Happy GBBD!

It's that time again... what's blooming where you are? 

Here are a few shots of what has been blooming around here!  Hope you enjoy!

 The Vitex are in full bloom all over town.

 The Citrus are blooming away- if I could bottle that fragrance.....

 The Oakleaf Hydrangea are starting to bloom.

The Duranta are blooming - love the royal purple color.

 The 'John Fanick' Phlox are blooming.

 I know....not a bloom but look at how pretty that is!!!!!!!!

And I will end with a shot of the Pavonia, Rock Rose.  A tried and true Texas bloomer!

Please visit May Dreams Gardens to see all the beautiful blooms from all over!

Little Visitors

I have had some new visitors to the nursery the last few days- the Painted Bunting amongst my favorites.  I saw this bird and thought it was the female Painted Bunting, but after looking her up, she isn't as green as it seems the female is, so I have no idea what type of bird she is but she is really sweet looking.  A bird expert I am not nor do I pretend to be.  I got a few photos of her through the glass- she was right outside where the Painted Bunting male likes to hang out in the afternoons.  I have not been able to get more shots of him though I am not giving up.  

The hummingbirds are still out in full force- they live in the oak tree at the front of the nursery.  They swoop down and are in love with the black and blue salvia- they "try" other things but always go back to the salvia.  

I have all sorts of grasshoppers, walking sticks, preying mantis but this little grasshopper I thought was neat as his coloring was unique, at least to me.

And here is my little surprise that is growing like a weed- a watermelon- who knew.  Can you see it?  It is at the bottom next to the rocks.  I have no idea what variety it is, Felipe planted when we built the bed and it is huge and taking over.  I think it looks really neat with the agave I have it with and growing below the Beautyberry I must admit.  I have not been able to get a good shot of it all together though- the sun is never right and it looks really washed out.  I am still trying to get a good shot of that bed but it is filling out and looking really good.  I think the Pavonia is the happiest of all in there next to this watermelon- wonder how it will taste... and there are about 8 more in there but none quite this large yet.

Here's the Pavonia:

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

I think this is a really neat thing that May Dreams Gardens has done to ask everyone to post what is blooming in their gardens!  

To be fair I only am posting plants that are blooming in the planted beds today with the one exception of the Cereus.  It was just too pretty not to share.  

Here we go- here is what is blooming today:

In the front planter- I really like this plant- it is a Brazilian Pavonia and I like the burgundy center.  I think it makes a nice contrast to the pale pink.

 The Delospermum are growing like crazy in the front planter.  Such a neat contrast to the Queen Victoria Agave (which is not blooming so no photo).

The Hamelia are full of blooms.

The Tecoma are full of blooms as well- little late in the day to be taking photos on most of these but I got here late so had to deal with the sun on the plants that aren't shaded so sorry some of the photos aren't better.

Plumbago, how can you ever go wrong with Plumbago? 

The Mexican Bird of Paradise Caesalpinia.  So interesting I think with the red sprays.

The White Salvia are blooming like mad- did a close up so you can see the touches of pink.

The Palo Verde- got a little bee in the one bloom to the right.  He was unphased I was there nor was he phased by the wind which was making my photo session difficult.

The Thyrallis are blooming away.  I will admit this has never been my favorite plant but Shonna swears if I just give it time I will come to love it.  We shall see. 

Mystic Spires Salvia, oldie but goodie.  How can you not love these?  I have it in the side bed by the Caesalpinia - I think there are only purple and yellow flowers in this bed.  I also have the other Caesalpinia at the opposite end that is all yellow but it wasn't in full bloom today- when he is showing off I will post that- a really pretty one.

Cat Mint bloom- in my purple and yellow bed of course.  This is a neat little plant.

There you have it.  Everything I have that is in bloom and pretty enough to post. Hope you enjoy.  I wish I had gotten here a little earlier so the sun would not have been quite so bright for the shots.  Now I am off to continue looking at all the pretty posts!!!