Friday, June 14, 2013

MY TEXAS COTTAGE GARDEN for JUNE GBBD

Happy June 2013 Garden Blogger's Bloom Day!
And a tip of the trowel to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting!
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I have to say this is the best weather we have ever had going into a June bloom day.
A cool April & May have left many Texas gardeners with added vigor to face the June heat.
So let's go see our Texas Cottage Garden, shall we?
Could this Salvia be any brighter?  This is it's second round of blooms.
The front garden is filled with blooms right now.
The Rudbeckias take center stage with their huge yellow flowers.
This is a new one that I've never grown before. It's easily the best flower in the garden right now.
Here's another of my favorites...Coreopsis 'Route 66'
The yellows are balanced with blues like this Mealy Cup Sage.
Here it is with Gomphrena 'Buddy Purple'. I'm going to get more
Gomphrenas since they take the heat very well.
This is blue Plumbago with Russian Sage and Purple Angelonia.
This is my first time to grow Russian Sage and I LOVE IT!
Tall, powdery blue and spiky!
I'm also trying out this tiny aster-like flower in between agaves.
This is a Brachycome from southern Australia.
Great little plant!
This bed is part two of the Texas Cottage Garden and is a work in progress.
The little Brachycomes are in the front next to our native pink Skullcap.
Melochia tomentosa is blooming in another bed. It can even bloom in filtered light.
Behind the cottage garden are the taller Plumerias. They are finally blooming after years of waiting!
Sadly, this Alpinia ginger is in my neighbor's yard and their garden and bungalow are slated to be bulldozed
this month. I may have to dig up a sprig as a garden memory.
Another shot of the Rudbeckias and other flowers. I worked hard to only use yellow, blue, purple, and hot pink this year.
A view with the wall and Agave garden in front of the cottage garden.
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Well that's it for this month. If we have a normal summer with rain, then July GBBD will be even better.
If we get a drought, all bets are off and we hunker down until it's over.
By the way, my photos are copyright free to all gardeners who wish to use them.
If they end up in a magazine or Pinterest, email me.
I'd be honored.
texanagarden@gmail.com
Thanks for stopping by!
David/:0)

14 comments:

  1. Love the photos, especially the closeup of the Rudbeckias! I say, definitely dig up the neighbors plants transplant to your garden! My neighbor did as I moved to such a hot zone, none would transplant.

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  2. I echo Jeanne's comment. Can't you ask to rescue the plants that are to be bulldozed ? One of my favorite smells in the garden: copper canyon daisy!

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  3. Looks like your off to a hot start Daveoo. Becky's. are great plants.

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  4. Thanks for the trip around your garden, so many lovely flowers! Funny you are worried about the heat whilst we here in Britain can’t wait for a bit warmth and sunshine after such a cold spring – we are seriously late with everything in the garden and many of my plants are 6-7 weeks later than normal! Love the Brachycome, never heard about it, and also the Melochia tomentosa, that’s new to me too. Happy GBBD!

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  5. I'm just loving your cottage garden. The combination of yellow, blue, purple and hot pink works brilliantly. I love that Rudbeckia and Sages. Bracyscombe is a lovely plant. I haven't grown any this year, but now you've reminded me I must get some soon. Gomphrena 'Buddy Purple' is another favourite of mine too.

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  6. I see you have very heat tolerant plants...great idea...I'm in zone 8b and it's real hot hear as well.

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  7. Rudbeckia with that mahogany mark look so much more sophisticated than plain ol' Black eyed Susans, I think.

    My Alpinias never bloom, even when they spent a winter inside and went back out. They're happier just to stay outside and just be tropical in summer.

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  8. One thing for sure; I could walk through your garden and stare at it all day long just to make sure and get in all the loveliness. Try and save some of that Alpinia ginger from your neighbor's yard. It would be a shame to let it go with the bulldozer.

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  9. Hi David! I love your colorful garden. And you are lucky with your wonderful Plumeria. I am also waiting for five years now. But I won't give up :)
    Best wishes till July!
    Elis

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  10. Hi David! I like your colorful garden and your wonderful Plumeria. (I am also waiting for five years now and I won't give up :) )
    Happy GBBD!
    Elis

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  11. Your garden looks wonderful David, and that rudbeckia is a show stopper.

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  12. My Plumeria has only been planted for about a year so I guess I need to develop more patience...I'm trying more Gomphrena this year as well - we who live in hot climes need those heat tolerant plants! Thanks for sharing your garden pics!

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  13. A bulldozed ginger? Get over there and dig the whole thing up! Your garden looks great! :o) I grow gomphrena, too, and I love it. It will need extra water once the heat hits and will stay fuller if you keep it a bit pinched.

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  14. Your front garden looks fantastic! It must be so satisfying to walk though it every day. I don't have any gomphrenas in my garden right now, but I just love those little things! And you've sold me on Russian sage! Your plumeria is just gorgeous! If your neighbor's garden is going to be bulldozed, I would be digging up every plant I wanted!

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