Ginger Bloom

I bought this Ginger Hedychium coronarium 'Tara' a couple years ago, I bought it mostly because it is called "tara" which is my sisters name. I wasn't really aware that it would bloom when I bought it. It hasn't bloomed in the past couple years (I think mostly because my dog keeps breaking the canes) but this year a bloom has finally appeared! I keep it on the north side of the house where it gets bright shade and no direct sun.

this shoot appeared about a week ago, I was surprised to see it...

Hedychium coronarium 'Tara' (Ginger)-
green stalks rising 3-6 feet from the rhizome with long, lance-shaped leaves.
Mid Summer to Fall stalks are topped with 18 inch clusters of brilliant orange-red flowers with darker throats very fragrant with a scent similar to Gardenia.
hardy to approx 0 degrees F. It will tolerate an occasional light freeze or frost.
A hard frost will kill it to the ground but it returns quickly.
Prefers full sun in milder climates to part shade in hot areas.
Rich soil and good moisture.

Puya

I purchased what I thought was Puya alpestris "Sapphire Tower" from Annie's Annuals, but I think it's really Puya mirabilis. I bought two of them, and a couple summers ago one of them bloomed, this year the other one bloomed on two stalks, the blooms are really cool, but each one only lasts a day.

It's bromiliad from South America. Puya mirabilis
Zone 8b to 10—
A fast growing terrestrial bromeliad with bright shiny-green leaves that are slightly prickly at their base. The large, nodding flowers resemble species gladiolus and are chartreuse. This species flowers in 3 to 4 years from seed, very quick for a Puya.
Native to South America.
Average
Partial Sun
Attracts Hummingbirds
Great for Containers
Grows to 2' x 3'.

Pink Plants

I had a gift certificate for Orchard Nursery in Lafayette, CA and bought a taupe colored pot and three pink blooming plants this weekend.

I'm normally not so into the pink shades I prefer the orangy red tones on the warm side of the spectrum, but I thought these all looked very good together, and the pot went well with all of them as well.

Salvia coccinea 'Hummingbird Coral' Perennial treated as annual, to 2 ft tall, Full Sun.

Scutellaria suffrutescens 'Cherry Skullcap' Perennial, 3-8", Full Sun

Justicia Carnea Perennial, 2ft to 3ft depending on variety, Shade to partial shade