GBBD LIST for APRIL 16, 2012

Here is the complete 2012, April Bloomday list for Annie in Austin, written down for April 16th. The photos may have been taken a few days before or after that date.

In the photo below you can see a succession of blue flowers: at bottom are the earlier blooming bluebonnets with flowers faded and seedpods developing, supplanted by the purple-blue larkspur, just past peak. Soon the heat will end the larkspur flowers, turning them into more seedpods while the silvery Russian Sage extends blue wands and cares not whether the sun is hot. The yellow Four-Nerve daisies are seldom out of bloom.


Abelia, might be Abelia X grandiflora, four white-flowering shrubs, buds only

Abelia X grandiflora unknown pink-flowering variety, in bloom

Abelia X grandiflora 'Edward Goucher' smaller pink-flowering shrub in bloom

Abutilon 'Marilyn's Choice' last few flowers, maybe new buds forming

Acca sellowiana, syn Feijowa sellowiana / Pineapple guava, two plants; one is in full bloom and one has couple of buds

Ageratina havanensis, syn Eupatorium havanense /Fragrant white mistflower, buds

Allium cepa - garden onion a few stray bulbs flowered

Antirrhinum majus, yellow snapdragons in containers

Asclepias curassavica, tropical milkweed - in three places, largest plant has Monarch caterpillars

Calibrachoa hybrids, AKA Millionbells, violet-purple flowers in hanging basket

Capsicum annuum, several varieties of garden peppers with buds & small peppers

Carya illinoinensis, 2 Pecan trees - millions of developing male flowers & a few female flowers are visible

Castilleja indivisa, Texas paintbrush, one of three plants has flowers

Chrysactinia mexicana, native yellow-flowering Damianita - 2 plants were in full bloom, now mostly going to seed

Clematis hybrid 'Ramona', on trellis - last few flowers

Clematis unknown hybrid, purple flowers - full, glorious bloom

Consolida ajacis - Larkspur - full bloom everywhere. Most plants are blue-violet with one blooming muddy lavender

Coriandrum sativum., cilantro, annual herb- in bloom with some seeds forming

Cuphea llavea – small pink & lavender form

Delosperma cooperi? Not sure of ID for hot pink flowering Ice Plant

Dianthus – several colors of ‘Telstar’ hybrids in assorted containers

Echinacea purpurea - not sure if they will open pink or white but there are buds

Gaura, unnamed seedling has buds

Graptopetalum paraguayense (Mexican Ghost Plant)- hanging onto the flower stalk from last month

Hemerocallis cultivar 'Vi's Apricot'- many buds on several plants

Hemerocallis fulva – Ditch daylily from Lori - buds

Herbertia lahue- one lone surviving flower bloomed

Hesperaloe parviflora, Red yucca - three enormous wands of coral flowers

Hippeastrum hybrid/ ‘Red Dragon’ amaryllis WOW

Hippeastrum unnamed hybrid in bed - 1 stalk

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' Oakleaf hydrangea - very nice

Hydrangea X 'Sweet Carol', Bliss series of marcrophylla/serrata crosses -buds

Indigofera amblyantha? /pink false indigo light bloom

Iris siberica, Siberian Iris, blue-violet - in two patches, just lovely

Iris X germanica hybrid passalong from Ellen, later-blooming, grape-scented blue violet is down to the last flowers

Ixia maculata?, unknown species, a couple of pale cream-colored Corn lilies

Justicia betonica? White Shrimp Plant - new bracts & flowers

Justicia brandegeana, Shrimp plant in Secret Garden - a few left

Justicia spicigera/ Mexican Honeysuckle - full bloom

Lantana, unknown varieties upright lavender and trailing white

Lathyrus odoratus, annual sweet peas - two from Nat gardener, dark red & white

Lobularia maritime, Sweet alyssum in containers

Lonicera sempervirens, coral honeysuckle still in flower

Lupinus texensis, Bluebonnet down to last few flowers, mostly seedpods

Lycopersicon lycopersicum, tomatoes blooming

Magnolia figo/AKA Michelia figo Banana Shrub - last flower

Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' buds almost ready

Melampodium leucanthum / Blackfoot daisy, in several borders, blooming for months

Myrtus communis nana/ dwarf Greek myrtle - buds ready to open

Nemophila phacelioides native or Nemophilia menziesii. Baby Blue Eyes. Last few flowers on reseeding annual Reseeder

