Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

With the day slipping away on me, I have hurriedly compiled a list of what is blooming around here. The heat has kept us all inside of late...even my faithful companion, Kobe, was urging me to hurry it up so we could retreat into the air conditioning. So, here it is:

1. Agastache...two varieties, down from three as my seed grown one succumbed to our unusual winter this year.

2. Alyssum....I faithfully plant this each year as I like a border of it...just the white, these days, as the colored ones don't show up. Yes, I know that they are supposed to reseed...and they do...just never where I want/need them. They prefer cracks and other precarious places.

3. Anthemis...faithful to bloom, although it does travel about a bit.

4. Astilbe...a pink one is just getting going, clearly the latest of the ones I have. A few others are still doing some blooming, but are past peak.

5. Bacopa...I like to put this year after year into my terra cotta basket on the front porch. For some reason, this year I failed to put the watering crystals in it...and it has really struggled. I think that Miracle Grow commercial of late on the radio about repotting with a moisture retentive potting mix is right on target (for me).

6. Balloon Flowers...All are up and blooming well except for my double...which came up and then suddenly died....I'm not sure what happened to it.

7. Balsam/Touch Me Not...I know there is already a plant called Mother of Thousands, but that would work for this one also. They reseed all around. Last year, I had a light pink one that I especially liked...no sign of light pink this year.

8. Clematis....Betty Corning has to be the longest blooming clematis I have. Wait until I show you a picture I took of one in Darryl Apps' garden yesterday.

9. Clethra....durable shrubs. I do miss the one I managed to kill (I know, I must have really tried to cause one to expire.), but enjoy the two I still have. The white one, from Wayside, has really spread itself to the point that it is coming up through the bottom deck stairs. Anyone need some?? I shared some with my garden group a few years back and I remember visiting one of the gardener's garden and noticing how sweet it smelled (better in her garden than mine...go figure).

10. Coneflowers...Fragrant Angel, Kim's Knee High, and Sparkler continue to shine. The other fussy ones (I mean to write about this at some point) are mostly gone. Every time I look at Sparkler (I do like it...holds itself up well and continues to bloom), I remember someone commenting that it looked like (the variegation) that it had spider mites! I also have reseeding, I suppose, (maybe I just didn't get them all out) purple coneflowers (Magnus) that are still on the side despite my best efforts to remove them last fall. They tend to flop around over there and are not especially attractive.

11. Crepe Myrtle....The red small ones (Tonto, I think) are blooming, but not the vibrant pink or the large white ones. My dwarf purple one didn't make it through the winter.

12. Dahlias...The ones that overwintered are blooming or trying to bloom as the Japanese Beetles like them. They do appear to have spider mites, so I need to get after that.

13. Dianthus...Various ones blooming but long blooming awards have to go to Siberian Blues and Knappi (the little yellow blossom).

14. Geraniums/hardy/annual....Of course, Rozanne continues to star. What a great plant! I'm sad that I almost lost one, so my three-on-the-side- is now two-on-the-side. Nice, but not quite as nice. Nimbus has been going quite a while as well. The ivy geraniums would be spectacular if the Japanese Beetles didn't like them so. Some (these are the annual ones) speckled flowered ones I especially like in a high deck box have so far (fingers crossed) not been hit by the JBs.

15. Gladiolus...I always thought I wasn't a particular fan of glads, but I have some that grow and return and, you know, I'd miss them if they didn't appear each year. I cut the ones that flop on the ground and bring them inside. There are some wild color combinations.

16. Helenium...I love this plant! I have three, varieties, I think...two I brought back from Seattle and have survived my lack of care and concern. The third also hasn't been pampered but is so fun...'Mardi Gras'....I have posted about it before. I really like it.

17. Helianthus...'Lorraine Sunshine' still pops up here and there, but seems to have been overtaken in its original spot by the solid green leaved variety. Long bloomer.

18. Hemerocallis/Daylilies....Need I say anything here?! The star of my summer garden and a consuming passion for me. No seedlings blooming, however.

