They’re Back and Blooming
Posted: May 21, 2018 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, balsam impatiens, Black Eyed Susan, Gulf Coast gardening, Monarch Butterfly, Southern Gardening, subtropical climate, Subtropical Gardening, Year-round gardening 23 Comments
After a year of record breaking rain and freezing temperatures down to the teens, I was worried about my plants returning. But, they’re back and bigger than ever. I have been growing these reseeding Black Eyed Susan for many years and have never seen the flowers this large.
A seed from a Blanket Flower made its way across the driveway to grow in this crack.
It seems very happy against the hot wall and drive.
Speaking of hot, Hot Lips is back. It is Salvia microphylla.
The Mexican Hat returned. Being in a raised bed might have helped it survive the rains as they prefer drier soil.
One of my all time favorites, Balsam Impatiens, germinated from the seeds they dropped last year. Surprisingly, the seeds were not washed away.
These plants were grown by our founding fathers.
The Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata), managed to reseed a plant or two.
Even though the Butterfly Weed froze to the ground, the roots survived and it is ready for the Monarchs to visit.
A Five Lined Skink photo bombed the shoot.
Although most of the plants survived, there is always room for something new. I added this Bat Faced Cuphea, but expected it to be red and dark purple, but it is pretty anyway.
Another new addition is this petunia that just showed up in a front yard bed. I know I grew some several years ago. Did the seed survive or blow in from a neighbor? I will enjoy it while it’s here.
My winter anxiety has finally been relieved by seeing new blooms everyday. The Automatic Garden survived.
I love the second photo. Grow where you are planted…and bloom.
That is actually the title of an upcoming post.
We think alike…surprise.
We actually do post about similar things. I was going to do one on fungi, but thought yours was better.
I am sure we would have enjoyed yours also. There is no Fungi monopoly.
I didn’t want to seem like I copied…we have many of the same readers. Maybe I’ll post it this year. 🙂
amazing the resilience that plants show. I love how they find tiny cracks to grow in.
I am amazed and happy!
This is the kind of thing I’m aiming for in my garden too, and I’m very happy when plants self-seed. Perennials are wonderful in the way they ride the winter out.
I often relocate seedlings. It is great to get free plants!
Great array of blooms. I like the bat-faced cuphea too. I used to grow it, not quite sure why I don’t have any now, I’ll need to recify that. The skink is gorgeous too!
This has been a very good year for skinks.
Ahh, spring. Amazing what seeds can do.
It truly is.
I have seen blanket flower. Now I have seen blanket flower on crack.
It is very happy.
I am thinking of buying some plants soon; you have a lot of beautiful photos; great post
I think Mr. Skink lost part of his tail.😀I like tickweed but it can be invasive here in Ga., so I end up pulling some of it up.love your surprise flowers.
Yes, the lizards are often missing something. I have been struggling to grow tickweed. I was thrilled that a couple grew and that was after a pack of seeds.
Interesting that the plant of the month at our last NPSOT meeting was your Coreopsis lanceolata. I think it’s so pretty. I’ve been trying to sort out the various species of coreopsis. The one that’s been blanketing Galveston Island is the plains coreopsis (I think), with the maroon and yellow rays. They’re all so pretty.
I was down for the house tour and love that cemetery on the main street (Broadway?) that is covered with the yellow flowers. And yet, I have never stopped for a photo.
I’m glad that so many plants survived and that some are even stronger than before. I remember the year of the ice storm here when the hungry rabbits at every clematis vine down to the ground. Some I couldn’t even see. But all except one came back, and most were stronger than before. I guess pruning would have worked the same way as adversity — maybe!
I think pruning does do that. Unfortunately, I am not a big pruner as I always think the plant won’t come back. I guess it’s good that nature takes over sometimes.