The Festive Season has passed and the New Year resolutions are still top of mind. The summer has deepened and the blooms are inviting the butterflies and the bees for a friendly visit. The wind this time of year is unusual and the hot, searing air makes all the flowers and plants thirsty. The heat of the summer is upon us so stay cool this Bloom Day!
Here’s what’s blooming in Barbie’s garden in January 2013
I know that our Northern friends can only wish for this summer heat! Out our way, the air is so dry and the grasses are a soft caramel colour. The clay ground is as hard as cement so no big planting projects are planned. The plants are so thirsty and I have to water almost twice a day. I have more blooms than I expected. Here is what my lovely garden is putting up for show!
My front garden
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My roses are still beautiful[/one_half]
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Lemon verbena is still a favourite[/one_half_last]
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The Leopard Tree in gorgeous this time of year – in bloom and lush green.
Hot Lips Salvia – a never-failing favourite!!
The Veggie Patch
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Black Beauty Eggplant[/one_half]
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Squash flower[/one_half_last]
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Fennel attracts beneficial bugs[/one_half]
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Chive flowers[/one_half_last]
Chilli pepper
Calendula – a health-giving flower, but still need to find a use for it
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Violas all over the veggie patch[/one_half]
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Oreganum flower – my first I’ve ever seen[/one_half_last]
My Back Garden
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I bought this sweet flowering plant one day – and I don’t have a clue what it is called!
A Gaura in your garden is a must – such a lovely plant with whirling butterfly flowers
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Potato bush is more like a tree![/one_half]
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Fleabain – still a lovely ground cover[/one_half_last]
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Tansy attracts all the bees![/one_half]
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I don’t know why I forget this flower![/one_half_last]
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Irises still blooming – amazing!!![/one_half]
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So pretty – my favourite of all!!![/one_half_last]
Dietes Grandiflora – finally a bloom!
Mexican Petuna – also a new bloom!
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The Thyme is flowering – so sweet![/one_half]
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Viola is everywhere! Helpful ground cover[/one_half_last]
That’s it from Philly, lets see whats happening in Christine’s garden in Cape Town …
Here’s what’s blooming in Christine’s garden in January 2013
In the last eighteen months I spent so much time planting wonderful foliage plants – and I really have lovely foliage – but sadly, not enough blooms! For this Bloom Day I don’t have much to show, but Barbie’s Garden sure makes up for it 🙂
Here are some of my favourite blooms …
[one_half]The Gloriosa Lily
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[one_half_last]Pentas loved by butterflies
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[one_half]These flower reliably for me
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[one_half_last]Bower vine mixing in
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[one_half]I love the pink Gaura too
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[one_half_last]Russian Sage with Dietes
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[one_half]Calibrachoa as ground cover
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[one_half_last]Mexican Petubias are back!
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[one_half]Blooming but past their prime
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[one_half_last]Four leaf clover has flowers 🙂
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About Garden Bloggers Bloom Day
Join Carol and friends over at May Dreams Gardens to see what other gardeners around the world have blooming in January! And if you haven’t joined yet and have some blooms you’d like to show off, please join in the fun of showcasing your blooms! We’d love to see what YOU have blooming in your garden right now!
Thank you for joining us!
PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do!
Happy gardening xxx
10 replies on “Mid-summer in Two Gardens for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day”
Its lovely to see such wonderful flowers when here in London everything is covered in snow. You have really lifted my spirits today.
C x
I love coming here in your Summer when we are in the deep depths of Winter… gives me hope for color again. Your blooms are so beautiful!
Just beautiful! I’m happy to know the name of Dietes grandiflora. I have a clump, which I need to move to a more prominent place — it’s so pretty. I’m very jealous of your lemon verbena; I haven’t seen any here in Rwanda. I wonder if it’s practical to grow it from seed?
Well ladies I can feel the summer sweet heat coming of those gorgeous flowers. I feel like if I looked out my window I would see many of the same flowers…no that bubble has burst and we are still in winter 🙁
I love the blooms in your garden because they are so different to mine! 🙂 I am so pleased my Mexican Petunia is finally blooming.
Love your Russian sage with the Dietes! Nice combo.
Dear Barbara, The colorful blooms in your garden, and in Christine’s, warm my heart as mine is covered in a blanket of snow! P. x
Thanks for sharing your blooms with us. It is so nice to see such vibrant flowers at the moment when everything here is grey or frozen.
It’s so cold in London, I’m sitting at home with my coat on. Looking at your photos almost warmed me up. Gorgeous gauras.
So many blooms! I can’t believe your irises are still blooming – to me they are a spring bloom. I agree that every garden needs gaura. Such a sweet plant. And a four leaf clover! How special! I enjoyed looking at your blooms. Not much to see here!
Beautiful, and you’re right: we need this! Thanks for providing some winter relief!
p.s. I want to see what Christine ended up doing around the water feature this year — there was question about the side plantings and the back wall. Or did you already post about this and I’ve forgotten?