13 FLOWERS IN BLOOM: HAPPY GBBD FOR OCTOBER

On the 15th of each month, Carol at May Dreams hosts a flower gardener's dream come true; a visit to gardens all 'round the world. You can find her on my side bar favorites. Thanks, Carol!
Now on with October's show! We got 4 inches of rain last week, so the garden is blooming like crazy!

Oxypetalum  'Heaven Born' is in the milkweed family and has bloomed for 3 months with no problems. I'm growing this one again next summer.

Here's a surprise. Our Golden Rain Tree had its first blooms this week. They 'rain' down onto the ground all month. It's a beautiful little tree called Koelreuteria paniculata.

Beautiful Turk's Cap again in bloom. Wow! Another one from my friend Cindy.

Lantana has my respect after this horrible, dry summer.

Yellow purslane volunteer. What a happy flower.

Ruellia has bloomed for months now.

All three shades of Four O'Clocks are in bloom right now.

This unusual Four O'Clock was growing wild along a river near Utopia, Texas.

Butterflyweed from my friend Cindy at My Corner of Katy.

Lantana 'Fruity Pebbles', an upright Lantana with leaves in sets of three.

Here are the fruity pebbles before eaten by Mockingbirds.

Big surprise. I've watched this volunteer grow all during the drought and now I know what it is: our native Goldenrod. That's nothing to sneeze at. All flowers are a welcome sight after this horrific drought.

Prickly Pear in a sea of lavender Lantana.

Aloe 'Silver Fox' in bloom.

Can you count the chickens? I found this display at our Hobby Lobby in Katy, Texas. I love chicken art since we have 5 live chickens of our own.

We got our first BROWN egg this week.

Well, that's it for this month.

May all your garden dreams come true.

Thanks for stopping by our garden here along the Texas Gulf Coast.

David/ :-)

GARDEN BLOGGERS MONTHLY BOUQUET ~ A CHEERY MORNING

 Orange zinnia, purple angelonia, white tradescantia, lavender leaves, violet lantanta, blue daze round out this bouquet  photographed in my agave beds.  Thanks for visiting Tropical Texana in Houston, Texas.

Keeping a positive outlook during a prolonged drought is not the easiest thing to do. I added up the days and we are now on day 32 without a good rain. This is our second time to reach these numbers (I was up to day 40 just a month or so ago).  So what's there to do whilst waiting for rain? Beside praying for rain, I'll PICK FLOWERS and give them to my wife. Thanks to Noelle at http://www.azplantlady.com/ for hostin' this wonderful collection on her garden blog. You will need to scroll down one post to see this month's collection of 9 bouquets.   BTW: A month sure flies by....it just seems like yesterday that I posted a bouquet. Wow! :-) Happy Gardening and may you get R-A-I-N if you're dry as bone in your garden home.