I planted these gazanias, Gazania splendens, also known as Treasure Flower, last summer. They provided me some nice late summer and fall color and I was rather expecting to have to wait for them to bloom much later in the season.
I'm pleasantly surprised that they made it through the winter unscathed by the freeze and that they have bloomed so early. According to the plant profile on Dave's Garden they bloom repeatedly, so I'm looking forward to enjoying them throughout the summer. I didn't know until today that they are called "Treasure Flower." But how appropriate - what a treasure they are.
Elsewhere in the garden, I seem to have more "almost flowers" than I do "actual flowers".
Here's Lilium "Dolly Madison" growing next to the utility boxes.
And here's the Hollyhock on the other side of the utility boxes. Unfortunately the one in the front garden got covered in rust and I had to pull it up, bag it and put it in the trash before it affected this one.
And finally, I picked up three Tropical Milkweeds over the weekend. Two are this color, one is yellow. So I'm ready, should the Monarchs choose to stop by this year.
Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.
12 comments:
My neighbor always has hollyhocks, but mine always get rust :(
Love the gazania!
I lost two of my gazanias in Austin's cold snap, but one is coming back. It sure doesn't look as healthy as yours though and is nowhere near blooming.
Your Lily is a relative youngster but in a few years it will produce between 12-15 buds per stalk and put on quite a show for you!
Can't wait to see that one bloom.
Thanks Sylvana. I was so thrilled with the hollyhocks. They both stayed firm and green through our freezing weather. Unfortunately one of them got hit badly by rust. But the one in the back is doing great - hope it stays that way!
Pam - I have three gazanias in the front bed. That one is the most photogenic, but they all have blooms on them :-) I wonder how they will do in years where we don't get a freeze.
Thanks for the info Kara. I can't wait to see this one bloom either.
I hear ya! I pulled up some of my pansies and violas to accomodate new flowers for my windowboxes. My husband saw and said 'You pulled those flowers up? Why? They're still blooming!' So guess what I did. I replanted them among the new flowers because I felt guilty LOL.
I haven't had the heart to pull up my pansies yet. But they are overshadowing the new bluebonnets that were recently gifted to me and are just now starting to spread out. I'm sure there will be some digging and replanting involved this weekend.
Your blooms are just beautiful. I don't have the heart to pull out anything until it gets so leggy it just might walk away on its own. Looking forward to watching your garden progress.
Gazanias are lovely! Hope everything blooms soon and makes your heart swell!
As great as Pansies are during the winter, I get ready for something else in the early Spring too. Your Hollyhocks are months ahead of mine. Mine usually get some rust, but luckily the flowers are usually almost done before it gets bad. The Gazania looks really good, so full of blooms.
Gazania is one of my favorite flowers for the summer garden. Low growing and prolific flower producer. You might look for the silver leafed variety. It forms a large mat with similar flowering. I have given up on hollyhock- rust. Enjoy all the butterflies which will visit your milkweed. I love this plant.
Hi Jane, I'm just catching up after being out of town. It's fun to see what's blooming and who's coming to dinner. I enjoyed the bird pictures, and the squirrels, since they were in your feeders and not mine.
Hope you get monarchs and caterpillars on your milkweed, and share the pictures with us.
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