Purple and blue flowers are making the biggest statement in my garden this Bloom Day. Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Warrior,' Salvia leucantha and Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' are the chief attention-grabbers.
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| Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Warrior' continues to produce new blooms |
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| Salvia leucantha is in bloom in my garden and many others in my area |
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| Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' catches the light in my front border |
But other purples play strong supporting roles.
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| Cuphea hyssopifolia (aka false heather) isn't flashy but it makes a great groundcover below the fountain |
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| Hebe speciosa 'Variegata' has bloomed since spring with regular dead-heading (although I think it might be happier with a little less sun) |
Some deserve acclaim for sheer perseverance.
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| The only time Osteospermum ecklonis '3D Silver' hasn't been in bloom is when I've hacked it back but it clearly likes October's cooler temperatures |
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| Acanthus mollis 'Summer Beauty' has been in bloom continuously since late April! One of it's 2 current bloom spikes has faded but the newer one still looks good. |
Bright blues are making a showing too.
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| Salvia 'Mystic Spires' likes regular dead-heading |
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| This Salvia macrophylla is still a small plant but that blue color is something! |
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| Close-up of bright blue blooms |
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| An Agapanthus flower has made an early return visit |
Pink blooms are everywhere but, with one exception, they keep lower profiles.
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| Angelonia 'Angelmist Dark Pink" provides a bright accent in my dry garden |
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| Arbutus 'Marina' is producing a steady supply of new blooms |
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| Okay, these aren't pink but, in addition to the new blooms shown above, the Arbutus 'Marina' trees are producing berries too |
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| Celosia argentea var. spicata is the least demure of the pink bloomers |
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| Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink,' another continuous bloomer, makes a nice combination with Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' in the front border |
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| My potted fuchsias responded well to extra water. I think this one is 'Deep Purple,' which opens with a purple/blue corolla that fades to pink. |
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| Fuchsia 'Bella Rosella' |
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| A hoya (no ID) I've had in a pot for years has finally produced it's first waxy bloom! |
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| These double pink Lisianthus look pretty in a picture but I still don't like them in the back border |
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| The Nandina berries start green, turn pink, then orange and finally red |
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| This Nerium oleander leans into my garden from the neighbor's property |
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| The ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) and Calibrachoa are heavy bloomers in a pot on the sunny front porch |
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| More ivy geranium in bloom in a border alongside the raised vegetable planters |
Of course, there are a few white, yellows and oranges too.
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| Argyranthemum 'Elsa White' in bloom since their installation in March in a side yard bed created as a result of removal of a tall Eucalyptus tree |
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| The white form of Centranthus ruber, a virtual weed in my garden, is entering a new bloom cycle in the dry garden |
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| Some Coreopsis 'Big Bang Redshift' are still blooming in the backyard border |
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| Euryops 'Sonnenschein' is both drought tolerant and shorter than the the Euryops I commonly find in local garden centers, reaching just 2 feet tall at maturity |
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| Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' is still going strong |
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| I'm hoping that this Helichrysum italicum, new to my garden, will do as well as the other gray-leaved Helichrysum |
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| This dwarf Tagetes lemmonii (aka Copper Canyon daisy) is also a recent addition to the garden |
I think that's all that's fit to highlight this month. Please visit Carol's
May Dreams Gardens to find links to other gardeners' presentations of the plants currently in bloom in their gardens.
