Thursday, July 14, 2011

GBBD: A TROPICAL JULY GARDEN ~ Color from blooms and foliage

Bauhinia aculeata
Happy GBBD from Tropical Texana. Carol at http://maydreamsgardens.com/  hosts this garden tour each month. Thanks, Carol. :-)

 HOT is what it's all about in a Tropical Garden. And if you've ever been to Houston in the summer, you'll be walking into an oven. So, let's see what the oven looks like this month. I've cooked up a lot of color for you to enjoy.


Aechmea 'Little Naru' is blooming for the very first time.

This small Ruellia is from Cindy at My Corner of Katy. It's one of my favorites.

 Ruellia brittoniana in a shade of light pink.

Dwarf Katie Ruellia.

Phlox panniculata is now in bloom. It has suffered from this drought though I water it daily.

Close up of Phlox panniculata.
Turk's Cap ~ Pam's Pink, also from Cindy at My Corner of Katy.

Close up of Pam's Pink

Not all of the colors in the garden are from flowers. This neon skimmer owns our backyard. Currently, there are two females also interested in our pond.

Since our back yard is very shady, I rely on these colorful bromeliads to liven up the garden.
I use crushed lava rock and a hint of compost in each pot. Neoregelias (pictured) like a sparse soil.

This Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) wins the prize for blooming every month.

A shelf with more colorful bromeliads.

Various textures and colors by the pond. Notice our pet dragonfly. It hardly flinches as I walk up since it's waiting for females. I could probably hold it on my finger.

The backyard tropical shade garden. This is my favorite part of our yard. The pond attracts 3 kinds of dragonflies and other wildlife. A raccoon visits on some nights. The plants with the large leaves are Canna musaefolia. It will have small, red flowers later.

Finally, here's Hoot, the friendliest of our 6 pet chickens. She greets me every morning ready to play in the garden. Everyone should have a pet chicken. They love digging in the garden almost as much as I do.
Well, that's it for July. May we all get some rain down here in the South.
Thanks for visiting.
See you next time.
David/ :-)

14 comments:

  1. Such a great collection of Broms in your back yard and that pond area looks terrific. I can imagine it would provide a lovely respite on a horrid summer's day. That 'Little Naru' bloom is lovely and your Phlox looks great. Hoot is quite a looker too!

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  2. So glad I discovered your garden. It looks like we have very similar conditions - just in reverse. Love your shady area.

    Say hello to Hoot for me too please.

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  3. Great neon skimmer photo! I just recently identified a flame skimmer in my yard that looks virtually identical, but I didn't get nearly as good a photo of mine as you did of yours.

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  4. Love the bromeliads. I'd like to grow more here in cold England. They really add the tropical touch. We're OK in the summer but they need to be indoors in the winter and finding the space is difficult. But I can dream.

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  5. Hi i am new here and i am amused at your description of your garden, i feel like you are describing ours. haha! I also happened to see a red dragonfly last week but it has opaque red wings too, unlike yours which are transparent. I posted it 2 posts before this latest. I love bromeliads but i can't plant them here because i am afraid it will house mosquitoes which carry dengue virus.

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  6. Enjoyed your post very much, that 'Little Naru' is a show stealer!
    Love the shot of Hoot!

    glimpsesofglory-karen.blogspot.com/

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  7. Love everything in your garden especially the Bromeliads. But the best is Hoot!! How CUTE!!
    Happy GBBD :)

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  8. I love your tropical blooms, very pretty. We share a lot of the same plants here in Austin, except we'll lose those Bromeliads in normal winters. Love your passalongs from MCOK, too. Your pond looks like a lovely retreat from the Death Star.

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  9. Really like the color on that Aechmea 'Little Naru' bloom. Your bromeliad collection is incredible. Happy GBBD!

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  10. aloha,

    wow it really is tropical in your zone, love all the broms and congrats on your first bloom of the aechmea

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  11. Gorgeous blooms and I love the dragonfly. And Hoot!

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  12. Love your tropicals, especially the bromeliads! ... and that bauhinia... fantastic! Larry

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  13. good to see something different. the chicks are cool. Nice to read your post David.

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  14. Howdy David,
    your tropical garden seems to be doing just great in our current and obviously not any time ending heat. I love your "Little Naru". Mine has never bloomed once yet. I have no idea why.
    Fantastic pictures, David.
    Have a great weekend
    Paula Jo

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I always appreciate your comments & questions! Happy Gardening from David/ Tropical Texana

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