Agapanthus - Mysterious Disappearance

I bought four Agapanthus plants last Fall and planted them on the east side of the house. They thrived and two of them put out long flower spikes late last month. They started to open last week, so I checked on them today. Disaster! Nipped off cleanly!

You can see the barren spike behind and to the right of the Canna bloom and one lonesome Agapanthus flower on the Canna leaf.

Here's a closer shot of the Agapanthus spike.

Something similar happened to a fresh new Bouganvilla that I planted in the ground near a trellis. The thorns on it had not yet developed; one morning it was trimmed off at the ground.

Damned deer! Nibbled on a few Zinnea flowers, too, but didn't seem to like them.

Crepe Myrtles

Crepe Mrytles are abundant in Texas in June. They love the hot weather, but it's a rare gardener who gives them enough water. These are well cared for.

Ash Trash

There's an ash tree in my yard that makes a horrendous mess in late May, early June. Seeds, seeds, seeds, all over the world. They stick to your feet and track into the house. Hey! Enough! Nobody needs that many seeds, not even the squirrels pay attention.


The tree appears to be a Mexican Ash, aka Berlandier Ash. Latin name Fraxinus berlandierana.

Yellow Bell (Allamanda)

It's not a butterfly bush, its' Allamanda angustifolia, or perhaps Allamanda cathartica, a native of Brazil. Also known as golden trumpet.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus of every color are all over the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I've seen no doubles. I may have to buy some.

Staghorn Ferns

One of our neighbors near the entrance to the subdivision has some beautiful staghorn ferns growing on their trees. They fertilize them with slow-release pellets and keep them well watered. In the winter, they bring them into their garage.

It's a lot of work, but seems well worth it in this case.

Oleanders

Oleanders are in full bloom throughout the neighborhood. The pink one gets my vote for first prize.