19. Hosta....The non-fragrant ones tend to bloom first for me. Those blooms also tend to be more lavender as opposed to the white of the others. Some of my hostas have really come into their own. I've also got quite a few in the pot ghetto to plant out. As my yard becomes shadier, I've decided to go with it and add hostas in places where I've had daylilies (now struggling with the lack of sun). Several gardens I've seen recently had really pretty clumps of hostas around trees and I liked the look. Very cool and tranquil. I've meant to do that around the silver maple in the backyard for a couple years now...then, I play with adding hellebores...who know, maybe I'll do both!

20. Hydrangeas...my variegated lacecap looks really lovely now.

21. Impatiens...Disappointing this year. I bought them somewhere else and they have just languished around the crabapple. Last year, they were just terrific and I hoped to repeat the show this year. Apparently not. Unless I buy more!

22. Larkspur....This is quite strange. They are usually always gone by now. However, a few purples/blues are still hanging around under the dogwood where it is quite shady.

23. Monarda/Bee Balm....Such cheery flowers, although I still need to add a good red to replace my red that is a poor performer. Raspberry Wine has gotten huge, but that's okay with me.

24. Nemesia.....Another "every year" plant that I bring in. I like the purple ones. They bloom until frost. This year, they're not quite as robust as they are getting less sun (that shade thing). I will have to think about that a bit before next year.

25. Nepeta/Catmint (Cat Mint?).....Continues to bloom at the roses' feet...where I like it. I have a couple volunteer plants this year that I intend to move in front of a couple other roses.

26. Orienpet Lilies....These are so exciting! Tall and fragrant, I enjoy them very much.

27. Oriental Lilies....I've long been a fan, but once Lily Virus appeared (I suspect it came in on some bulbs) and then the difficultly in getting a true variety...well, they've left their top spot for me. I still enjoy them, but have noticed they will tend to put on a huge show one year...and then a small show the next (as, I guess, they split and divide). I moved some monster sized bulbs last year and they're blooming...but, you'd think they were quite small bulbs (maybe they are now).

28. Petunias.....Yes, I have red, white, and purple ones in a pot. My contribution to a patriotic theme...besides, they were Waves (who can resist). Today, though, I discovered that after many years of planting a petunia border (which I didn't this year), I have a couple seedlings. One is quite delightful and I have to admit, I'm pleased to see them.

29. Phlox...Despite its mildew problems, I love phlox! I think I have something like 17 named varieties and now, a number of seedlings! I'm quite pleased with them, the seedlings. They seem healthy and hardy...my current favorite is a white with the palest of pink eyes and a flush. There's quite a bit of variety. I'm still waiting on a few to bloom.

30. Rose of Sharon....Bluebird and a burgundy double are the only ones that remain here...

31. Roses...There are a few roses that haven't gotten the message to cease and desist while the JBs abound.

32. Rudbekia/common roadside brown-eyed Susan....Another one that I've tried to eradicate, but it has other ideas. I have to admit, it is cheerful...I could just enjoy it on the roadside, though, you know...

33. Verbena Bonariensis...While it seeds itself around, it's another that I don't mind. It seems to blend well with everything.

34. Viola/common Johnny Jump Up....These are a few that have...at last...seeded themselves in a few spots. I'd rather have them than weeds, so hop to it, I say! They must be tough to bloom in this heat. Their cousins, the pansies, have long decided to call it a day.

I'm sure I missed a few things, but that's pretty much how it is. It's hard to realize it's July already, isn't it? July does bring great things, though, like tomatoes! Today we ate my first non-cherry tomato from the garden...Pink Caspian...and, oh my...the flavor of your own homegrown tomatoes is like nothing else. That and Athena cantaloupes plus fresh corn...make summer worth waiting for! From here out, I intend to visit the local farmers' market at least weekly to stock up! This is good eatin' time!

If you haven't already, do stop by Carol's May Dreams Gardens for the scoop on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. There, besides seeing what Carol has going on, you can find lots of other garden bloggers participating.

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I don't think I like using these little left/right pictures! Too hard to place them, so back to the usual...