Blooms!

The worst of summer is over, even though we still have temps in the 90's and will for a while yet.  But we had an incredible soaky 2" rain this weekend, and another one a week or two before that, so things have begun to green back up a little.  I always think it's funny how lots of folk in other places spend their summers gardening, while here, we just ride it out til fall.  Of course, we can garden almost all winter, so there's always a trade-off.

I got the camera out and went around the yard...some of the photos didn't turn out, because Jan didn't use the right setting, but the far shots are okay.  I did get one great one of the giant palm tree in the back, because I was asking a palm expert what kind it is.  Apparently we have a "Phoenix canariensis" and a healthy one, by all accounts.  Yay!

There are a couple new iris beds needing mulch, and I plan to move some roses around, and...maybe do a perennial border bed in the front between ours and the neighbor's house.  I thank my husband every day for providing a livelihood that enables me to garden so much.  My life is blessed.

Yellow Lantana and Mealy Blue Salvia

This ice plant needs to be moved out from under the Flame Acanthus...which apparently really likes this spot!

The back deck, now that the cannas are hitting their stride.

Lab-lab purpureus.  Not kidding...isn't that an unscientific sounding scientific name?  :~P  Commonly known as Hycacinth bean...and grows cool purple bean pods.  Edible, but only after cooking.  I haven't tried them.

The last of the "privacy fence" flowers..morning glory is all over the dead stalks of the sun flowers I grew this spring, and the Coral Vine (pink stuff) is a perennial getting herself established.

Other side of the deck.  Yes, we will paint the cedar trim, soon.  Hubs painted that corner so he could change up the gutter system there.  Now we have no more humongoid rain barrel taking up space on the porch.

Orange Sunset bougainvillea.  She's new, and seems happy here.  

I would know the name of this flower, but I threw away the seed packet.  Oops.  Hummingbirds LOVE this flower.  The squirrels are loving the seed heads and climb all over the fence to get them.

The baby Desert Willow tree, surrounded by red salvia. 

I need to weed-eat.  Soon.  Okay, yesterday.

The mail box has been eaten by morning glories.  Again.

I cannot WAIT til these flower next spring.

The "desert corner".  Well, the coral vine isn't desert, but she's happy there.

Double Take: a cross between mini and hybrid tea roses.  The underside of the petals are white.  Blooms his little head off, and lives right by the front door.

Purple cone flower, mealy blue salvia.

Same bed...roses, rosemary, salvia, and a canna that just won't quit.

That little tiny red rose is a ground cover / climber called "Red Cascade".  I'd rooted it from a cutting, but when I put it in this bed, I thought it was something else.  Oops.  Now I have to find a new home and put something else here.

Sorry for the fuzzy closeup.  This is a lantana that has naturalized here, and I find seedlings allll over.  This particular one was here when we moved in, and has gotten almost five feet tall!  Butterfly magnet.

And here is the Phoenix Canariensis.  Or "Canary Island Palm".  They're supposed to be extremely expensive to purchase as large trees, and very slow growing.  Since this house was built in '65, I'd guess it's about halfway grown.  :~)

Thanks for humoring me with this photo-heavy post.  Hope you have a great Tiw's Day.