Definitely lush!!.We had 2.75+ " in one rain gage and 3/4" in another. I think one has developed a crack so we are in the market for a new rain gage. All spring I have been wondering why people around me are getting significantly more rain than us consistently. Well, now I know why..

Thank you for posting you photos, Omar. An invitation is open to anyone else to post here as well.

Your P. 'Incense' is really putting on a show! I saw that dark blue/purple vinca for the first time this year too. Next year I'm putting in vincas! Those are beautiful.

Here are photos of large torch bougainvilleas growing at the SW corner of San Pedro and Lockhill Selma by the Pyramid building. Bob was driving, but it still wasn't easy to get them centered from a moving car ...

They are huge. I wish I knew when they were planted in the ground and if they froze back last winter ...

Now I'm trying to figure out where to place my small one for next year ...

One more photo to show you some trees. The large tree on the right is a Cedar elm we planted 27 yrs. ago. It's unusual in that it turned out to be wide and spreading where most Cedar elms are upright.

On the left notice the seed pods on the Arroyo sweet wood tree that are just now turning a wheat color from the yellow/lime green they've been since spring. I love that tree! The neighbor's Spanish oak is on the far left. It's probably 50 years old.

Happy gardening -- rain or shine!

Mara take that cracked rain gauge and stomp it into the ground! No under reporting of rain is allowed. We need to know about every fraction of an inch for encouragement during these dry summers.

I started to take this rain deficit personally. Ckrikey, Earlier this summer, The guys around the hill got street flooding and we got a puddle for 5 minutes. It happened like that over and over. Usually they got rain and we got zip, so it wasn't the faulty rain gage mostly but when we did get it it seemed to tip us. But this time we did get it good and the level of discrepancy was undeniable , so I checked it with the other gage that had been emptied before the rain..

The blooms look quenched and refreshed! I really like that native passiflora Roselee, what is the variety if you know?

Pam, I believe it's Passiflora affinis because it has more deeply lobed leaves than Passiflora lutea. However, the flowers don't have the slight purple shading that P. affinis has. It kind of looks like a cross between the two. Whatever it is I love it. I think you once mentioned having P. lutea. How is it doing?

One f the garden bloggers I follow just posted about her native yellow passifloa.

Roselee what is the name of the tree in the first picture. Its the tree on the left in the first picture. That's an interesting tree indeed! I like the leaves and the brown smooth trunk. So your going to tell me Avocado?

Someone59, thanks for noticing. You made a good guess, but the tree is a Mexican olive, a wonderful ornamental tree with big leaves and large white flowers throughout the summer. It has a lot of fruit right now; big white olive looking things, but as you probably already know they aren't edible. They just look like olives.

Lucky you! So many gorgeous items growing in your gardens. Many are tropical because you are able to grow them in your location. I tried the Mexican olive here in killeen one time two years ago. It don't tolerate our low temperatures. Its froze and died of course. I lied in an earlier post, said I was getting envious if James and his beanstalk. I'm much more envious of you my dear!

Something59 I know the feeling. Whenever I've visited California or Florida, seen the beautiful gardens there and the seeming ease of growing tropical plants I've been envious. But every climate has its pluses and minuses. We just have to find out what we can grow and grow a lot of it. In other words, "Bloom where we're planted."

@ Roseleee, my lutea is growing great guns in the shade under a really large oak. The blooms are tiny, tiny though. Maybe dime sized. Yours look huge!

Pam, the flowers on my plant are an inch and one fourth in diameter so are large compared to a dime, but small compared to Omar's P. "incense" pictured above. Do you ever get Gulf fritillary caterpillars feeding on your lutea? Most years they take mine down in a hurry.

Roselee, Your certainly right about finding out what our own clmate will easily grow and grow a lot of it. I found I can easily grow Arroyo sweet wood from the first batch of seeds you so graciously sent me. That's why I come a beggin for more of that seed from you! And your seed certainly was fresh and healthy, it germinated quickly!, like in 10 days I had tree sprouts from the last seed you sent me.

Thank you Roselee for mentioning Passionflower and this year's absence of Gulf fritillary butterflies. I didn't get any either (on NE side of SA). Early last summer they devoured every last leaf; after a few weeks the plant recovered and started growing new leaves, and the caterpillars returned. This cycle happened 3 times last season. It's a 3 year old P. incarnata from the SA Botanical Garden spring sale. Next I'll try growing a P. edulis from seed (grocery store purchase).

