{"id":2421,"date":"2009-03-15T21:34:20","date_gmt":"2009-03-16T02:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.zanthan.com\/gardens\/gardenlog\/?p=2421"},"modified":"2017-07-20T18:27:40","modified_gmt":"2017-07-20T23:27:40","slug":"gbbd-200903-mar-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zanthan.com\/gardens\/monthly-comparison\/gbbd-200903-mar-2009\/","title":{"rendered":"GBBD 200903: Mar 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nCarol at May Dreams Gardens<\/a> invites us to tell her what’s blooming in our gardens on the 15th of each month.\n<\/p>\n

March 15, 2009<\/h3>\n

I wrote a great deal about March (Zanthan Gardens most floriferous month) in my GBBD post for March 2008<\/a>. Rather than repeat myself, I find it more interesting to look at the differences between this year and previous years. I began participating in GBBD in its second month, March 2007. So this is the third March, I have GBBD records for.<\/p>\n

Austin is now in its 18th month of drought. The week before this GBBD, we had a week of temperatures in the 80s (15 degrees above normal–more like late May than mid-March). Then earlier this week (3\/11), temperatures fell 40 degrees and stayed in the 40s for 5 days. And it rained–cumulatively about 3 inches of rain which is more than we’ve had in single storm system since 2007.<\/p>\n

I’m encouraged by how many flowers are dependable in March despite Austin’s crazy extremes of weather, especially this time of year.<\/p>\n

\"Lupinus
2009-03-15. Bluebonnet, Lupinus texensis<\/i>
\nSome bluebonnets always manage to bloom. Austin has far fewer of our beloved state flower this year and the plants are much smaller. Some of the bluebonnets in my yard are but a single small stem right now. Pill bugs (or something) mow them down. And the stressed and weakened plants have been attacked by spider mites. But this year I’ve had some unusual variations: 2 pink bluebonnets and 3 white ones.<\/p>\n

\"bridal
2009-03-15. Bridal wreath spiraea<\/i>
\nThe bridal wreath spiraea struggled for a few years but finally seems to be making a comeback–probably because I started pruning, feeding, and watering it after I almost lost it. Some plants just demand attention.<\/p>\n

\"Aloe
2009-03-15. Aloe barbadensis<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Aloe
2009-03-15. Aloe barbadensis<\/i>
\nThis is the second year the aloe vera bloomed. For years I kept it in pots which I moved indoors during the winter. A contractor broke a pot and I decided to put the largest plants in the ground. They’ve survived two winters now (although the leaves get some cold damage) and surprised me by flowering.<\/p>\n

\"Meyer
2009-03-15. Citrus x meyeri, Meyer lemon<\/i>
\nThe lemon tree finally got to big for its pot, too and was looking unhappy. The current pot was almost too big for us to manage bringing it in so I decided to plant it in a protected spot. It began putting out an abundant quantity of new leaves and flowers almost immediately.<\/p>\n

\"Consolida
2009-03-15. Larkspur, Consolida ambigua<\/i><\/p>\n

Quite a few flowers (that are blooming this year that weren’t blooming this time last year) overwintered. Typically, many perennials freeze to the ground in Austin but are root hardy. This year these flowers never froze back: asclepias, datura, duranta, ruellia, podranea.<\/p>\n

Blooming in 2008 but faded during 2009’s week of 80 degree days: Cercis canadensis, Leucojum aestivum.<\/p>\n

Blooming in 2008 but not started blooming yet in 2009: California poppy ‘Mikado’.<\/p>\n

Complete List for March<\/h4>\n

The list of all plants flowering today, March 15th 2009, at Zanthan Gardens. I\u2019ve also noted if the plant was blooming on GBBD March 15th, 2007<\/a> or 2008<\/a>.<\/p>\n