December is early Summer here and there's blue sky as far as the eye can see. Nothing surprising there! Summer sky and Poinciana blooms ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) But what a lovely surprise I found this morning when I ventured out to trim back the rather unruly Salvia madrensis. Yes, out I went, braving the scorching heat and sultry conditions on this early summer's morning, in order to do some much needed trimming back and this is what I found after beating the Salvia into submission. Hemerocallis - unknown variety ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) Isn't it beautiful? I vaguely remember planting a couple of things around the Salvia last year, but had promptly forgotten all about them. The Salvia has really been a tour-de-force in this little area of the tiered garden bed and I just hadn't taken much notice of the other plants around it. Hemerocallis - double bloom ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) Now I'm not sure, but I think it's a Hemerocalis. What do you think? Whatever it is, I just adore the double blooms of this beauty. Another surprise waiting for me this morning as I strolled around the place, was the sight of the first racemes on the Cassia fistula or Golden Shower Tree growing beside the hill driveway. I was despairing of seeing it bloom at all this year, as all the other Cassias in the neighbourhood have been in full bloom for weeks now, but my poor specimen was still in dry season mode with almost no leaves and definitely no flowers. First blooms on the Cassia fistula ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) But, here they are at last ... and there are loads more buds to open in the coming weeks. Cassia fistula ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) The white Mussaenda, Mussaenda philippica 'Aurore', also growing beside the hill driveway, has recovered from its trim back and has thrown out the first white bracts and orange star-shaped flowers. Mussaenda phillipica 'Aurore' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) The Duranta repens growing in the garden bed at the back of the courtyard garden is blooming for the first time. Duranta repens ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) The potted Duranta repens 'Geisha Girl' out in the courtyard garden is also blooming. Duranta repens 'Geisha Girl' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) I have several Murraya paniculatas growing around the place. There's a huge one growing beside the hill driveway, one in a pot out on the courtyard and two growing in the downstairs Pentas garden bed. All are flowering at the moment and they have the most heavenly sweet fragrance. Murraya paniculata ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) The potted Cleome spinosa 'Senorita Rosalita' out in the courtyard also has a fragrance, but it's not so sweet. It's quite hard to describe really ... more like uumm ... insect repellent! Well, fragrance aside, this plant has been flowering non-stop for months now and the sight of those spider flowers always cheers me up. I just love the lilac purple. Cleome spinosa 'Senorita Rosalita' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) I also love white flowers in the garden and out in the courtyard there are blooms on both the ... Tabernaemontana corymbosa 'Sweet Love' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) Tabernaemontana corymbosa 'Sweet Love' Wrightia antidysenterica 'Arctic Snow' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) and the Wrightia antidysenterica 'Arctic Snow'. The Gomphrenas are putting on a fabulous display. Gomphrena globosa 'Buddy Purple' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) There's another gorgeous Dahlia showing its face ... Dahlia ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) ... and the Zinnia 'Mambo Pinks' are strutting their stuff. Zinnia 'Mambo Pink' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) The wonderfully perfumed Plumeria rubra flowers are a welcome sight ... Plumeria rubra ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden ) ... and Hemerocallis 'Shocking' can't be ignored! Hemerocallis 'Shocking' ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden )
Beautiful flowers Bernieh, we have summer sky here,..but no heat,..i was envious reading how you braved the heat to venture into the garden,..sigh. That certainly looks like a double Hemerocallis,..light orange colour. Mussaenda phillipicia 'Aurore' has a lovely orange bloom in contrast to the white very nice. You have some lovely plants giving off a nice scent,..and as i have young "Cleome spinosa",..coming along for next summer your description of the scent has me thinking,..oh no!. I would love to have a "Plumeria rubra",..looks good and an added bonus that perfume. What a flower to end your post with,..fantastic colours,.."Hemerocallis",'Shocking'.
Hi Bernie, I'm glad you braved the summer heat to get the lovely pictures. I was wondering, how often the 'hungry hoards of Wallabies' garden service show up to trim your garden? Jerry P.S. I will have t o check with our local daylily nursery to see if shocking is available.
Those are great flower pics Bernieh. Keep them coming, we have nothing to look at over here except our dead and dying plants.
Awww Bernie you certainly know the way to this womans heart!!! I love everything in your garden but have a real weakness for white flowers. Your Tabernaemontana corymbosa 'Sweet Love,' Mussaenda phillipica 'Aurore' and Wrightia antidysenterica 'Arctic Snow' are fabulous. Keep flaunting those photographs as they always cheer me up.
Hi Philip, yes it's getting too hot to be out in the garden at any time other than early in the morning and in the evening. The sun is just too fierce otherwise. The Cleome's scent in not all that bad. It's just not a sweet type of perfume. Netty, I think the pinwheel flowers of 'Sweet Love' are one of my favourite white blooms. But I'll reserve judgement until I've seen all white blooms, lol! Jerry, this year has been the worst for the hungry hordes munching their way through my garden. They're out in our yard every day but usually they munch on the grass. Of course during the dry season, edible grass is hard to find. At the moment there's green grass because we've starting getting rain, so hopefully they will leave my plants alone now. Cherylad, 'Shocking' just grabs your attention doesn't it? The white Mussaenda is my favourite out of all the Mussaendas I grow. Flowerfreak, I'll be happy to keep posting flower photos while your garden sleeps. We're fortunate to have something blooming all year round. Eileen, more flaunts on the way! I'm glad you like the white blooms. They are definite favourites of mine.
Lovely, lovely blooms! I need a scratch'n'sniff screen. Your Hemerocallis are lovely. I wonder if I could grow "Shocking". I've got a lily of that name already, so why not a day lily too?
Bernieh, I just loved viewing all these gorgeous blooms you have. I can almost feel the warmth of the sun! keep the photos coming!
What super-dooper flowers you currently have in bloom. Absolutely stunning. You don't REALLY have scortching heat in the mornings do you? --You're taking the mick, roit? Say, how tall does that Cleome spinosa get to be there? The Murraya paniculatas conjure up all manner of fantasies of fragrance.
Wow. Flowers. Blooms. Fragrances! I miss summer! My small Murraya also blooms a bit in my apt. I love the scent. Can't imagine what yours must smell like!