Nerium oleander/ double yellow oleander 'Mathilde Ferrier' is alive and it even has flowers but the plant is half the size it was in 2010

Oxalis crassipes 'Alba' couple of stray flowers

Oxalis regnellii 'Atropurpurea', blooming near veranda steps

Papaver unk sp annual poppies, a few coral pink reseeded from last year

Pavonia lasiopetala, pink rock rose just beginning

Pelargonium grossularioides, coconut-scented geranium has tiny buds and flowers

Pelargonium hybrid, 'Fantasia Salmon', zonal geranium in breakfast room window

Petunia multiflora? surprise appearance by reseeding annual. It skipped 2011

Philadelphus coronarius, Mock orange - buds ready to open

Phlox drummondii Annual Phlox - white, 21st Century Hybrids, starting to look ratty

Phlox subulata/Creeping phlox in lavender blue - still in bloom

Punica granatum, pomegranate - might be 'Wonderful' has 18 flowers

Punica granatum 'Nana'/ dwarf pomegranates, container near back door in bloom & fruit

Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'/ Lady Banks rose - still a few buds opening to new flowers but mostly done

Rosa 'Belinda's Dream', Pink shrub rose- been blooming wonderfully for weeks, now down to a dozen buds

Rosa ‘Champagne’ mini rose, delicate pink , two plants, both have flowers but one plant looks happier

Rosa 'Climbing Iceberg', white floribunda - many, many flowers on Sweetheart arch.

Rosa 'Flawless' - pair of pink mini-roses in container from VDBD spring 2011 - one bloom

Rosa floribunda ‘Julia Child’, butter-yellow rose- - been blooming wonderfully for weeks, now down to a dozen buds

Rosa 'Mutabilis' (two good-sized plants, one in container, one inground) still making buds and blooms

Rosa 'Red Cascade', mini-climber bought in spring 2010 just starting first bloom cycle for 2012

Rosa, unknown variety/ tall pink climber near gate - has been in off-on bloom. Now has a few more buds

Rosa /unnamed apricot mini-rose from DD was in bloom earlier in month - now down to faded flowers

Rosa - unnamed orange mini-rose came with house - best it has ever been in 8 years

Rosemarinus officianalis, upright Rosemary a few stray flowers

Russelia equisetiformis, Firecracker plant - a few flowers

Salvia coccinea, white Hummingbird sage - nice drift blooming along patio edge

Salvia coccinea ‘Coral Nymph’, coral pink Hummingbird sage- blooming in a couple of places

Salvia discolor, Andean Silver Sage, couple of flowers

Salvia elegans/Pineapple sage 1 lived-over plant in bloom

Salvia farinacea, Mealy Blue sage, wandlike flowers mixed in with larkspur

Salvia greggii, many plants in bloom including 'Navajo White', cream, deep rose, true red, cherry
red and Orchid-purple

Salvia guaranitica, Majestic blue sage started last week- looks good

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' - started blooming in back bed a few days ago; front bed lagging behind

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' - 1 original plant & 3 started from cuttings; all four have flowers

Salvia officinalis - cooking sage in bloom

Salvia roemeriana /Cedar sage, red flowers in shade. When I bought this salvia it was a good-sized clump in a large container. Three seasons here have reduced this native to two tiny bits of leaves with some buds & a few flowers

Salvia vanhoutii SYN Salvia splendens var 'Van Houttei' from BSG, in holding container, has a few flowers

Scabiosa columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’/Dwarf Blue Cushionflower, in bloom

Scutellaria ovata, Heartleaf skullcap - have it in 3 places - one plant has buds

Scutellaria suffrutescens, pink skullcap, two plants dependable pink bloomer, just beginning

Scutellaria wrightii? blue skullcap one in parkway, one in front bed, both in full bloom

Sedum, several unknown with white flowers

Spiraea cantoniensis - guessing name for long-leaved Bridal Wreath spiraeas - last few flowers

Spiraea X vanhouteii guessing name for rounder-leaved spiraeas - last few flowers

Tetraneuris scaposa, four nerve daisy Hymenoxys, 3 plants in bloom

Trachaelospermum jasminoides, Star Jasmine, Confederate Jasmine, evergreen vine with white, fragrant flowers. Four vines, on veranda, side fence, Sweetheart trellis and shed, all with flowers

Tradescantia pallida, syn Setcresea pallida/ Purple Heart, many lavender flowers;

Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' in yaupon bed, flowers open early, close in midday

Viola spp– various hybrids of Pansies and violas in containers and hanging baskets - down to a few flowers

GBBD LIST for February 15, 2012

With only a few freezes and no temperatures below 27°F, plants that usually are not blooming in February are taking a bow for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day over at Carol's May Dreams Garden Blog.

