It is time for me to join Carol again over at May Dreams Gardens for a monthly view of what is blooming in the garden.
A new bloom this month is the Oxalis Iron Cross. These were some free bulbs that I got along with my fall bulb purchase. The dainty pink flowers are very charming.
The pansies are a cold-weather performer. I haven't had to protect these guys from any of our mild freezes, nor have I needed to provide them any supplemental water. They do well with the misting precipitation that we get every few days.
Pansies always make me think of Alice in Wonderland.
The purple trailing lantana is helping to provide nectar to the few remaining butterflies that have stuck around for the Texas winter.
The hot pink of the autumn sage brings a pop of color to the front beds.
The vitex is looking pretty bare these days, but there are still some blooms hanging on.
Thanks for joining me for my December blooms. Be sure to check out other gardeners' blooms over at May Dreams Gardens.
Beautiful! I have not heard of purple trailing lantana before.
ReplyDeleteI envy you your pansies. I set out a dozen plants in October. So far I have had one - just one! bloom. Maybe they are saving themselves for January.
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
Lea
Thanks, Lea. I'd say that the purple trailing lantana stays in bloom the longest out of all the lantana varieties that I have, making it a great nectar source for wildlife. If it is compatible with your zone, and available in your area, I'd definitely recommend it!
DeleteI hadn't seen that particular oxalis before - it is lovely. Will it naturalize in your spaces? A massed group of those blooms would be stunning, don't you think? Hope you have a happy holiday season and that your pansies keep smiling through until Spring.
ReplyDeleteI'm certainly hoping it will naturalize. I guess I'll wait and see! I started with about 25 little bulbs, so there is a small cluster in my shade tree garden now. I'd love to see it grow to a larger mass grouping.
DeleteThat oxalis is beautiful--such a gorgeous color! And your pink greggii--wow! I have one or two blooms on my white greggi and that's it; all the others have pooped out. I agree with you about the purple lantana--it seems to have quite tough nature against freezes--it takes a hard one to finally knock it back. Enjoy your blooms.
ReplyDeleteThe oxalis was a fun surprise with my latest bulb purchase. I just love the design on the leaves as well as the coral color of the petals. Most of my greggii are spent - it was just this one plant hanging on.
DeleteWe have many plants in common, although I have to say I envy the way yours look compared to mine! That purple trailing lantana is a real winner, isn't it? It's at its best in my garden at this time of year and the butterflies just love it.
ReplyDeleteI do love the purple trailing lantana. It doesn't grow quite as vigorously as my other varieties of lantana - a good thing in my case, since my other lantana seem to take over the garden by the end of the season, even after heavy pruning each year. Lantana in general though are real winners in the Texas garden.
DeleteYou have far more in flower than me in your garden at this time of year. Lovely photos. I like your Oxalis. Groetjes from Holland, Hetty
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hetty. The iron cross oxalis were definitely a nice late fall bloom surprise. Given the generally mild winters in Texas, it makes growing plants that bloom year-round much easier. However, I haven't done as well as I'd like to keep the blooms going in the late fall/early winter. Oh well, that's what so fun about gardening - constantly learning and evolving our gardens. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI like your oxalis, it is a plant I haven’t grown before. Pansies however used to be staples in my winter bedding but this year I decided to try something else for a change. But they sure are pretty and colourful at this time of year with their ‘faces’ towards the sun :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year trying out the pansies. Usually I'm not a big fan of growing annuals unless I've started them from seed and they reseed freely, but I couldn't help picking up a flat from the local nursery this year. I hear they are edible, so I'll have to try them in a salad or garnish a nice holiday cocktail with them soon.
DeleteI'm kind of afraid of growing Oxalis because I'm too used to pulling the weedy forms, but yours are very pretty. The pansies look great, too!
ReplyDeleteI love the colour of the Vitex flowers and that gorgeous Lantana. The Oxalis is pretty but I too have been plagued by its more invasive relations and I am a bit wary of it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures. I especially love the sage, I've got several in my own garden. I just don't have the patience for pansies, though!
ReplyDelete