A few years ago I noticed hibiscus plants in our nursery and couldn't believe they would survive the winter in Colorado's frigid climes, but Luna returns on schedule every summer and shines like a star!
When you have this perennial hibiscus gracing your yard you can pretend that you're living in the tropics even though you reside smack dab in the middle of the US of A.
Its beautiful bloom is as big as a salad plate -- at least 6 inches across -- and it adds a dramatic punch of color to any yard. The huge flowers aren't its only positive characteristic. These plants are heat tolerant and they have a large number of flowers on each plant. Just cut them back to the ground in the fall once the folliage has died. They are one of the last perennials to emerge in the late spring as warm soil temperatures are needed for them to grow. They are a gorgeous, hearty perennial!
My morning glories are at their finest by mid August. They love the sun and, unfortunately, there is precious little of that in my garden, so it takes them until mid August the past few years to hit their stride. I plant morning glory seeds along a fence and around the base of four landscaping poles that I bend and tie together at the top to form a tee-pee. They trail and climb up the poles, like this...
By the end of the summer the morning glory have filled in and look something like this...
Here are a few photos taken in my garden this morning of these beautiful morning glory blossoms. Don't mistake these plants for the noxious weed that grows with the small 1/2" blossoms. Our morning glories have gorgeous 3" flowers and die back every fall. They do produce volunteers every spring from the seeds that were dropped in the fall -- very handy when you want them back in the same place every year!
And finally -- the happy face of a sunflower...
To see more flowery posts, go to the links below!
Linked to:
Bloomin' Tuesday @ Ms. Green Thumb Jeans
Garden Tuesday @ Sidewalk Shoes
Tuesday Garden Party @ An Oregon Cottage
