Summer sunshine will soon be over....

[Bird]

Yep, we haven't gotten a lot of rain, but a very light sprinkle all day that's really been great. And while I don't have any of the spectacular and/or exotic flowers some of you have, our big old crepe myrtle is really loaded with blossoms right now. But I don't want to get out in the rain to make a picture.

 

[Nat]

Jinman, I love the Tx wildflowers. Vickie and I stopped at the Wildseed farm all 3 times we visited Tx. Last time I bought some Bluebonnets and some red poppy seed. The Bluebonnets didn't do much, but the little red poppies, sorry I don't remember the real name, have grown like crazy. They are a delicate looking vine, sorta like a Hummingbird plant, but have the neatest red blooms that close up at night. They have run all over beside my new tractor shed. I didn't want them to run up the cedar siding so I stuck a couple tree limbs in the ground and they have 6-8 runners going up and over the limb. I want to plant some around a group of wild cherry trees beside my front porch next year. If anyone know's the real name for them I would sure appreciate it, so I can order some for next spring. Later, Nat

 

[jinman]

Your mystery flower is okra...

Wow, it wasn't much of a mystery was it?

 

[Cottonhawk]

".....we have a Passionflower vine that wroughtn_harv's wife, Glenda, gave us last year. It has the most beautiful ornate blossoms I think I have ever seen......"
We have the passionflower vine and they're doing very well here in Oregon too. Those are sure exotic and beautiful flowers.

 

[jinman]

They are a delicate looking vine, sorta like a Hummingbird plant, but have the neatest red blooms that close up at night.... ...If anyone know's the real name for them I would sure appreciate it, so I can order some for next spring. Later, Nat

Nat, you can log into Wild Seed Farms Website and view pictures of most of their seed varieties. That might help you locate the "poppies" you are looking for. There are lots of poppy looking plants, one of them is the Corn Poppy and another couple that are on vines are the Wine Cups and Showy Primrose. I'm not surprised you had trouble getting bluebonnets to grow. They are tough to start from seed. Most people plant them in soils that are too fertile and then "love" them to death. I've had the best luck by just transplanting the whole plant. That way the plant will naturally inoculate the seeds and they will grow. Also, the best time to plant bluebonnets is when nature does it, June-July. If you wait until late fall or early spring, the plant will not establish. They seem to love depleted high calcium soils on well drained hillsides.

Harv: You are right that we are in "heaven" these last few days. We've had our windows and doors open and the AC off all weekend. Cool weather and a gentle rain that gave us about 1-1/2 in of rain has been terrific. Of course, in Texas we have a long summer and mild fall. Heck, I don't even consider it fall until the pecans start falling in November. Some of our members will be plowing snow by then.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Cotton and Mike,
Two very nice shots !!! Thanks !

 

[Nasty135]

Cottonhawk, Your Sunflowers sure are healthy looking and the very blue sky backdrop makes them even nicer... great pic

jinman, The mystery flower looks a lot like hollyhock to me...judging by the shape of the leaf on the plant... I could be wrong , Do they grow tall or just low on the ground? As the other poster suggested okra , haven't grown okra so I really don't know...

OK so I was wrong again, You are a tricky one jinman....

 

[Cottonhawk]

Ok, here are some large red hibiscus just opened up this morning. They are about the same size as my sunflowers.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Here is another shot with the sunflowers.

 

[jimg]

Wow, it wasn't much of a mystery was it?

Not if you grew up growing/eating the stuff...fryed, boiled, w/ tomatoes, raw, pickled. Also, your pic shows at least one pod.