They Survived!!

I think the assaults on my garden are over for now. The tree trimmers came, destroyed two plants, but, praise heaven, they're gone.  For those of you who have been following this blog, you know my garden has lived through drought, heat, Santa Anna winds, house painters, now tree trimmers. The live oak they trimmed is just above my garden. And I've got some survivors. Can you believe it?!  I've got some beautiful survivors. As I touched up their pictures to show you, I got so excited. Doesn't matter to the garden. They ARE gonna survive. Boy, can I learn a lesson.

My pride and joy is my peony rose. I've no idea what her real name is, as she was a gift from the weekly market. But her bloom is such a knock-out, so full, so fragrant, that I call her the peony rose.

 

 

 Wait until you see the blossoms that are still singin their hearts out. I honor them here.

Dragon Wing Begonia

Bird of Paradise

 

 

Echinicea

 

Begonia

Crown of Thorns

Cranesbill Geranium

Some of my champions are leaves. I'm just busting to share them with you. They're going great guns. Who'd a thought.

 Purple Oxalis

 

 Persian Shield

 

 Forget-me-not

  

Staghorn Fern

Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine

I could tell you a little story about each one. The Persian Shield lost half the plant from the tree trimmers. But this beautiful half remains. The forget-me-nots have spread to almost cover this plants. No stopping them in all this drought and heat.

The cranesbilll geranium has not stopped blooming through everything. It even has lots of buds, just as my peony rose does. That bird of paradise just keeps on giving blooms. It, too, has its beak-like buds yet to open. 

I learn so much about how to live from my garden. There will be survivors. Surviving will happen. Hurrah for the garden, one of my very best friends. Hurrah for the survivors.

Close up on Tiny Blossoms

 

  

My love affair with cranesbill geraniums reaches its peak when they bloom.  Even in the heat of the past week, this one continues giving me pleasure.  When it's not blooming, its gray fuzzy leaves, shaped like an open shell from the ocean, whisper, Look at me. I am beautiful even now.

 

The other cranesbill is in the rock garden. The pink streaks are all that remain on the blossom so close to the orange rock. Against its green foliage it shows it true pale pink nature.  This blossom in the photo is all the plant gave this morning after yesterday's heat.

 

The groundcover plumbago is one of the blues I can count on in the hot days.  Its leaves turn reddish in the fall.  So nice for our mellow fall in the deep south.  It is a take-over groundcover, so needs to be put in a finite garden space or pulled out like a weed.  I've allowed its spreading habit its way this year, so will have to get it under control in the fall.

 

The other blue blossoms has been a total surprise to me-- forget-me-nots.  This plant has unexpectedly bloomed at a time that leaves me speechless.  It is a total mystery to me.  I'm waiting to see if it will give the garden any more flowers.

 

  

The fuschia still has a few blooms to offer.  It has usually finished by the time the real heat comes.  But the common sight of a begonia in orange-red bloom is a real joy.  It exults in the heat, gathering a deeper color flower.  Its leaves are edged in red in response to the small amount of intense sun it receives.  It is really great seeing all these flowers so close.  My eye knows the beauty from afar, but the camera brings them nearer than they appear. Hurrah for technology!