This is a small crowded section of the front yard nestled between makeshift windbreaks, a day before Monday's rain. from L to R: Purple porterweed, Foxtail fern, sweet potato vine, Butterfly ginger, Ixora (orange "Maui red"), Impatiens-SunPatiens(TM)

from a different angle:

Dan, tell me more about how to grow the butterfly ginger. I have lots of it. Every couple days I get a 3 or4 new shoots coming from the roots. I have a huge clump in morning sun for about 3 hours. Heres my problem. It refuses to grow taller than 2 feet. Grows crazy and multiplies at the roots, just refuses to grow taller than 2 feet. Wassup?

Also Dan, my butterfly ginger is only a year old. Does it take more time to grow taller? I live in central Texas. We get our fair share of frost. Shoot.....by the time this stuff gets much taller, the cold will be upon us and it will freeze back to the ground from the frost. The starts I purchased were small, maybe the tuber root must grow bigger for the plant to grow bigger??

@ Roselee, the Lutea is usually covered and eaten back by the GF's. There were fewer last year and I've only seen a couple this year. It's strange now that you mention it.

@someone59, my BF ginger tops out around 2 feet and always has. I don't have them in enough sun and don't get blooms but I do like the foliage.

I see.... Well if you like the pretty and healthy green foliage definitely don't give them sun. Mine only get 3 hours of morning sun and still have some leaf burn on them. And that's not a pretty sight. Mine haven't bloomed yet, maybe next year? Who knows for sure? Maybe 3 hours of morning sun isn't enough either to get some blooms. I'm kinda thinking our hot Texas sun is not the ideal climate for them. They are a tropical and probably do better in Florida and Cali. So we plant in shade and get no blooms or give them sun and enjoy the sun scorch on the leaves. And it sure don't take much sun for that to happen. Your a step ahead of me, at least you have pretty foliage. I have no blooms either AND I have leaf scorch. I had high hopes for these plants that's turning into something more like disappointment. turing

Is it time I post a pic or two? No one here knows me cept Roselee. So here ya go folks...enjoy! I dug out what looks like a grave today, its 7 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 18 inches deep. Solid rock cileche soil down near utility easement behind my house. Gonna have to back fill it with decent top soil. And a picture of a Parasol tree I had planted a couple months ago in my back yard.

Don't laugh people, that hole took me all day to dig out! But I'm sure funny girl roselee gonna have something to say. Stay tuned!

I'm gonna plant a bean stalk in that hole, "James" ain't got sh-- on me! Just wait and see folks!

Dang, I've got to say -- that is one mighty fine hole! That looks like my kind of 'soil'. Hard to believe you dug it in one day in this heat. You know what? It looks like a good start for a swimming hole. What are you going to plant in it?

Comrade, I am very familiar with this stuff. I think I need a jack hammer,.. I think they call it Marl, a geological term. I have named my inner byatch Marl. I was hit in the teeth with flying scud on this one. It is bad when you need those football teeth protectors to dig a hole.

I have been doing a little every time I pass by. It is not moving very quickly. I do not know if 18" is possible. I am seeing sparks and the pick is bouncing and not going in attires. I think I am getting close to some hard bedrock. I have noted luck planting things in holes dug in this stuff. The roots get all wound up inside and don't pierce out of the hole. I think of it as a pot.

Wantonamara, yeah! That looks like what I was digging in just hard rocky clayish sticky as all get out cileche and very heavy HEAVY cause it was still wet from the rains. I know right... Hard to believe I dug that out in one day. Started at sunrise and kept at it until 6:00 this evening. Determination I suppose got the best of me today. For sure not gonna plant anything with deep roots, since its only 18 inches deep and solid rock at the bottom and sides. Was thinking about a good size patch of that tall purple Ruella. Its hardy stuff and don't take too much water. The hole is located farther than I care to drag the water hose, so definitely something drought tolerant. I'm also leaning towards a nice patch of turks cap. Something easy and reliable. But the turks cap roots might need more than 18 inches so perhaps the tall ruella would be better. I have rubella in a flower bed up close by the house and its roots don't go down 18 inches. I also have turks cap. And that clump of turks cap has some real serious roots. If all else fails, I'll get with "James" and do the beanstalk thing. Ive been wanting to be a contender in roselees contest anyway.

How about Mexican oregano or lantana.? My dirt is never sticky. It is all rock in tight layers here.. NO clay, just rock and some powdery stuff. Not much powdery calcium.

