A month or two ago Chris bought some Stokes’ asters online after some coworkers recommended it. Just now some of them are starting to bloom.

The discount passiflora I bought in the fall on clearance has recuperated well and is putting out a lot of new growth along the fenceline. It would be awesome if perhaps I could get some blooms this year.

I bought this partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata at the Mercer Arboretum plant sale back in the bring and it only sprung up with new growth in the last month. I’m excited to see it blooming and growing; I can’t wait until it fills out even more!

We picked this Mexican oregano, Poliomintha longiflora, (not to be confused with Lippia graveolens which is also called Mexican oregano and looks interesting in itself), up on our trip to the Hill Country over Memorial Day weekend.

Our dwarf pomegranate bloomed well this spring and now has a couple of fruits.

The cleome from our drought tolerant Botanic Interests seed mix has become a stunning addition, in fact that whole area where we sowed seeds is now lush and thick. I’m loving it!

My brother, Curtis, got me into borage. It grows well in his garden so I gave it a whirl this year. This plant has been the only one to do well so far; I’ve got others in the tomato beds but they haven’t done that great.

And of course the bees have to be added into this post…they are buzzing like crazy these days, the hive growing in great amounts over the course of the last few months. I had one sting me for no reason the other day—well, no reason according to me—as I was trying to take a photo of a night blooming cactus opening. That was the day of record setting heat here in Houston so I think they were highly irritated already.

Ascelpias tuberosa

Angelonia ‘purple stripe’

We’re supposed to cool down here this week, with a potential chance for rain. I’m all for a day of gentle rain…but I’m probably wishfully thinking. There’s even supposed to be a few nights in the high 60s…maybe I can get some more tomatoes to set fruit before we return to high heat once again.

Whew, summer is a doozy so far.