Natural Beauty Without The Fuss…

Yellow Bells

You know how some people are described as ‘natural beauties’?  They look great without makeup and their hair only pulled up into a ponytail.  Well, I am not describing myself.  It takes some work in front of the mirror before I will venture outside 😉

But, I absolutely love using plants that are what I would call ‘natural beauties’ because they look great without having to fuss over them.  Now, I do love to be out in the garden, but I do not particularly like digging, dividing, pruning and deadheading often – especially in the summer months.  And so, many of the plants in my garden are ‘natural beauties’.  They look fantastic with minimal effort.  

I would like to share with you, periodically, some of my favorite ‘natural beauties’.  Today, I would like to introduce you to Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans var. stans).

natural beauties

One look at this picture and it is easy to see why I love this shrub so much.  They are covered with gorgeous yellow flowers from April to October.  

natural beauties

Yellow Bells grows into a large shrub (6 ft. high and 4 ft. wide), with beautiful leaves and clusters of yellow, trumpet shaped flowers.

Interestingly, even though hummingbirds usually flock to flowers with red, orange and purple flowers….they can’t get enough of my Yellow Bell flowers.

Yellow Bells

I do not fertilize my Yellow Bells shrubs or give them any special treatment.  They have not been bothered by pests of any kind.

You can find them growing in many tropical and semi-tropical areas such as the southeastern areas of the United States, Central America and in the Caribbean.

Yellow Bells

They are somewhat susceptible to frost (hardy to zone 8), and mine suffers damage to the tips of the branches.  As a result, the only maintenance that I perform is an annual pruning in spring, once the threat of frost is over.

A plant like this has a prominent place in my garden and provides beautiful color throughout the summer, when I tend to hibernate inside within the comforts of my air-conditioned house.  I do venture out into the garden in the mornings and evenings when the temperatures are cooler to do some work.  I much prefer looking through my window at my ‘natural beauties’.

I hope you enjoyed my first ‘natural beauty’ post.  I will be featuring more in the future.

What ‘natural beauties’ do you have growing in your garden?

Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
16 replies
  1. Floridagirl
    Floridagirl says:

    Ooh, I love natural beauties in my garden. Tecoma is a beautiful plant! Yellow bells is one I didn't plant when I first put in the garden, and now there is no room. I must find a place for one. Maybe where the Barbados cherry was frozen to death.

  2. Rosie@leavesnbloom
    Rosie@leavesnbloom says:

    That shrub certainly earns its keep in your garden Noelle – thats the sort of plant we could do with in the UK bred with hardy genes!

    I'm still thinking about what is a natural beauty in my garden!

  3. Kiki
    Kiki says:

    Wow..definately a fabulous natural beauty..such a lush yellow..vibrant and pretty!! I dont have anything much in the garden yet..but I love my lavenders and herbs..they are naturally beautiful to me. I have enjoyed your wonderful array of posts..they are all fabulous!! Hope you have a wonderful wkd.
    Kiki~

  4. Janet
    Janet says:

    HI Noelle, once again you have shared some new (to me) plant with us. Hardy to zone 8 you say??? hmmm….wonder if zone denile (going to be in 7b) is apropos here?

  5. Ami
    Ami says:

    I love the natural beuties too! Your yellow bell looks so pretty. Hmmm, my desert rose and Dipladenia pink are also falling into this category, no fuss, and continuous bloomer, got to love them!

  6. Amy
    Amy says:

    Mine all survived our freezing temps. They all have new growth at the base and are slowly filling out. Yours is very pretty and full of blooms!

  7. LC
    LC says:

    It reminds me of allamanda which I hope to use in a stained glass lamp at some point… your plants are very beautiful! Larry

  8. sweet bay
    sweet bay says:

    That is a real beauty, with those ruffled golden yellow flowers.

    Eventually my garden is going to consistent mostly of plants that take care of themselves.

  9. Kathleen
    Kathleen says:

    Those yellow bells are gorgeous Noelle. I can see why you (and the hummingbirds) love them. No natural beauty here! I love my girl stuff. 🙂

  10. Andrea
    Andrea says:

    Hello Noelle, i can fully relate to this plant since i saw them growing independently on marginal areas in one of the island provinces here. They are profusely showing their elegance in the wild, without no one tending them. However, my attempts to get some pods did not give me consolation, as nothing germinated. I now just contend on visiting my old photos, but still wish i can get some of them again in the future, as they only grow in that island. I wonder why it is not found anywhere here.

  11. Rose
    Rose says:

    I wish I could grow yellow bells here! A plant like this that blooms for so long would definitely be on my favorite plant list. I'd have to think awhile to come up with a favorite "natural beauty" here.

  12. Terra
    Terra says:

    You have introduced me to yellow bells. I like to plant bell shape flowers and I think these might grow where I live.

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