July 2013 Blooms

Once again, my bloom day post has been delayed.  I blame the excessive heat.  Oh, I took pictures on the 14th and 15th, but the heat has completely sapped my energy for even the most sedentary tasks, like blogging. 

Fortunately the garden doesn't complain quite as much about the heat as I do.  I did venture out earlier in the week to find a cucumber hiding among the very tall weeds.  It is over a foot long.

On to the blooms ...

Most of the yard this month has been daylilies and Rudbeckia.  But I also have these:

 Echinacea on the patio, forming the backdrop for the glider.  The 'White Swan' Echinacea is barely visible in this photo, just behind the glider and on the right edge.

 

More Echinacea in the side garden, shading some yellow-blooming blue spruce sedum.  Oh, and there's something else in there ...



 

It is all flopped over and only made two blooms this year, but the stargazer lily, declining for the past few years, is still there. 



And here's a closeup of the blooming sedum

 

The lower border in the front has some sedum, too.  I don't remember what this one is, with thick grayish leaves.

 

Also in the front border:  four o'clocks and catmint.

 

The upper garden is sporting some cute little Coreopsis rosea.

The garage garden is full of phlox.

The side garden, in addition to the Echinacea and lilies, has balloon flower (shown here with daylilies) and heliopsis (with a rose campion).

Back in the front are this year's new bulbs:  Acidanthera (Gladiolus callianthus).  I just love them!

 

Oh, I'm pooped now, just thinking about those plants out in the heat.  Time for a nap.  

June 2012 Blooms

Another late Bloom Day post, though these photos were actually taken on the 15th.  Here's some of what is blooming mid-month.

In the garage garden, Easter lilies, tall phlox, and valerian: 

'Easter' lilies

Phlox paniculata 'Franz Schubert'

 

Valerian

Last spring I threatened to shovel-prune the valerian, but it took advantage of my procrastination and lived another year.
(not pictured:  Geranium, Stokesia)

On the patio, an assortment of black-eyed susan and two colors of echinacea:

In the upper terrace, Stokesia, Spigelia marlandica, and Monarda:

Stokesia

Spigelia marylandica

Monarda 'Raspberry Wine'

(not pictured:  black-eyed susan, spiderwort, daylilies)

Some columbine that don't know when to stop:

(also in the lower terrace:  dianthus)

In the side garden, the balloon flowers are popping:

(not picured:  asiatic lilies, lots of daylilies, butterfly bush, lamb's ear, rose campion)

The front yard is even looking showy this month.  Along the front walk are several types of Rudbeckia, some 'Rocky Top' Echinacea, larkspur, lavender (not pictured), and some pansies hanging on:

Along the front walk

In the front bed, some cinquefoil and one white glad:

(not pictured:  four-o'clocks, catmint, sedum)

Thanks for looking at my June blooms.

June Blooms, part 2

Finally showing off what was blooming in my yard on June Bloom Day, the 15th of the month.

In the upper garden: stokesia, butterfly weed, baptisia seed pods, rudbeckia

Upper Garden

Rudbeckia in the upper garden

There are different Rudbeckia along the front walk. Last year I wintersowed a whole bunch of different types and planted them in various spots on the garden. I have no idea what's where anymore.

Rudbeckia along the front walk

Also in the front are some very tipsy glads:

Gladiolus

Over in the side garden, a yellow flower I wintersowed last year. I think its a heliopsis, though it might be a helianthus. I really have no idea.

Heliopsis?

Around back, I have last fall's mums in a pot. They are blooming already.

Mums!?!?!?

In the garage garden, the "Easter" lilies are brightening up the corner, while farther down 'Franz Schubert' is the first of the garden phlox to bloom. This was a plant I 'rescued' off the clearance table a few years ago, and it has limped along ever since. I am happy to see it bloom.

"Easter" lilies in the garage garden

Phlox 'Franz Schubert'

Completing the circuit, some coreopsis on the terraces:

Zagreb coreopsis on the terraces

Whew! Finally done.

Birthday Blooms

My very first daylily, purchased ten years ago and labeled simply "Orange", is still my favorite. Partly because it was first, partly because it is orange, partly because of its large blooms. But also because it blooms on my birthday. Every year.

This year I was concerned because all the daylilies were blooming 2-3 weeks early. Would "my" daylily, which usually starts blooming on my birthday, last that long? It did. It saved the very last three blooms (I only got 2 in the picture) for my special day:


Also blooming on my birthday (last week, by the way) - my first dahlia of the year (and likely the only, since something chomped the other one down to a stalk yesterday):


Balloon flowers full of bees:


Stargazer:


Glads - I love this white-trimmed purple one:


Also the usual echinacea, rudbeckia, tradescantia. Coreopsis rosea is in full swing, a few butterfly weed still hanging on, some geranium, asters(!), assorted cucurbits,...

And inside:


Sunflowers! From my sister and BIL. The florist had to come find me in the backyard to deliver them. He almost didn't walk around, but I'm glad he did - he wouldn't have left them out in the heat of the day.

I love flower-filled birthdays!