Bloom Me Away!

Today marks the beginning of the third year of Bloom Days, in which Carol of May Dreams Gardens in Indianapolis invites her fellow garden bloggers to share what's blooming at their place on the 15th of each month. If blooms outside are still weeks or months away, gardeners are encouraged to get creative and post about their indoor plants, that favorite needlepoint pillow, a floral comforter or quilt ... even silk flowers!

At a time of year when many gardeners are still feeling winter's chill and even their winter blooming snowdrops are shy about making an appearance, I feel very fortunate to have another colorful Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day here on my corner of Katy. This is the first year I've had success with Delphiniums, which took a bit of a pounding from the rain. Purchased as sturdy young plants in 4 inch pots, just barely budding out, they've grown and flourished and are loaded with bountiful blossoms of blue. Perhaps the weather conditions this year were more to their liking or perhaps I placed them in exactly the spot they wanted ... whatever the reason, they look lovely to me despite their sodden condition. I'm learning that Delphs can get a bit top heavy and need staking: here we see my friend Alvaro helping out.


This gorgeous blue flower is Eranthemum pulchellum nervosum, sometimes called Blue Sage.


Nothing says spring in Texas like our native Bluebonnets. Peak bloom season is usually March to April, but several of mine decided they didn't care what the calendar said. Notice the red dots on a couple of the lower flowers? Here's a bit of bluebonnet trivia for you: that red dot signifies that the bloom has been pollinated. The white spot on the flower is to attract bees to pollinate. Once the flower has been pollinated, the spot turns red so the bees will know to go to another flower. (I learned that fun fact at last year's Garden Bloggers' Spring Fling visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. More on this year's Fling at the end of this post.)


Much as I love bluebonnets, if I were allowed only one spring annual, there's no doubt in my mind at all what it would be: Linaria maroccana, Toadflax.


This Osteospermum was a rescue from the clearance racks at Lowe's. I've had trouble getting them to grow before so I'm delighted at how happy this one has been where I planted it.

I do have other colors besides blues and purples in the gardens. A Crown of Thorns adds a splash of red to a patio.

The Calylophus in the corner bed have bloomed nonstop this winter.


As I mentioned earlier, plans are in the works for this year's Garden Bloggers Spring Fling, to be held May 29-31 in Chicago. Check out their website at Chicago Spring Fling for detailed information on the schedule of events. In addition to the fantastic gardens I'll get to visit, I'm looking forward to reuniting with some of the wonderful gardeners I met last year, and meeting others for the first time.
Many thanks to the organizers who are working so hard to make this an amazing weekend for bloggers from across the country.

Comments

Gail said…
Lovely blooms Cindy and I do like the poster...How did you do that? The only delphinium I have had luck with is a native D tricorn and it can be temperamental~~

Looking forward to seeing you at Spring Fling~have a good rest of the day. Itis too chilly to go dig in the garden today...with temps in the twenties threatening the rest of the week as lows. Whine, whine, twang, twang! (That is a good Pam Tillis song!)

Gail
Carol Michel said…
I love delphiniums and am always trying to get them to bloom in my garden, but haven't had much luck. Yours makes me all envious!

Looking forward to seeing you again in Chicago!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Anonymous said…
What a gorgeous collection of blooms. I also did a collage. Just breathtaking. I'd forgotten that bit of Bluebonnet trivia.~~Dee
Beautiful blooms and the presentation is marvelous. Happy GBBD.
Nancy said…
Cindy, your hard work in the garden is showing!

PS: The pink jasmine is worth it!
I'm amazed at what you have blooming now. I can't get over that bluebonnet - it's so early!

I also love your goldfinch station. We've had a lot of them here but many of them disappeared during the very windy storm we had last week. But they left the pine siskins behind! :-)
Your garden looks like it's at peak bloom. How refreshing to see Delphiniums and Coreopsis in full bloom. Is that a pink Calla Lily? Wow!
EAL said…
Many here have great success with delphs here, but mine has been spotty. I like the little pig (bull?) sculpture a lot.
Cindy! I'm so glad to put a person to the page! I love all your blue blooms...you'll have to let me know when you come to town so we can hit the nurseries together or at least meet up for a drinky-winky at my favorite watering hole...home:)
Anonymous said…
Hey Cindy,
You've got some great blooms in your garden. It was really nice meeting you at the Garden Design class. Hope to see you again soon.
Dreamybee said…
Gorgeous! I love the blue of the delphiniums. I've tried them a couple times here, but the slugs always manage to take them out in one night. Maybe I'll try it again one of these days. I'll just have to plan more vigilant slug patrols! I like your flying (dancing?) frog too!
I love all the blue blooms! And your linaria made me realize I forgot to plant any this year...and it's one of my favorite spring bloomers too, darn it! Oh well...next year...
Your blooms are amazing Cindy! I can't believe you have so many alreadt. I can just imagine what your garden will look like in another month! (you will be showing us pictures, right!) :)
Cindy, MCOK said…
Gail, the collage is a Picasa trick. I downloaded their photo editing software and have found it very useful. And fun!

Carol, I trust you will wear your SGAFO pin to Fling?

Dee, your collage was beautiful!

Lisa, thanks for stopping by! I hope to meet you at Fling.

Nancy, I'll have to see where I can fit/shoehorn a pink jasmine!

Jean, I think the confinchion is winding down here. There weren't many at the feeders yesterday.

MMD, isn't that pink Calla Lily something? The color is very intense.

EAL, the sculpture is a flying pig. His name is Alvaro because I was listening to Lyle Lovett's Road to Ensenada a lot at the time I bought the sculpture. The title song has the words "adios to Alvaro" and the name just seemed to fit.

Cheryl & Randy, I hope I can join y'all for some nursery hopping in Austin sometime!

Dreamy, the frog is part of a hose guide from Smith & Hawken ... isn't he a cutie?

Leslie, I'll do my best to remember to save you some seeds for Linaria. I can't imagine spring in my garden without them!

MT, I'll do my best to chronicle spring's progress in the garden!