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Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - July 2020

July has been a tough month for the garden and the gardener so far here in zone 9a in Southeast Texas. Our daytime temperatures have hovered in the high 90s Fahrenheit while the daily heat index has been closer to 110. There has been little rain and it's been a challenge for my sprinklers to keep up. My plants are showing the strain.

 In spite of all that, I do have a few blooms to show you from some of my tough plants that laugh at the heat. 

 (Full disclosure: Some of these pictures are from my archives, but all are images of plants currently blooming in the garden.) 
 Crape myrtle (of course).
 And more crape myrtle.
 'Laura Bush' petunia.
 Summer phlox.
Hamelia patens, aka Mexican firebush. 
The Anisacanthus wrightii is beginning to bloom which makes the bumblebees happy. 
Lantana.

 Crocosmia.
 Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum,' aka black-eyed Susan.
 Echinacea, purple coneflower.
 Joe Pye weed. It isn't a weed at all but a very useful native wildflower.
 Portulaca.
 Milk and wine lilies (crinums).
 More crinums.
 Native sunflowers.
 Buttonbush.
 Justicia 'Orange Flame.'
 Evolvulous 'Blue Daze.'
 Almond verbena.

 Duranta erecta.
I have never had any luck with buddleias. I'm not sure why, but for some reason, they don't seem to like my garden. The soil or climate? My brown thumbs? Anyway, I decided to try again this year with 'Miss Molly.' So far, she's alive and even putting out a few blooms. Hope is alive.
The datura 'Purple Ballerina' is almost done but still putting out a few blooms.
 The blossoms of 'Pride of Barbados' are just as hot as the weather.
And, of course, the hot, dry conditions don't bother the water lilies at all.

How are conditions where you are this July? I hope you and your garden are flourishing. Thank you for visiting mine and I look forward to visiting you in turn.

Thank you, Carol of May Dreams Gardens, for hosting us this month and every month. 
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Comments

  1. AlanaJuly 15, 2020 at 6:00 AM

    We've had a very warm (even hot) summer this July but right now it's in the low to mid 80's where it belongs. Next week, back to the possible 90's. I used to live in hotter climes and I miss crepe myrtles, which will not grow in my zone. I always enjoy your flowers. This time the crepe myrtle, the Pride of Barbados, and the criniums, which I saw when I visited Columbia, South Carolina in August of 2017. Happy GBBD to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 15, 2020 at 10:34 AM

      The three you mentioned are certainly standards for our climate. They can take the heat, even though the crinums do wilt at mid-day.

      Delete
  2. David M. Gascoigne,July 15, 2020 at 6:06 AM

    That kind of heat would cause me to wilt, let alone the plants! Thankfully, our hot spell ended a few days ago, and it has been very pleasant - in the low twenties, and we have even had a little much-needed rain,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 15, 2020 at 10:35 AM

      It causes me to wilt, too, which is why I'm spending less time in the garden these days and more time reading.

      Delete
  3. LisaJuly 15, 2020 at 10:41 AM

    The Pride of Barbados is sure pretty! Your portulaca reminded me that I didn't have any this year. It's one I buy, and I haven't been in stores much (twice in four months if we're counting) and those were necessities.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 15, 2020 at 11:19 AM

      My portulaca is a reseed, fortunately. Like you, my in-store shopping has been virtually nonexistent since March.

      Delete
  4. Judy KruegerJuly 15, 2020 at 11:22 AM

    My yard is fairly happy this July. After the tree trimming two weeks ago, which changed the light and sun patterns quite a bit, and worried me not a little, everything seems good. I have been meaning to ask you, if you know, why my lantana does not bloom in the summer, only the spring and fall. It is a spreading variety which I just let go on the hill behind my house but I wish it would bloom. Yours always seems to be blooming.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 15, 2020 at 12:33 PM

      The trailing lantana (usually purple or white) does seem to be at its best in the fall and winter here. Mine blooms some in spring as well and puts out a few blooms in the summer, but they are really negligible, so I would say my experience mirrors yours. I think that may just be the plant's habit so I really haven't tried to encourage it to bloom more in summer. The mounding lantanas do bloom profusely through the summer heat.

      Delete
    2. Judy KruegerJuly 17, 2020 at 11:27 AM

      Thanks for answering my question. That has been my observation too and now I can let them do their thing without worrying I am doing something wrong.

      Delete
  5. CommonweederJuly 15, 2020 at 12:57 PM

    How wonderful to have crocosmia already. Here in Massachusetts I'll have to wait another month. Beautiful photoss - and flowers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 15, 2020 at 2:07 PM

      My crocosmia's actually near the end of its bloom. It has been flowering since June.

      Delete
  6. Lee@A Guide to Northeastern GardeningJuly 15, 2020 at 1:31 PM

    I love all your beautiful blooms and seeing the Crape Myrtle in bloom makes me long to see mine blooming in a couple of weeks. Your water lilies are gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 15, 2020 at 2:08 PM

      I particularly like the water lilies because I don't have to water them!

      Delete
  7. thecuecardJuly 15, 2020 at 5:15 PM

    Beautiful ! I particularly like the Crape Myrtles and the water lilies .... Love all the color you have. Knock on wood ... we haven't had a heatwave here yet .... and tend to get thunderstorms in the late afternoon.

    ReplyDelete
  8. LeaJuly 15, 2020 at 8:19 PM

    A beautiful selection!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Arun GoyalJuly 15, 2020 at 10:51 PM

    Hey dorothy how are u doing ! I wish my garden to have all those blooms during this time .I am missing my Crinum blooms this season and your peacock flower blooms are beautiful .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 16, 2020 at 10:25 AM

      A summer without crinum blooms just wouldn't be summer here.

      Delete
  10. SwimrayJuly 21, 2020 at 6:10 AM

    I saw Mexican Firebush when in Florida and wished I could grow it here. So many blooms look like a you live a botanical garden. I really like the crinums and was thinking of adding some to my plant family some day - something else I would need to dig up and save over winter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJuly 21, 2020 at 10:38 AM

      The firebush really lives up to its name when it is in full bloom. It looks like it has tongues of flame all over.

      Delete

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