It is hot out in the sunny garden just now. We are having our June meltdown with temperatures reaching 112 F (44 C) daily... and no moisture expected till the July/August rains begin. In spite of all this there are a few plants still bravely putting out some blooms, and I am proud to say that some of these are fragrant - at least a little bit fragrant!
The big surprise is that the infant Lagerstroemia "Rhapsody in Pink", which I bought and planted just as weather turned quite warm, has continued to throw off a few blossoms. I expect it to bloom a good deal earlier in the year in future; but for now here it is, flowering. A determined nose can catch a sweet scent.
The stalwarts include Chrysactinia mexicana, the heartwinning desert daisy (foliage is more fragrant than the flowers)...
...and Lavendula "Goodwin's Creek Gray", with a few open florets here and there...
...as well as Salvia greggii. The wonderful "Autumn Moon" is finally taking a well-deserved rest, but "Flame" is trying to make up for lost time despite the weather. It sulked in too much sun for months but seems happy now close up to the patio.
The two Agastaches should perhaps be waiting until late summer - at least that is what I expected - but they are insisting that this is a good time to bloom. The result is a couple of weary plants in need of frequent water, but I can't help admiring (and appreciating) their efforts to keep the show going in the garden. Here is Agastache "Ava".
And I cannot help adding a future fragrance. If all goes well, the tiny buds on this Four o'Clock (Mirabilis jalapa) will open with a delicious scent: vanilla, if my memory serves me right. These plants are said to grow well here, somewhat to my surprise as they are a classic cottage garden flower. They must grow well in a very wide range of conditions!
As you can glimpse from the photos, the garden is feeling a little stressed out at present. The roses are mostly just waiting for a break in the weather. "Graham Thomas" continues to bloom; but I cannot keep the flowers happy, though the bush itself is looking good. "Wollerton Old Hall" has just paused within the last few days, but it receives a good deal of shade and is undoubtedly pleased with its situation!
In the meantime, my sister and I are varying the summer by starting a container garden on the back patio, which is shaded by a long, heavy roof. Conditions here are much pleasanter, though the hot west wind still limits the range for plants. But our small collection of potted roses is beginning to settle in. "Tropicana", known in the UK as "Super Star", is a classic hybrid tea originally raised by Tantau in 1960. It is lightly scented, and the colour glows beautifully in the bright shade.
We have added two jasmine varieties, of which the Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) keeps putting up marvelously fragrant flowers, one at a time. But somehow I only catch the buds when I take the camera out...
All in all, I don't think this is a bad showing, given the season and the fact that the garden is less than a year old. That there is even this much fragrance out there is largely due to the
Scent in the Garden meme, hosted by Wellywoman, which encouraged me to plan for this wonderful aspect of garden design!
Agastache "Apricot Sprite" blooming gamely - if a little thinly now - in the desert garden in June...
Weather Diary: Light clouds; High: 113 F (45 C)/Low: 82 F (28 C)
υπεροχες λιλιπουτιες ομορφιες!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteευχομαι μια ομορφη παρασκευη!!!!
αγγελικη
These are remarkable plants - still creating so much beauty in this weather!! I am very pleased with them!! Happy Friday :)
DeleteThe plants look like they are doing very well in your garden, they are the bulk of my front & back garden as well, the Saliva's & Agastache and they are a haven for the birds.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know that. I'm thoroughly impressed by all the Salvias I've managed to put in so far. I think the Agastaches will do as well. They got off to a difficult start as they were purchased mail order from a company in a colder area and shipped late. Birds, yes - and lizards... ;-)
Deletegosh what temperatures! It is amazing (and a credit to you) that such beautiful plants thrive in those conditions. Hope you are managing to keep cool!
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly the time of year when one wonders why anyone lives here, Ann ;-) Some plants are definitely well-adapted for these conditions; I see it as a question of learning (quickly and with minimal casualties!) which ones...
DeleteWow! We never get it that hot here. 35F is the hottest I've experienced in the UK and that felt pretty hot. I'm surprised anything will keep growing in that heat. I love your agastaches. They don't survive our winters unfortunately, so I might look at growing some from seeds and treat them like a biennial. My lavender is just coming into flower. One for next month's post I think. Have a lovely weekend and thank you for joining in.
ReplyDeleteSome plants are made for this climate. People... maybe ;-) I wonder about the agastaches as I'm learning there are many different species. Would the A. foeniculum or A. rugosa varieties survive your winters perhaps? They're often recommended for wetter conditions. And Agastache "Apricot Sprite" is said to be a German hybrid from Jellito seeds so it might take more moisture. I'll look forward to seeing your lavender. I need to add more...! Thanks for hosting the meme; it's very inspiring!
DeleteEverything looks fantastic in spite of the heat. The Lagerstroemia love it hot - here in my climate, they stay as chest-high shrubs that hardly ever flower because the summers don't get hot enough. As you say, some plants are just made for the climate!
ReplyDeleteI'm beginning to understand why I sometimes see Lagerstroemia in use as a healthy street tree here - always an indication of a very well-adapted plant! It's somehow difficult for me to recognize this as a heat-only plant - perhaps because its beauty is so extravagant :)
DeleteAnd here my husband and I were complaining about temperatures in the upper 80s! Your garden is doing remarkably well in spite of the heat. You've clearly made great plant choices!
ReplyDeleteI guess that's where coastal and inland go their different ways, Kris ;-) I'm fairly pleased with the plant choices so far; there are some casualties, but not too bad for a first year in a totally different climate, I think...
DeleteIt still amazes me that you can grow anything at all. I'd certainly be wilting!
ReplyDeleteI said nothing about the state of the humans, Jessica! And to think this was when I had hoped to lay the pavers... ha!
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