Yeah that's even a better idea, thanks! I've been wanting some Texas native lantana, I don't have any of that and I already have the tall ruella. I like the Texas lantana, its so showy with its bright colors. Lantana it is! And I'll never have to worry about watering it.

My son laughed at the hole when he saw it. He said, "forget this "James" " guy and his beanstalk, see if your friend Roselee is running any contest involving grave diggers.

Someone59, your son might be on to something. You just might just get some job offers along that line! ;-)

Thanks Someone59, I got my Butterfly ginger specimen a mere year-and-a-half ago, so we're in the same boat learning-wise. The first year mine was in a 2 ft clay pot, and it *did* flower that 1st year. It survived a couple 20 degree nights last January. In late winter it was transferred to a 2x4 ft raised bed with new (bagged) garden soil. It gets full sun until late afternoon (although always appreciate the overcast days!). I put up a windbreak on the south side during summer, and on the north side during winter. They just started producing the white flowers in recent weeks. They're not much over 3 feet tall, and haven't spread out a whole lot yet. In full blast summer conditions the top leaf tips get brown, dry and "ratty-looking", but the last 2 weeks it started getting nice delicate fragrant white flowers. The flowers came later than I expected but they do look just right (as of today anyway).

I see them in our San Antonio Botanical Garden, they have several large beds filled with them, getting 5-6 ft tall year after year. A few of them are given support to stay upright. They have good loose well established soil, and presumably get daily watering and attention, and are somewhat protected from the wind. Late in the growing season they're not too attractive and they get cut down to near ground level earlier than necessary. Even now mid to late summer they look stressed and not 100% green leaves. See photos of 3 separate beds from the last 2 months.

June 21 below

I wanted one after reading about the fragrance description. I find that the aroma is fine, but a little "funkier" than expected; it has an indelicate indole-like component similar to certain jasmines like sambac (Arabian). If mine ends up not growing I wouldn't buy another one, but for now we'll see how things go in the 11 inch raised bed in coming years.

Are you growing them in native soil? Do you envision a large stand? I would give them a couple years if you can spare the space (& water). It sounds like yours is/are hanging in there the first year or two.

Below is a hastily taken, slightly over-exposed shot of mine a couple days ago.

Lol!! Your funny roselee!! I just want to enter a contest, but a job? What's that? Your funny!!

Dan, wow! You got yours in full sun? And they are surviving? That's quite surprising indeed. No I don't envision a large stand. I just have a 4 by 4 foot flower bed near the front door. I have them planted in good compost that holds water very well. They are the only thing planted in that space due to the amount of water they need. Anything else in there would certainly be drowned. Are the pics you posted from the botanical gardens or from your home gardens? Nice pics! Very pretty indeed!

Yes Someone59, I'd prefer to get it out of the sun earlier, but this location is the best available option; it gets shade starting around 4 or 5 pm. In the future if I can construct some kind of sturdy solar screen above it, I will. I think protection from the wind helps too. Right now I water it 2-3 times a week.

That last closeup photo of the white flower is from my yard, this week. The other pics are from the Botanical Garden in recent months - meant to show that even in pampered conditions, the plants look stressed and don't have 100% green leaves.

BTW I am impressed with your new hole! I could not do that in one day. Remind me to stop complaining about my heavy clay soil.

Re: the purple vinca. An old cultivar that fell out of favor b/c disease prone. An improved version was reintroduced but it gets mildewy and fungusy w/excessive moisture. It's a shame.

Thank you roselee! Has anyone told you what a wonderfully gracious person you are? I love your sense of humor and your ongoing efforts to help all others that inquire here on the forum. I value our friendship and am ever grateful for crossing paths with you here on the forum!

And who ever said, "long distance relationships never work out"? Lol. Even though ours is more of a friendship, but it still falls within the catagory.

I have a few different types of ginger in my yard, and with my high shade they get very tall. First up is the apricot one:

And the white butterfly ginger:

The hidden ginger I got from Carrie is very happy in the shade:

Followup: the subject of Passionflower came up, Roselee mentioned the absence of Gulf fritillary butterflies this year. Today I finally saw my first one this year. (in NE San Antonio, on a 3 year old P. incarnata)

Also a followup on Butterfly ginger. We had severe winds from Hurricane Harvey last weekend. Afterwards some stalks of the BG were bent over. At the SA Botanical Garden, they put in bamboo poles as stakes to get the plants growing upright again.

Now if we could get a repeat of all the fireflies that surfaced here last September!

