Friday, October 15, 2010

GBBD October 2010

Begonia richmondensis, with its lovely foliage, has bloomed continuously for the several months that I've owned it. It can reportedly survive temperatures down to 25 degrees which would work most any winter here but I'm still debating where it should spend the coldest months. I might bring it in. Or it might just go under the patio cover with the potted succulents.
The plumbago that has been trained up into the arbor adds color to the Lady Banks rose foliage.
Abutilon Pink Parasol has reached a height of 8 feet and is joined by solanum jasminoides. The solanum has decided it likes where it lives and has threaded its way through the abutilon, privet and viburnum that live nearby. It will need a little controlling eventually but for now I'm enjoying the splashes of white it provides.
One of the miniature roses in the front door bed continues to put out blooms but for the most part the roses have not been as happy this year as is typical. I think they just haven't gotten enough heat.

The Cuphea llavea, more commonly known as bat-faced cuphea, is so cute I just had to have it.  It's a bit red for my tastes but I think I am losing some of my red aversion. Each year it blooms even more making it one of my favorites.
Lavandula pinnata buchii adds a nice touch of blue to the bed surrounding one of the banksia arbor posts and has long flower stems that move gently in the breeze. It blooms almost year round since it lives next to the potted meyer lemon and therefore benefits from the patio lights I hang for warmth in the winter.

 This sweet aloe is blooming in one of the hanging potted succulent pots in the side yard. I love the delicate blooms juxtaposed with the starkness of the aloe plant itself.

Other plants blooming in Davis today include:
Allysum
Wax begonias
Salvia May Night
Salvis Blue Hills
Salvia greggii
Salvia Dancing Dolls
Salvia Victoria Blue
Society garlic
Rosa Flower Girl
Pelargoniums
Geranium Rozanne
Pink pandorea
Portulaca
Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see who is participating in this month's Garden Blogger Bloom Day!

11 comments:

Gail said...

Leslie, I love the Bat faed Cuphea...trying to figure out how I can keep it alive! The first freeze may knock it out~I had no idea plumbago could be trained over an arbor~What a clever idea that needs to happen here! Or that begonias could be fragrant. I love blogging~I never stop learning new things. gail

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

That is a pretty begonia. I just can't imagine being able to leave it out all winter. Is that a "blue" rose? It's very cool.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

It looks and sounds divine, Leslie. I can imagine the abutilon growing so large being outside all year, love those hanging blooms. The lavender is so delicate and lacy, beautiful even without the flowers. Very nice!
:-)Frances

Unknown said...

I didn't realize that you could train the plumbago, either! Very cool... I think that I might have to steal that idea next year. (I've been looking for an excuse to add those blue blooms to my garden!) :)

Anonymous said...

Very nice garden. The miniature rose is lavender? That is a pretty color. Mine are reds and yellows. The reds were blooming and I have a very cold rose bud photographed on my site. It was right after the frost. Poor little lady.

Rose said...

I've never seen blooms on an aloe before--they're beautiful! I love your header photo--such a lovely garden walkway. I'm rather envious that you can leave plants out all winter--in January, 25 degrees is a heatwave in Illinois:)

Kathy said...

I think we saw that plumbago in Buffalo, but it was a tender perennial for them? Cindy said she would send some more to them.

growingagardenindavis said...

Hi Gail! I think you read fragrance when I wrote foliage! No fragrance that I've noticed :) Thanks for stopping by!
I'm debating the begonia, as well as the 2 others I got this year, Barb. Not sure what to do! The rose is more lavender than blue.
Thanks Frances! My older abutilon is even taller but need to be cut back this year...it's gotten pretty scraggly.
Go for it Kim! I'm not sure how tall it could get in one year...would it survive your winter? Otherwise you could grow it in one of those great pots you got at such a great price and bring it in. Put it right next to the fig!
It IS lavender, GWGT! I'm slowly desensitizing myself to reds and yellows in the garden. Maybe someday even orange!
It seems, Rose, no matter what our zone we have zone envy about something! You can grow things I can't...and you get lightning bugs!
You're right Kathy! And I'm pretty sure she did too!

Larry said...

Some very interesting bloom for sure... glad I visited... L

Patsy Bell Hobson said...

Love that aloe bloom. I've never seen one bloom. It looks so delicate.