In my zone 8b garden here in Portland, Oregon, lots of perennials have had a slow start this spring, due to cool and record-setting wet weather. In contrast, today is beautiful, sunny and warm, which makes for challenging photography, but is incredibly welcome!
Making up for lost time, the parking-strip-roses are flowering nicely and, much as I'm uncommitted to these inherited plants, they deserve a little shout out in June. Though they're over their first spring flush of bloom, there are still lovely colors for the neighbors to enjoy as they stroll along my south-facing sidewalk.
Since these hybrid teas were here when we moved in, I don't have IDs for them.
I do know the name of this rose: I added 'Darlow's Enigma' to screen part of our back garden from the street in summer. It performs the task nicely, and thrives in spite of some shade from a large deciduous magnolia. Kate Bryant wrote more about this rose in her latest Plantwise blog post.
Also shining this month is the semi-climbing rose, 'Sally Holmes'. I added her in front of our wide chimney where her big trusses of simple, pink-tinged ivory flowers continue through summer.
Keeping with the simple white flower theme, here is Cistus obtusifolius,
Potentilla 'McKay's White',
and some of the callas that spring up everywhere.
More white flowers are these small, rare (in my garden) bloom clusters on Pyracantha 'Mohave'. 'Mojave' is supposed to be fireblight resistant, but my four along the fence struggle every spring with the disease: the plants look burned, the flowers mostly die as buds, and berry formation is practically non-existent as a result. I'm not willing to start over with something else, so I prune out the worst of the damage and put up with the rest. In spite of the yearly setback, they are slowly growing larger and doing the job they were assigned.
Up next are some native bloomers: Sisyrinchium 'Rocky Point'. Sorry for the burned-out image, but these only open in sun so they're hard to capture.
Ceanothus 'Victoria', still blooming from last month's post.
Salal.
Now to more exotic blooms: Kniphofia NOID.
Abutilon 'Tangerine'. This one wintered over, but I lost A. 'Temple Bells'.
Acanthus spinosa (thank you, Ricki!)
Acanthus mollis.
The blooms will open any day now on Clivia minata 'Belgian Hybrid Orange'.
Oxalis valdiviensis (I love this plant! Will the kind giver from our Portland Plant Exchange please remind me who you were?)
Eryngium variifolium.
Indoors there are a few flowering plants, too. An orchid from Trader Joe's that has re-bloomed many times.
And a Streptocarpus I have had for dozens of years. But oh, that blue!
Thank you Carol, for hosting Bloom Day each month at May Dreams Gardens.
Happy Bloom Day, all!
Making up for lost time, the parking-strip-roses are flowering nicely and, much as I'm uncommitted to these inherited plants, they deserve a little shout out in June. Though they're over their first spring flush of bloom, there are still lovely colors for the neighbors to enjoy as they stroll along my south-facing sidewalk.
Since these hybrid teas were here when we moved in, I don't have IDs for them.
I do know the name of this rose: I added 'Darlow's Enigma' to screen part of our back garden from the street in summer. It performs the task nicely, and thrives in spite of some shade from a large deciduous magnolia. Kate Bryant wrote more about this rose in her latest Plantwise blog post.
Also shining this month is the semi-climbing rose, 'Sally Holmes'. I added her in front of our wide chimney where her big trusses of simple, pink-tinged ivory flowers continue through summer.
Keeping with the simple white flower theme, here is Cistus obtusifolius,
Potentilla 'McKay's White',
and some of the callas that spring up everywhere.
More white flowers are these small, rare (in my garden) bloom clusters on Pyracantha 'Mohave'. 'Mojave' is supposed to be fireblight resistant, but my four along the fence struggle every spring with the disease: the plants look burned, the flowers mostly die as buds, and berry formation is practically non-existent as a result. I'm not willing to start over with something else, so I prune out the worst of the damage and put up with the rest. In spite of the yearly setback, they are slowly growing larger and doing the job they were assigned.
Ceanothus 'Victoria', still blooming from last month's post.
Salal.
Now to more exotic blooms: Kniphofia NOID.
Abutilon 'Tangerine'. This one wintered over, but I lost A. 'Temple Bells'.
Acanthus spinosa (thank you, Ricki!)
Acanthus mollis.
The blooms will open any day now on Clivia minata 'Belgian Hybrid Orange'.
Oxalis valdiviensis (I love this plant! Will the kind giver from our Portland Plant Exchange please remind me who you were?)
Eryngium variifolium.
Indoors there are a few flowering plants, too. An orchid from Trader Joe's that has re-bloomed many times.
And a Streptocarpus I have had for dozens of years. But oh, that blue!
Thank you Carol, for hosting Bloom Day each month at May Dreams Gardens.
Happy Bloom Day, all!
Wasn't the weather lovely yesterday (and it looks like today as well)! I just love your Sisyrinchium...I have a few that are still probably a year or so away from blooming-size...but your photos give me hope!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Sisyrinchiums had to be a certain size to bloom...guess I got lucky!
DeleteSome day you're going to have to tell me everything about how you care for your roses. Mine look TERRIBLE. Yours look fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI love that the A. mollis blooms look like they're sticking their tongues out.
Everything about roses: fertilize in March, then water, water, water (as Mom Nature has done for us this year). That's it!
DeleteLoving your Acanthus and your Tangerine Abutilon! Also your Callas. I know they're pretty common, but they just say elegance to me.
ReplyDeleteI love the callas, too, Alison. The fact that they're so easy doesn't diminish my enjoyment one bit.
DeleteOh, you're one of those magical people who can get orchids to rebloom! Ans those are some luscious roses you have there. I'm also loving that Eryngium variifolium. I had miss willmott's ghost last year and I guess she bit the dust. I even took special care to scatter her seeds all over the place in hopes I would get more. You win some, you lose some.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog--it's a thrill to "meet" another portlander!
I have some seedling E. variifolium, Bell: I'll make sure you're on the list for PDX Garden Blogger's Plant Exchange this fall.
DeleteAh your Kniphofia bloom is pure perfection! My green blooming plant hasn't produced a single flower yet.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds right, Loree, because you seem to be about 2-3 weeks behind me with our same plants (like the Callistemon viridiflorus.) Maybe it's because of your more easterly exposure?
DeleteWhat a beautiful bloom day post! I didn't think I liked roses a few years ago but when I got the most beautiful "hot temale" rose I changed my tune. I have taken to loving them! its amazing how that happens. Your roses look really nice. Do they smell?! Your Kniphofia NOID is CRAZY!!!! I love it so much! And the callas are really the most wonderful bloom. They are so elegant and tropical!!!
ReplyDeleteNice to see your acanthus spinosa doing well. I bought a Eryngium varifolium just today...love it!
ReplyDeleteI've inherited roses and callas as well. although I probably would never think of buying them , not because I don't like them. Too many other tempations. I do really enjoy them all summer , except the ones with black spot.
ReplyDeleteThat Kniphofia Noid ...very nice.
Great post and pictures. I haven't check your last moth's post but the Ceanothus 'Victoria', are definitely still blooming as I can see from the picture.;-)
ReplyDeleteWow. I love the combination of the Blue-Eyed grass and the Ceanothus. Wouldn't they look divine together? I used to have 'Darlow's Enigma' but it got too big for my garden. The scent was the enigma I think. Up close you couldn't smell the blooms but from, five to 15 feet away you could. Someday maybe I'll grow it again. The second and third rose photos look like 'Peace' but I'm no expert. I'm very jealous of your Acanthus! :)
ReplyDelete