopetala, Rock Rose

Since I'm still catching up on the home front post-GWA, I only have time to share a few pictures but I'll include a list of what's blooming now at the end of this post.

Blackfoot Daisy & Verbena hybrids

Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpeta jamaicensis)

Zinnias, Salvia 'Otahal', Verbena hiding in left corner, Blackfoot Daisy hiding in middle

Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha), Old Blush Rose, Barbados Cherry (Malphigia glabra)

And now for the list in no particular order (the HG suggests you amuse yourself by singing it to the tune of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" ... ha!):  Zinnias, Cosmos, Rudbeckias, Calylophus, Cupheas, Turk's Caps, Bauhinia galpinii, Pineland Meadows Hibiscus, Okra Mallow Hibiscus, Salvia 'Hot Lips', Salvias greggii & macrophylla, Sweet Almond Verbena, Pigeonberry, Bauhinia mexicana, Coral Vine, Perennial Morning Glory, Durantas, Desert Willow Tree, Senorita Rosalita Cleome, Blue Mist Flower/Eupatorium, Torenias, Pentas, Ruellia, Echinaceas, Verbenas, Pink Salt Marsh Mallow, Peruvian Pavonia, Alyssum, Dianella, Peristrothe, Spiderwort, Basil, Cestrum parqui, Hamelia, Turnera, Salvia 'Teresa', Country Girl Chrysanthemums, Gaura, Verbena bonariensis, Angel Wing Jasmine, Crossvine, Castor Bean, Lantana, Pinecone Shrimp Plants, Pink Skullcap, Abelmoschus, Asclepias/Butterfly Weed, Patrick's Choice Abutilon, Anisacanthus, Thryallis, Moss Rose/Portuluca, Mussaenda and several different old garden roses.