A free bloomer that will be covered with fall rose hips.
Katy Road Pink
Blossoms ablaze
The yard is full of color.  The cross vines (Bignonia capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty') along the chain link fence and on the trellis at the back door are covered with orangish trumpets.  Planted last fall, their evergreen foliage will soon cover the fence and the rebar arches that were attached to the fence to augment its height.  In the side yard, the iris continue to bloom and the pink evening primrose and cornflowers now add their cheery colors to the area.  Those of you in the Midwest may know the cornflowers as bachelor buttons, but Texans have kindly informed Ann Marie of her error and she now calls the pink, purple and blue flowers by their "correct" name.  (Botanists know them as Centaurea cyanus).  The front yard is adorned with a patch of bluebonnets, a Katy Road Pink antique rose and the small, but charming, pink flowers of the variegated scented geranium, 'Snowflake'.
 

Veggies
The tomatoes and peppers have been placed in the garden.  Tomato varieties this year are Whirlybird, Celebrity, Sweet 100, Milano and Silver Fir.  Silver Fir is an heirloom variety that has attractive ferny foliage.  It is planted behind a trio of red ribbed Swiss Chard.  Always the poblano fan, these fiery peppers are a mainstay in Ann Marie's garden.  Of even higher heat value are the habanero peppers adorning a flower bed.  There are also Jalapenos, Gypsy sweet peppers and ornamentals Black Prince and Twilight.  The later were planted last year and survived the winter, they will have a multitude of colorful, pointed peppers in the summer.  Throughout the yard are the native chili pequins (chili petins, bird's eye peppers) planted by birds in many surprising locations.

Mints, Mints, Mints
New mints have been added to the garden this spring.  Persian mint, with mild spearmint flavor, has been planted at the edge of the pond next to a pot of Louisiana Iris.  The bright green oval leaves should fill the void at the back of the pond.  Blue Balsam Mint has been planted in the front perennial border, encircled with a bottomless 2 gallon plastic pot in an attempt to keep it in its assigned location.  Blue Balsam Mint is an attractive form of peppermint with reddish stems and a bluish tinge to the leaves.  The fragrance is minty with a hint of pine.  The dark leaves should form a nice contrast below the grey-green leaves and yellow flowers of the Phlomis (Jerusalem Sage).  A third mint, lime mint is ordered and should arrive shortly.  Meanwhile, the already established spearmint is being used almost nightly in the kitchen and chocolate mint is flavoring the morning coffee.

Asiatic Jasmine
The Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) has received its annual mowing.   Mowing once each spring keeps this vining ground cover at an attractive height and increases branching so that a dense cover is formed.  It is cut at the highest mower setting after all danger of frost has passed.  Asiatic Jasmine is a tough plant with glossy green leaves that does well in shade and requires little care or water.  Unfortunately, it does not bloom and will suffer freeze damage during the coldest winters in Austin, Texas.