Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - July 2014

Having missed June's Bloom Day because I was on vacation, I want to make sure that I get in on the fun this month!

Here is some of what's blooming in my zone 9a garden just outside of Houston in Southeast Texas. 


Datura, aka "devil's trumpet."

Cosmos. I love these bright blossoms.

The bumblebees love them, too! 

'Katie' ruellia is one of the better-mannered ruellias.

Blue plumbago is one of my most dependable summer bloomers, beloved by butterflies.

Hamelia patens, aka "hummingbird bush," has begun its bloom which will last for four to five months until our first frost.

Echinacea purpurea, the purple coneflower, has also begun to bloom.

While in another part of the garden, other echinaceas continue their bloom.

The humble marigold gets in on the act.

'Black and Blue' salvia.

'Mahogany' esperanza.

The ground cover wedelia sports its daisy-like yellow blossoms.

The weird and wonderful bloom of the Dutchman's pipe-vine.

Another weird blossom - the porterweed.

'Ellen Bosanquet' crinum.

The firecracker plant, Russelia equisetiformis, is just beginning to bloom.

But yellow cestrum has been blooming for months.

Anisacanthus shows why its common name is "flame acanthus."

These old-fashioned petunias are another long-term bloomer. They've been in bloom since spring.

Likewise, the 'Tangerine Beauty' crossvine gives its big flush of bloom in spring but continues to put out a few blooms right through summer and fall.

'Dortmund' rose - a simple, single blossom.

'Pride of Barbados' attracts butterflies like this Sulphur.

And on these hot days, the little fountain in my backyard garden attracts birds wanting to cool off, like this Northern Mockingbird.

Luckily, we have continued to have regular rain showers this summer which has kept the garden looking lush and has helped with the blooms, so color abounds in the July garden.

I hope your garden is looking lush and healthy this Bloom Day. Thank you for visiting, and, as always, thanks to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for hosting Bloom Day. 




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