Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - August 2011

I look out at my garden as our long Texas drought grinds on and I think that I really have nothing to show you on this Bloom Day, but I dutifully take my camera in hand and head out to see what I can find.  Come along with me out my back door and I'll show you the results of my search.

Just out the back door on the porch, yellow purslane brightens the space. 

 Nearby, the ancient abelia that I brought from my Aunt Marcelle's garden a few years ago is full of these dainty, creamy blooms.

The Mexican firebush (Hamelia patens) does appear to be spouting flames in the summer heat.

The crocosmias have been especially floriferous this summer, but now they are near the end of their run.

No blooms here, but a small collection of succulents on a backyard table is enjoying our dry summer.

As is a nearby planter filled with a variety of succulents.

The old canna that I always think of as the "Mrs. Lui" because it was she who gave me the first roots of the plant years ago blooms continually throughout the summer, in memory of that sweet neighbor.

And, of course, nothing stops the Turk's cap blooms, for which the hummingbirds are grateful.

The purple berries of the native beautyberry are ripening.

In another part of the garden, the berries of the white beautyberry glow in the shade.

My "cotton crop" is ripening, too. The white blossoms turn red as they age.

The tiny red blossoms of the cypress vine brighten one corner of the vegetable garden fence.

 And the 'Mystic Spires' salvia, like most of the other salvias in the yard, blooms on in spite of the weather.

The canna 'Lucifer' has bloomed again and again since spring.

The odd blossoms of the porterweed attract bees and butterflies by the veggie garden fence.

And across the garden path from the porterweed, the bright fuchsia bracts of the bougainvillea are beginning to show their stuff.

Butterfly weed continues to bloom profusely but finds few butterflies to visit.  The bees, though, love it.

The yellow bells of Esperanza shine in front of the leathery leaves of loquat.

Flame acanthus, undaunted bloomer, blooms when it rains and blooms when it doesn't.  It will bloom until first frost.

The 'Pride of Barbados' has been a winner for me during the drought.

And I can always depend upon Tithonia, Mexican sunflower, to bring its fiery orange blooms to my summer garden.

Even though my garden is dry and is in survival mode, dropping leaves, wilting, receding before the scorching sun, in nearly every part of it, something blooms to keep hope alive.

Thank you for visiting my garden and don't forget to check out May Dreams Gardens for a list of all of this Bloom Day's participants.  Happy Bloom Day to all!