It's Bloom Day, that time of the month when we celebrate the flowers in our gardens. It's been a bit "Junuary" around these parts (though we are predicted to get temps in the low 90s next week) so most of the flowers haven't been stressed by sun. But they haven't come on as quickly as in some past years, either. Here's what's blooming at Longview Ranch today:
The dark coral blooms of Sphearalcea 'Newleaze Coral' look huge in this image but they are each only about the size of a dime.
In other red news, Callistemon 'Woodlander's Hardy Red' is putting on a show and feeding our local Anna's hummer.
Nepeta 'Walkers Low' is charming the bumble bees.
Eremuris struggle in my garden, because I'm stingy with water. Only this yellow one reliably returns to bloom.
I'm trying Allium caeruleum this year. The flower heads are quite small, but I like the color. Many are needed for a good effect so I guess I'll be buying more this fall - and planting them closer together.
Cypella herbertii looks like Tigridia but I think it's even more elegant. It also blooms in late spring rather than late summer.
Dianthus barbatus 'Green Ball' is exactly that. Crazy!
The NOID olive seems to be blooming happily.
It lost some limbs after a boring beetle attack earlier this month (detail pic below), but time will tell whether that will result in its demise. So far, I'm cautiously optimistic, and it doesn't look SO bad, despite fewer branches. If it makes it to next spring, I'll need to watch carefully for the next generation of beetles to emerge.
Daphne x transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance' is softly scented.
Our native Lilium columbianum brightens up the shade below a Trachycarpus.
I draped a branch of Abutilon megapotamicum across the aforementioned Trachycarpus trunk to dress it up a little.
Nearby, Callistemon viridifloris is halfway through blooming.
Halimium ocymoides ('Sarah'? 'Sally'? 'Susan?'...one of those ladies.)
Acanthus spinosa. This plant is probably getting evicted at the end of the season. It flops when it gets big, and just looks messy, but I value the summer screening it's giving to the shade-lovers in the bed to its north, so something sizeable will need to take its place next year.
Here are the flowers of the Northwest Territory. The foxgloves are still flowering but are nearing the end of their main flush of bloom
Lewisia columbiana var. rupicola.
Erigeron glauca, another fine native.
Penstemon speciosus (or possibly P. subserratus.) I'm fuzzy on most of the bigger penstemons.
Sidalcea oregana.
Back in the front garden, here's a penstemon I do know for sure, P. pinifolius.
Monardella macrantha 'Marian Sampson' is just getting started.
Hesperaloe parviflora. Mine can't hold a candle to the wonderful examples I saw in Austin during the Fling, but I love it anyway.
We can't overlook the bright yellow flowers of Sedum rupestre.
And last, some tomato flowers that promise such good eating later this summer. That payoff can't come too soon for me!
I'm joining with Carol of May Dreams Gardens where she hosts Bloom Day on the 15th of each month.
Happy Bloom Day!
The dark coral blooms of Sphearalcea 'Newleaze Coral' look huge in this image but they are each only about the size of a dime.
In other red news, Callistemon 'Woodlander's Hardy Red' is putting on a show and feeding our local Anna's hummer.
Nepeta 'Walkers Low' is charming the bumble bees.
Eremuris struggle in my garden, because I'm stingy with water. Only this yellow one reliably returns to bloom.
I'm trying Allium caeruleum this year. The flower heads are quite small, but I like the color. Many are needed for a good effect so I guess I'll be buying more this fall - and planting them closer together.
Cypella herbertii looks like Tigridia but I think it's even more elegant. It also blooms in late spring rather than late summer.
Dianthus barbatus 'Green Ball' is exactly that. Crazy!
The NOID olive seems to be blooming happily.
It lost some limbs after a boring beetle attack earlier this month (detail pic below), but time will tell whether that will result in its demise. So far, I'm cautiously optimistic, and it doesn't look SO bad, despite fewer branches. If it makes it to next spring, I'll need to watch carefully for the next generation of beetles to emerge.
Daphne x transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance' is softly scented.
Our native Lilium columbianum brightens up the shade below a Trachycarpus.
I draped a branch of Abutilon megapotamicum across the aforementioned Trachycarpus trunk to dress it up a little.
Here are the flowers of the Northwest Territory. The foxgloves are still flowering but are nearing the end of their main flush of bloom
Erigeron glauca, another fine native.
Sidalcea oregana.
Back in the front garden, here's a penstemon I do know for sure, P. pinifolius.
Monardella macrantha 'Marian Sampson' is just getting started.
Hesperaloe parviflora. Mine can't hold a candle to the wonderful examples I saw in Austin during the Fling, but I love it anyway.
We can't overlook the bright yellow flowers of Sedum rupestre.
And last, some tomato flowers that promise such good eating later this summer. That payoff can't come too soon for me!
I'm joining with Carol of May Dreams Gardens where she hosts Bloom Day on the 15th of each month.
Happy Bloom Day!
I am determined to get some Lewisia. I am pondering the perfect location. Those Hesperaloes in Texas--they were something weren't they ?
ReplyDeleteYes, I have hesperaloe envy, and I want some 'Brakelights'!
DeleteI keep hoping my Hesperaloe will bloom... Both of mine are mysteriously shy about blooming, darn it. I bet you could get a Podophyllum to replace your Acanthus. I bought a dark pink Sphearalcea at Xera last year and I love it so much. Yours is pretty too. Beautiful blooms all around.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of podophyllum! Thanks, Grace!
DeleteI wish you better luck than I had removing Acanthus spinosa. I thought I had it out last fall. It's back. I give up. Happy Garden Blogger Bloom Day!!
ReplyDeleteI know! I went through this with Acanthus mollis and bits still comes up years later. But it's just too big and floppy where it is, so I'll try again.
DeleteWhat an awesome picture of the hummingbird!
ReplyDeleteJeannie@GetMetoTheCountry
I love Walker's Low! I cut mine back already, a few weeks ago, but might get another bloom, it's coming back already. I don't know what my big penstemon is either.
ReplyDeleteLovely plants.
ReplyDeleteYou have so much variety in your garden - many of these I'd never seen before (which is, of course, not surprising considering our very different climates). That's too bad about the Acanthus - it's lovely but I know what you mean about floppiness. I've had to remove a couple of plants from our garden for that very same reason.
ReplyDeleteGreat shot of that hummer hovering over the Callistemon. Lots of lovely flowers for you this June--hope your heat wave wasn't too bad (and that it is over).
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed visiting with you in Austin!
I really like the Cypella herbertii. I mistook it for Tigridia for some time, so I guess it is new to me this year!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks excellent, even if some things are later than over here. Plus it's more exciting seeing red yucca there than here where it's huge but common. That hummingbird photo - my favorite!
ReplyDelete