Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - April 2020

In my zone 9a garden near Houston, the March showers have brought April flowers in abundance.


 All the roses are blooming, none more profusely than this pink Knockout rose.


 'Julia Child' with a little visitor on one of the petals.


This rose was actually a "volunteer" in the garden and I have no idea what its name is, but I like it.


 'Belinda's Dream.'


And here is the 'Lady of Shallott.'


 Isn't she lovely?


This is a wildflower called Texas groundsel that has seeded itself in my garden beds. I've let it grow there because I think it is quite pretty.


And this is another wildflower that seeded itself in a garden bed last year and has now returned. It is called Philadelphia fleabane.


 My camellia still has a few blooms.


 And nearby, the Encore azalea has been blooming.


 Red hibiscus with a few dianthus blossoms.


 And white hibiscus, variety name unknown.


This plant caught my eye on a spring trip to Antique Rose Emporium and I just had to get a few for my garden. It's from Western Australia and it's called kangaroo paws.


 This is 'Hot Lips' salvia.


White yarrow.

 Amaryllis 'Apple Blossom.'


 Amaryllis, variety name lost in memory.


 Butterfly iris.


 Clematis 'Niobe.'


I gave the oleander a severe haircut a few weeks ago but it has recovered enough to bloom. 


 Red columbine.


The bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas. They have been blooming gloriously in the wild for more than a month, but the ones in my garden have only started blooming within the past week.

During our period of necessary isolation, the garden has been a great comfort to me. I spend hours in it each day working and sometimes just sitting and enjoying it. I feel quite sorry for those in isolation who do not have access to a garden.

I hope you are enjoying your garden in this season and that both it and you are doing well. Thank you Carol of May Dreams Gardens for bringing us all together again this month. Happy gardening to all and stay safe.   

Comments

  1. I like your Lady of Shallot, soft colors and warm feelings. I think you red rose volunteer may be Dr. Huey which is commonly used as a rootstock.

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    1. That seems like a very good guess. The mystery rose appeared in a bed where there had been other roses so it could very well have sprung from the roots of others. Thank you for the information.

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  2. A garden may be the best therapy of all during this period of confinement. We are fortunate who have them. Stay well, Dorothy. Your national leadership (or lack thereof) is becoming the laughing stock of the entire world.

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    Replies
    1. I may start referring to it as my therapy garden and, as you indicate, the national leadership we are currently burdened with makes us all need therapy.

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  3. Dorothy - I love your roses! I have several roses, with four more being delivered tomorrow including the Lady of Shallot. I may have room for one more and I've been thinking about Julia Child - a great cook who I look to, and a beautiful yellow rose.

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    Replies
    1. I hope your 'Lady of Shallott' performs as well for you as mine has for me. And I do highly recommend the 'Julia Child.'

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  4. My garden is my consolation, too, Dorothy, although the cold and rain prevents me from spending as much time as I would like there. Your April blooms are stunning -- especially the roses. P.

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    1. Surely you'll start getting some warmer weather soon, Pam. Here's hoping!

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  5. Our "therapy garden" is just now waking up, and I so enjoyed all your roses, which we won't have for another month or more. Also enjoyed your bluebonnet, which we don't have. So nice to think of someone's warm weather, given that we will get snow tonight.

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    1. More snow? My goodness! Winter just doesn't know when to quit, does it?

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  6. Beauty is certainly in abundance right now. We finally had a warm, sunny day yesterday and took a walk around the neighborhood, so full of blooms and so green. My butterfly iris burst into bloom just the other day.

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    1. It's so great to be able to get out and enjoy warm weather and all of its blooms. I'm glad you are able to do that.

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  7. Such a pretty assortment! I am not much of a rose grower, but love to see photos of other people's roses!

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  8. The 'Lady of Shallott' rose is quite a beauty most definitely!! I enjoy roses quite a bit. I lived near Santa Barbara, California with my husband for several years. There was a rose farm there that gave tours of their garden starting in May through the summer months. It was a fabulous place to visit.

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    1. The Antique Rose Emporium is a rose farm about an hour from our home where they specialize in old roses. They also sell other plants like the kangaroo paws I featured above. We like to visit there at least once in the spring and I always come home with a trunk full of plants!

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    2. The Antique Rose Emporium sounds like a fabulous place to visit.

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  9. Woah! What a way to start out bloom day with those roses!
    -Ray

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Ray. Roses always make the day special.

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  10. All beautiful - isn't 'Lady of Shallot' a wonderful rose? It is one of my favorites.

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  11. Lovely roses .I have always liked the collection of different varieties of roses but our harsh summer doesn't allow in doing so.That camellia has superb color.I missed planting yarrow for this spring this year.Happy blooms day.Stay indoors and take care.

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    1. We are sticking close to home and garden these days, doing our best not to contribute to the problem. I hope you and all your family are safe and well, too.

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  12. Beautiful!
    I like wildflowers, too. We will have to mow the yard soon, but I have been enjoying all the wildflowers that just pop up in the grass each Spring.
    Have a blessed day!

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    1. There are tiny wildflowers throughout what we laughingly refer to as our "lawn," in fact about as many weeds and wildflowers as grass. But occasionally, one seeds itself in one of my planting beds and, if I like it, it gets to stay.

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