Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - October

Happy fall from Central Texas.  My severely drought-stricken garden's been rain-shocked!  Following one of the driest Augusts on record (including the historic 1950's drought), the area's been deluged with rain in September and October. A cold front moved in this week causing flooding and dropping evening temps into the 50s.  Official rain count for my neighborhood totals seven inches over the past six weeks, but my rain gauges claim twice that.

A sure sign of fall is the appearance of the Sternbergia lutea, a crocus-like flower in the Amaryllis family, also called 'fall daffodil.'  A small Queen Victoria and zexmenia lie directly behind.
Sternbergia lutea

'Velvet Violet' salvia, gray globemallow, blackfoot daisies, damianita.
garden in October

Scarlet sage.
Scarlet sage

Caesalphinia mexicana, gray globemallow, and Texas lantana in the foreground; in the back, yellow bells esperanza, and some waterlogged blue plumbago.
fall garden

Mexican bush sage and yellow Knock-Out roses.
mexican bush salvia & yellow knock-out roses

This little patch of oregano dries up to brown sticks every summer and rebounds with the first wet cold spell every fall.
oregano

Rosemary in bloom.
rosemary in bloom

Bearss or Tahitian lime in bloom.
bearss lime

'Hot Lips' salvia.
hot lips salvia

In the veggie garden, the snap peas are coming up amongst the Egyptian walking white multiplying onions, and the artichoke that never budded last year has come back from the roots.
veggie garden

Horseherb is popping up everywhere.  EVERYWHERE.
horseherb

'Sapphire Showers' duranta.
duranta

Dayflower or 'Widow's Tears'.  A wildflower.
widows tears

'Buff Beauty' rose.  Its leaves are yellowed from the drought.
buff beauty rose

The 'Old Blush' is budding.
old blush buds

'La Marne' is just starting to bloom.
la marne rose

Dwarf Barbados cherry.
dwarf barbados cherry

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.  Visit her blog for photos of fall blooms from all over the world.

Words and photos © 2009-2013 Caroline Homer for "The Shovel-Ready Garden". Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Comments

  1. I think all of the gardens in Texas are thankful for rain! I know mine is, especially our pine trees. I'm afraid we might lose one though.

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  2. Your garden looks amazing! It's going to enjoy the next few warmer days, I'll bet. It's be like a greenhouse for a few days after all of this rain.

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  3. Your garden looks fantastic! Love those fall daffodils. The rain and cooler temps have been wonderful:)

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  4. All things with wings must love your home.....happy gbbd

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  5. Beautiful collection of flowers. Your garden is really wonderful :)
    Greetings

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