The seasons in north Texas are hard to define.
We have summer and not summer.
We sort of skip over transitional seasons,
like spring and fall,
with winter varying from really cold temperatures (10° F)
to really mild temperatures (60° F),
or even into the 70-80° (F) occasionally.
or even into the 70-80° (F) occasionally.
Just two weeks ago, on Veteran's Day,
this field of blue salvia was in full bloom
on a country road leading into Salado, Texas,
a small town in the central part of Texas.
A first for me.
I've never seen a field of blue salvia before.
Blue salvia is often used in flower beds and
in containers on decks, but I had never seen
an entire field of blue salvia before.
Did the owner plant all these individual plants?
Or did the plants naturalize in the field from only a handful of plants?
How large is this field?
I couldn't see where the field of flowers ended.
The field is bordered by a large stand of live oak trees
that remain green year round.
Will the plants survive the winter
and return to blooming next spring?
The color is similar to the blues of our treasured
Texas bluebonnets
that bloom for a short period in late March to mid April.
Blue salvia, however, blooms for many months of the year.
I grow it in pots on my deck from early spring until frost nips it.
What a wonderful view for the residents of Salado and
for visitors to Salado who come to shop.
While the countryside still looks like summer,
the shops in town are dressed for fall.
Colorful-leaved Crotons pair perfectly with orange and pink pumpkins
for a fall arrangement all the way until Thanksgiving.
In most parts of the United States,
Crotons are inside houseplants,
but not here.
Where we have summer, then not-summer.
Changing seasons
are harder to define here
by the weather.
Beautiful old historic buildings used as speciality shops
help define the changing seasons.
While the countryside is in full bloom with summery flowers,
and the front entrance to Magnolias in Salado is dressed for fall,
the adjoining storefront section is already dressed in
twinkling fairy lights of the
Christmas season.
Changing Seasons - Texas style.
❦
~~~~~~~~~~
Check back for
Christmas inspiration that is coming
Dec. 6-10.
Be sure to see all the homemade goodness every day, and
to see my homemade Christmas on
December 10.
Here is a very small peek at it.
Please join me at these inspiring sites...
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
I've driven past Salado on I35 many times going back and forth to my dad's lately. I feel so bad for them having to endure that construction mess on the interstate. Glad to see that the town is still doing well. I love shopping there and you are making me want to build time into the schedule. :)
ReplyDeleteHow lucky you are to have something that pretty blooming and brightening up your day. I live in northwestern pennsylvania..think and hour and half south of Buffalo...and we lose our flowers at the first frost usually in September and don't see daffodils until April. It's a long time without blossoms so I envy your view. We do have a definite change of seasons here...but the winter lasts longer than any. We are sure grateful,when spring comes again. Peggy from PA
ReplyDeleteJudith, I've never seen a field of blue salvia either. I know that was a stunning sight.
ReplyDeleteIt's so cold and wet here at the moment that it's difficult to think it was in the 80s recently. Only in Texas!
Hope you enjoy a splendid Thanksgiving. Happy Holidays ~ Sarah
A field of blue salvia sounds like a wonderful vision. I have one simple little plant growing in my garden.
ReplyDeleteStunning to see, the field of blue Salvia!
ReplyDeleteWill have to check those sites, thanks for sharing and Happy Days!
Salado looks like a great place to visit. I love the field of salvia, in November yet!
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Salado and will put it on my list... maybe bump it up to the top. Texas is great in any season. I once read that it was second only to California in number of native wild flowers. I find that hard to believe, and I'm a native of California. I would have thought that Texas won, hands down. Anyway, blue salvia is stunning. I have never seen an entire field but can envision the beauty. Thank you for such a lovely post!
ReplyDeleteSalvia will replant itself into infinitum. It freezes back and then reappears the next year...where you planted it and where you had NO PLAN!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love Salado...will be going down one evening soon to check out the Christmas decor. :^) Maybe some of us could meet there after the first of the year??
Blessings to you,
J