Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - November 2011

Before December's Bloom Day rolls around, we may get our first frost here in Southeast Texas.  It normally comes around the tenth of December, although for the last couple of years it has come a bit earlier than that.  This November Bloom Day, then, could be our last opportunity for a while to celebrate the blooms in our garden, so let's get right to it!

Autumn's moderating temperatures and a few rainfalls have given new life to many of the roses in my garden, including 'Old Blush.'

'Peace' was a birthday gift this year which means it came to me in August at the height of the drought and heat.  It has struggled, but now is putting on a few new blossoms.

The pink Knockouts refused to give in to the harsh weather conditions.  They bloomed all summer long.

So did 'Radazz,' the red Knockouts.

'Graham Thomas' rested through the summer, but he's always at his best in autumn and this year is no exception.

Out in the citrus area of the garden, the little kumquat tree, added this year, is full of fruits of all sizes, many of which are ripening.

The same is true of the Meyer lemon tree.

And of the Mandarin orange.

Only a good frost will stop 'Big Momma' Turk's cap from blooming.

The purple trailing lantana is at its best in autumn and that's when many little skipper butterflies, like this Fiery Skipper, arrive to enjoy it.

 Nearby, this old bush lantana is full of blooms, too.

The shrimp plant's blossoms last a long, long time.  I showed you these same blooms on last month's Bloom Day.

Another bloomer that is in its glory in autumn is the Cape honeysuckle.

What can I possibly say that I haven't said many times before about this wonderful plant, Esperanza or yellow bells?

The tropical milkweed continues blooming profusely and continues to get a few Monarch butterflies dropping in to sip its nectar.  I'm seeing one or two of the beautiful butterflies on most days but so far I haven't found any eggs or caterpillars on the milkweed, a disappointment to be sure.

Purple porterweed - I have certainly enjoyed this plant with its strange little blossoms.

All summer I wondered if the brugmansias would ever find the energy to bloom this year.  Now it's November and I have my answer!

I never had to wonder about these old cannas.  They have bloomed all spring, summer, and fall.

 Bulbine was another plant that didn't do much for me during summer but now that fall is here, it is attempting to make it all up to me.

Copper Canyon daisies have their glory days of bloom now.  They'll bloom until first frost.

Even some of the gerberas are getting in on the blooming action once again.

 The Hamelia patens' major customers, the hummingbirds, have mostly moved on now, but I often find their new clients, the sulphur butterflies, hanging from their blossoms.

Even the 'Rouge Cardinal' clematis has found new life and continues to put out a few of these wonderful blooms.

As we wind down this year in the garden, I continue to be amazed that so many of my plants have done well in a very difficult 2011.  I'm just happy to have any blooms to show you this month, and I look forward to visiting gardens around the world to see what is blooming on this Bloom Day.  Check out Carol's May Dreams Gardens where you can find a list of all of them, and thank you for visiting my garden this month.