Articles for the Month of August 2023

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day August 2023

Crepe Myrtle

Well it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day again and I would like to begin by celebrating the crepe myrtles that provide a summer flower show.  As you can see from the above image the red one has been with us for a very long time.  It’s well over the garage roof.  The bark is wonderful and the individual flowers are lovely one and all.

Individual Crepe Myrtle flowers

We also have a white one down in the pasture and it seems to be growing nicely.

Crepe Myrtle white

Flowers that we see every day are the Princess Flowers on the back porch.

Princess flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)

Both we and the hummingbirds look forward to our daily dose.

The Hydrangeas are also prolific and and an everyday summer flower show.

Hydrangea ‘Limelight’

Looking around the yard you have appreciate just how dry it has been here.

Dry ground

We are currently at 75% of the normal rainfall and that has left us with many dead plants from my spring planting.  Yes we run hoses but there are many places on 7 acres that are not accessible the hoses.  I have a set of watering cans but that only covers the time when I’m actually here.

Watering Cans

Despite all that, and with help of hoses, we do have some more flowers to share.  As always the Allium millenium are reliable summer color.

Allium millenium

And I noticed (after one of the few thunderstorms that we’ve had) the Cyclamen hederifolium are starting to bloom.

Cyclamen hederifolium

As we wander out to the garden it is clear that the annuals provide a spot of color.

Annuals in the veg garden

And nearby the sunflowers are on display

Sunflower

More Sunflowers

The vegetable garden is also where we find a steady supply of gladiolias

Gladiolus ‘Princess Margaret Rose’

And despite the drought we have a good supply of vegetable and fruit.  I notice that the raspberries are starting their fall crop.

Fall Raspberry crop

And we been bringing in peaches and pears.

Harvesting Pears (Crispie)

That’s it for now, I’ll go back to doing my rain dance…