Abutilon hybridum 'Marilyn's Choice', a couple of flowers & quite a few buds on a rather spindly plant

Antirrhinum majus, Yellow annual snapdragons in containers

Camellia japonica 'Morning Glow' double white camellia, a few flowers, browned by cold rain

Camellia sasanqua 'Shishi Gashira', one final flower and an unopened bud

Cyclamen persicum/ florist’s cyclamen hybrid - the white plant seen in January gave up for now but the red one has a few flowers

Dianthus, annual - buds only on plants in containers

Gaura lindheimeri, although the original plants died last summer, an unnamed seedling has a few flowers in a pink so pale that it is almost white.

Gelsemium sempervirens , Carolina Jessamine. Severely pruned and now has flowers.

Hyacinth 'Woodstock'/ purple fragrant hyacinth - the flowers are no longer large, but they've returned for years

Ilex antherone? Chinese holly - buds are swelling

Iris albicans? Simple white, early bearded iris; first flowers ruined by cold rain, more bud stalks rising

Justicia brandegeana, Shrimp plant in Secret Garden, been in bloom for months

Justicia spicigera/ Mexican Honeysuckle, part of plant lost tips to cold; other part in bloom

Lantana, unknown varieties upright lavender and trailing white in front borders

Lobularia maritime, annual Sweet alyssum tucked into containers

Lonicera sempervirens, coral honeysuckle; vine had much dieback. Is now leafing out and opening flowers

Loropetalum chinense/ Chinese Witch Hazel, Chinese Fringe Flower, Razzle-Dazzle, one large plant in bloom for months and a newer plant now covered in flowers

Lupinus texensis, Bluebonnet, one open flower with more buds showing

Matthiola, unknown hybrid, annual fragrant stock, one small plant in container - either lived over or self-seeded

Melampodium leucanthum / Blackfoot daisy, in several beds, buds ready to go

Narcissus, unnamed yellow daffodil, came with house. Moved around as new borders are made; now blooming in 4 beds

Osmanthus fragrans/Sweet olive four shrubs, three established, one in container, all covered in flowers and smelling wonderful

Oxalis crassipes 'Alba' , green leaved, in many places, some with white flowers

Oxalis regnellii 'Atropurpurea' , burgundy leaves, in many places, some with pale purple flowers

Pelargonium hybrid, 'Fantasia Salmon', zonal geranium in breakfast room window - six years old and back in bloom again.

Phlox subulata/Creeping phlox in lavender blue - a couple of stray flowers

Phlox subulata/Creeping phlox in magenta pink - just bought in bloom and planted

Rosa floribunda ‘Julia Child’, butter-yellow rose, one open rose, several buds showing color on two plants

Rosa 'Mutabilis', Chinese Butterfly rose; one plant in patio container has a few flowers & some buds. The enormous plant in the ground is fabulous!

Rosemarinus officianalis, upright Rosemary in bloom and making bees happy

Salvia coccinea, white Hummingbird sage, barely died back in winter - now reblooming near patio

Salvia elegans/Pineapple sage 1 plant alive and in bloom in patio container

Salvia greggii, autumn sage, a couple of flowers on cherry red plant in parkway

Schlumbergera truncata, Thanksgiving cactus, last 2 pale pink flowers in breakfast room

Sophora secudiflora SYN Calia secundiflora Texas Mountain Laurel - one plant of four has many, many buds and a few open florets; other 3 have only leaves.

Spiraea cantoniensis - guessing the correct botanical name for a long-leaved Bridal Wreath spiraea near back fence - buds just showing hint of opening

Tetraneuris scaposa, four nerve daisy Hymenoxys, 3 plants in bud and bloom month after month

Teucrium fruticans Silver Bush germander, now in full bloom in parkway, lavender-blue flowers

Viola spp– unnamed hybrids of Pansies in a container and a hanging basket