Butterfly ginger at San Antonio Botanical Garden after heavy winds:

Dan, shoo some of those fireflies over this way, okay. You'd think with the extensive wooded areas around here we'd see more of them. They were as "thick as flies" along the Rio Frio when we were at Leaky a couple of years ago. We could see the Milky Way too. Brought back memories of when we could see both all the time.

I've seen Gulf frits on three occasions in the last month, but no caterpillars yet.

Thanks for showing us how gingers are staked at the SABG. Do you volunteer at the Botanical Gardens by any chance, or just visit lot? Whichever -- I love the photos you take from there as well as your own yard. Keep them coming!

Do they keep the woods cleaned up of deadwood? the bugs live in decaying tree branches. Nature rewards a mess.

Where the houses used to be right across from me the city mows, but along the creek it's wild and wooly for miles and miles so I dunno' where the 'lightning bugs' are.

This used to be someone's back yard. The city mows it now ...

Several hundred feet on the other side of the tree line is the dry creek bed and lots of native plants; wild flowers; yuccas, nolina, and lots of critters; deer, coyote, raccoon, opossum, skunks. Alfie is hot on the trail of something. He's only tried to get a skunk to play once ... :-(

Who sees fireflies in their yards? Mara do you have them where you are?

Yes I do when the humidity climbs and there is ample moisture around. Early summer is better than now.

I bet you can see the Milky Way too ... :-)

I do miss seeing it. So much so that I have it as a screen saver.

re: Fireflies

Apparently spring is most common for fireflies here, and 2016 was a good year.

KUT in Austin reported in May 2016:

There Are Tons of Fireflies In Central Texas This Year. Here's Why.

http://kut.org/post/there-are-tons-fireflies-central-texas-year-heres-why

Forrest Mims (the 'Country Scientist') wrote in early June 2013:

Fireflies are back...Before the severe drought of 2011, many bats, nighthawks and fireflies could be seen during spring evenings at our place. Few of them were around during 2011 and 2012. The good news is that nighthawks and fireflies have returned...Fireflies usually flash for half an hour or so during spring evenings after sunset. Some keep longer hours and flash occasionally until midnight or beyond.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/life_columnists/forrest_mims/article/Country-Scientist-Fireflies-are-back-4579551.php

San Antonio area had a nice big showing last September 2016. I got wind of it here:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-antonio/2640180-anybody-seen-any-fireflies.html

We had lots of rain at the end of that month, so who knows, maybe they'll come back sooner because the ground got plenty of moisture last fall.

BTW thanks for the encouragement and feedback, Roselee (& everyone). I visit the SABG regularly, used to live and work nearby. I wanted to see how the plants handled last weekend's wind gusts. I didn't have the heart to go Monday morning, when the workers were still doing the initial cleanup. But by Tuesday they had things trimmed and cleaned up nicely.

@ Roselee, Yes, I can see the Milky Way and I have some favorite lightning bug sightings that were down right jaw dropping and other worldly.. I am remembering one because the person I saw it with , died this week. We were down on the banks of the Pedernales. we spent a sunset swimming under Ol'Glory, a immense cypress that survived the big floods of the 30's and 50"s. It must be in a sweet spot. The many roots of dead Cypress structures created glorious Rorschach structures in the glassy still waters. we cooked our meals and watched the stars come out and there were millions of them in the moonless night. then the millions of lightning bugs came out all over the undergrowth of the opposite bank down to the river. All were reflected in the glassy waters , stars, bugs, all together, just a vague dividing line between the changing dimensions. It went on for hours. WE slowly waded in till thigh deep in the stars and dove into the reflected lightning bugs and then floated on our backs looking up into the convergence of the sparkling trees and stars like fat bloated water bugs, arms outstretch still and quiet. .

This supplanted the last amazing sighting of watching one of those amazing multi-level towering Texas storms sprouting a constant hair of lightning from its upper levels , snaking in the convolutions of green cloud, lighting up like glow worms and snakes in the clouds depths. Out of the lower levels, tree lightning snaked outwards for miles above our head,. and again millions of lightning bugs answering their brethren of the skies. Also an amazing sighting. They definitely rank among the memories that I treasure that have made me forget to close my gaping mouth. Amazing things can be encompassed by "Golly miss Molly"

Thank you guys for making me delve into the memory banks.

What glorious memories of magnificent experiences and beautifully related !!!! Thank you. I can take a deep breath and imagine I am there ...

G.O.D., The Great Out-Doors

Dan, thank you for the information and the links. I read them all. they give me hope of seeing fireflies flying thick again, especially hopeful with the rains we had.