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My original intention was to ignore May Dreams Garden's GBBD for this month - here in Austin we've had 62 days over 100 degrees F - just a few days from the record. Rain is just a memory and the few plants with flowers seemed to be the same ones that appeared in July - so what was the point? But then on Saturday a Texas Star Hibiscus that I'd been babying along rewarded me with one bright red flower
I stubbornly held out... then this morning I noticed an open flower on a Stapelia gigantea plant that I'd moved to a semi-sunny spot on the patio.
I took the pot to the patio table for a closer look - not just one flower but with 2 more buds
I couldn't ignore this! My current herd of Stapelia plants descend from one given to me by my Aunt Phyllis over 20 years ago. "Herd" may not be the official collective noun for Stapelia, but doesn't it seem appropriate for members of the Milk-weed family? Stapelias are container plants here - our winters will kill them if they're left outside. Carrion flower is another name - the meaty scent draws flies.
The Blue Butterfly clerodendron bloomed for July GBBD - but the BLUE is a transient characteristic now, rather than a permanent attribute. Look how bleached the blooms become in this intense sun:
The little annual native Zinnia linearis (or if you prefer, Zinnia angustifolia) have been in bloom only because I handwater them. The grass is not so lucky.
I also water a container of 'Sun Gold' tomatoes - soaking it well every day. The runoff seeps into the ground, ending up in the roots of the native Sunflower just below the container, keeping the flowers and seedheads in production for the finches.
A similar relationship has developed under this not-quite-established 'Zuni' crepe myrtle, put in last winter with hopes it will someday shade the breakfast room windows. I planted a 'Mexico Midget' tomato under the young tree so watering one waters both.
Keeping the Sunflower and Crepe Myrtle alive means keeping the tiny tomato plants alive & keeping the tomatoes alive means I get a small handful of little tomatoes a couple of times a week. They're very tart and go especially well in tuna salad. 
The heat means I refill birdbaths and saucers at least once - usually twice- a day. I've been diligent about watering other plants with flowers that are not just decorative, but are important to wildlife. The bees need flowers like the tiny pink & lilac blooms on this Cuphea 
Usually my assorted collection of tubular red and blue Salvias keep blooming most of the summer, but this year some Salvias have bailed and others refuse to bloom at all. Some extra water coaxed the Mexican Honeysuckle into taking up the slack as a nectar source for the hummingbirds.
If you think things have gone to the birds around here, you're right! The lawn is toast, the vegetable garden abandoned, and even the cooking sage may have croaked, but I won't give up trying to keep my friends with wings alive.
For a complete list of what's in bloom with botanical names go to my Annie's Addendum blog. To see the GBBD posts of other gardeners go to May Dreams Gardens.
I hope you get rain soon! Your flowers are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have been surprised to hear that you had no blooms. What a nightmare the weather has been for you and all other Texans. It is good to see a few things still alive and blooming. I won't even complain about our little drought here. Happy GBBD anyway.
ReplyDeletethe yellow brown of texas is upon you!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about the wildlife. I have a few plants placed well for group watering, but could use more. Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you have some plants flowering in your garden even if you are having to baby them along. You are going to have to give me another cutting of Aunt Phyllis' stapelia. I did have a beautiful flower last year, which I really enjoyed, but lost the plant over the winter. Happy GBBD
ReplyDeleteGlad you're keeping the birds going...I'm sure they appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteKnow what you mean about the consideration for just skipping GBBD...so dry & tired (and so is the garden). But that Stapelia bloom is pretty impressive (though I hope you took the picture from an upwind location). Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteThat Stapelia is freaky looking in a good way! I'm envious you're still getting cherry tomatoes. Love the Texas Star Hibiscus, too.
ReplyDeleteThings are looking better at Cercis Circus than I had feared. I'm so glad to see you've been able to keep some plants going by hand watering, but that must be a chore in this heat. If I knew any rain dances, I'd do one for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that your flowers insisted on joining in for bloom day and dragging you along with them! Thanks for "listening" to them and showing us how resilient they can be.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, Annie, 62 days over a hundred??! I will have to remember this when I'm complaining this winter--I can take the cold better than the heat. I'm amazed you have anything blooming at all, but your hibiscus is so pretty. Even here in Illinois it's hard to keep up with the watering these days, but I think you have your priorities in order--the birds in Texas must be mighty thirsty these days.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your pictures so much...I lived in Wichita, KS in the summer of 1980 so I have an idea of the work it's taken to keep your garden open. I wish I could send some cool weather and rain your way. All your rain is here in upstate NY and it won't leave! I enjoyed your crepe myrtle especially - it doesn't grow here in our zone 5 climate.
ReplyDeleteYour Texas heat and drought have been merciless and I greatly sympathize, Annie. I'm happy to see the lovely Texas Star and Stapelia blooming for you - a little salve for your wounds.
ReplyDeleteI know how much you appreciate all those tough survivors and how happy you are to have those tasty little home-grown tomatoes. They look like tiny globes of gold.
May you be blessed with a good rain soon, dear friend.
It's been one helluva summer hasn't it my friend? I say we declare this one over and done, and head on to fall.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteOh boy...that looks like a tough situation. I admire your commitment to your tomato. Almost like you're taking a stand, the heat can take the grass, but you draw the line at the tomato!
ReplyDeleteI surely hope you will see relief soon.
So sorry for your travails this year. Must be just horrid to deal with. So you should be proud of your signs of life in your garden. Take care. Next year is a whole new beginning.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments and sympathy, folks - 2011 in Austin gave us 90 days over 100 degrees F with the driest year since records began in the 1850's. Long range forecasts suggest that we are in a 10-year drought.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, we got a couple of inches of rain about 10 days ago - some plants revived & others immediately died. Life here is just day-to-day.
Annie
Whoa! You've got some mad blooms! Stapelia. I FINALLY have learned the name. I had one years ago and loved when it flowered.
ReplyDeleteNow that I've caught up on your posts about the drought, boy - how horrible! I haven't stopped by in forever (or what seems like forever) - life has been a bit too busy (which is just... WRONG) - but busy is one thing, lack of rain is another - and for a gardener, it's as if the sun has gone away. I hope the past month or so has brought rain - about a month after I moved into my rental place in DC, we had about 10 inches of rain in a short period of time, bringing 8 inches of the stuff into the basement. It seems like feast or famine. Regardless of the rainfall, I hope this finds you well, and enjoying a long and grateful Thanksgiving weekend.
ReplyDelete