Summer brings unexpected weather. For instance, rain, in the form of "scattered showers", has been in the forecast, for days. I have been watching, seemingly everyone else, in the state, getting rained on, as the rain patterns have been moving around me, above me, or to the south of me. Since the next 4 days are expected to be sunny and dry, I just knew I'd be dragging out the water hose and nozzle again. I was surprised and happy, to find out, just as I was preparing to go out and water, that it had already rained, LOL. The weather guys had said a few hours earlier, that all rain had left the area. One of the weather websites, said I had a 4% chance of it raining, later tonight and tomorrow . Go figure.



Here are some seedlings I've sprouted, as an experiment. They are baby Screwbeans, a type of Mesquite tree. Mesquite (mess-keet), for anyone unfamiliar with the plant, is common in desert areas of the SW. Yet, they are known to be hardy, down to z7. They've germinated, but I heard that they are very susceptible to damping off, at the seedling stage. I'll see how long they stick around:



https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ctu1A4zbaayZoWD56



A CALLA LILY in bloom!


https://photos.app.goo.gl/G6xB5xLj4ZWyfdQu8



New leaves forming on the CHILEAN MYRTLE or Luma apiculata. For anyone unfamiliar with this species, it is a broad-leaved evergreen plant:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/WUkfKWD7ovpbgQWu8



Here is a form of tropical MAGNOLIA, also known as CHAMPAK, or Michelia champaca. This one is the more common yellow-orange flowered type. There is a white flowered one, known as "alba", also. I got this one last year, as a 3 gallon, and have bumped it up to a 7 gallon. It is now about 4 ft tall. Champak is also nicknamed the 'Joy Perfume' tree, because the fragrant flowers are said to smell like a lady's Joy perfume...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/hWiVVSqMQBntsyTq7



Check out these "late-sprouters", LOL. I planted these corms, back in May. They waited until JULY, to emerge. They are FANCY-LEAF CALADIUMS, and are in the broader Arum group, with elephant ears, Jack-in-the pulpits, and Anthuriums...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/tv5E1KR1tg8NFwG1A



Here are some CALALOO greens, or Jamaican spinach plants. Like Akee, Calaloo is a popular dish, in Jamaica:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fz6wK8j5ZpMyfKpc8



The first UPRIGHT GARDEN PHLOX to bloom, this summer. The variety is 'Little Red Riding Hood'...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/9TSM3Rr3BRTtrc166



The MOTHERWORT or Leonurus cardiaca, is blooming. A tea can be made from its leaves, that herbalists claim have several health benefits. This plant is a hardy wildflower. Bees love its flowers. This plant is related to Wild Dagga (Leonotis leonurus) plants, that some people smoke, to get high from...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/FWEnrtXziQo6iQ6j7



Another late one to emerge, is this one: Amorphophallus konjac. When the corms get large enough, they will produce a foul-smelling flower, in late winter-early spring:



https://photos.app.goo.gl/n94vyNcL7ohdZbjv9



JUJUBE is blooming. For those unfamiliar with this fruit tree, it has been dubbed the Chinese Date, because when dried, the fruits are very sweet, and date-like. However, jujube trees are much hardier than the true date, which grows on the Phoenix dactilifera palm tree. Jujube trees flower well into the summer, unlike other temperate fruit trees..


https://photos.app.goo.gl/G9bZVQdFQGHqtURV7


Interesting how ATEMOYA fruit tree flower buds resemble developing chili peppers, by shape. The two pics below show their resemblance:

Atemoya flower bud(s)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5UTGZ6bcud76rE3V8


Hungarian Wax chili pepper

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hK9GzVA8TbmkUnhp7