Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - September 2021

Bloom Day again! Maybe it's because I love summer and hate to see it go, but it seems like much less than a month since I posted for August's Bloom Day. Nevertheless, time marches on, and now we're very near the autumnal equinox. Although a number of plants are still blooming nicely, there's a definite slowing of energy, and we are expecting our first real rain of the season this weekend.

Let's take a look at what is still in bloom, with a caveat if you hate repeats: you may have seen many of these flowers already this summer...

Starting in the Northwest Territory, we have the fantastic native, Erigeron glaucus. This stalwart of the summer garden looks wonderful, and supports pollinators all season long.

 

Another winning native in the NW Territory is Heterotheca villosa. I'm in love with this robust summer bloomer and pollinator magnet.

Cyclamen hederifolium is not a native, but it sure turns up at the best time in the NW Territory. I believe the clump of paler blooms on the left are C. hederifolium 'Xera's Sterling'. The ones on the right are probably the straight species.

 

Moving into the south back garden we come to all the red and orange flowers. This is Bougainvillea 'Camarillo Fiesta' in a container.

Begonia boliviensis.

 

Unknown Cuphea, possibly 'Vermillionaire'. The hummers are still checking it for nectar.

 

Dicliptera suberecta also interests the hummingbirds.

Monarda macrantha 'Marian Sampson' is just holding her own against the marauding delosperma.

Here's something that wasn't blooming last month: the delicate flowers of Mahonia gracilipes.

 

Also new this month: Pelargonium sidoides. This plant came from Alison of Bonney Lassie in 2016, and has lived happily in my front garden with no protection since then.

I have put in multiple low-growing heathers over the years and I have a hard time keeping track of the cultivars. From the tag description this may be Calluna vulgaris 'Silver Cloud'. Whatever it is, it's blooming, and it's cute.

I moved an Arctostaphylos x 'Pajaro Hybrid' from Astoria to Portland, because the deer kept nibbling it. It's responding to the move by putting on some new growth and a few flowers.

 

One of two gorgeous Correa 'Stawberries and Cream' given to me by Emily Freebird of In Search of Small Things. One will stay in Portland, and one will try life (and the deer population) in Astoria.

Because it's in more shade than it would like, Gardenia 'Frostproof' rations out its fragrant blooms one at a time.

Hesperaloe parviflora stems are still blooming, and they are forming lots of these fat seed pods that tell me they've been attracting hummingbirds and bees.

Agastache "Acapulco Orange' is hanging in there, but pretty ready for fall.

Lastly, in my opinion the seedheads of Chasmanthium latifolium are as beautiful as flowers.

 

Bloom Day is hosted monthly by the lovely Carol, at May Dreams Gardens.

Happy Bloom Day, all!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - August 2021

It's been hot. We've been having a slight reprise of our "heat dome" for the past five days, and I for one, am done with it. I remember long, hot August days in previous years, but somehow this year's heat seems harder to take. The garden is feeling it, too.

Case in point: Echinacea 'Sombrero Salsa Red'. The flowers should still be a vibrant, rich red. Instead most have faded to more of a rusty red, in spite of regular irrigation.

Also feeling pretty tired are the flowers of Agastache "Acapulco Orange'. They are still blooming, just not as robustly as they did last year.

But enough bemoaning of the heat; some plants are performing like they were born to it. Lagerstroemia 'Natchez" is a heat-loving summer stalwart. Some of the lower branches have formed flower trusses this year, so it's easier to admire them and grab a picture of the blooms.

Gardenia 'Frostproof ' is noticing we removed the eucalyptus that partially shaded it.

Rosa 'Sally Holmes' is taking the heat in stride with a fresh flush of blooms.

Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance'

I love the papery flower heads of Luzula nivea.

Catananche caerula.

In a pot, because we're Zone 8, Bougainvillea 'Camarillo Fiesta'. I'm thinking about planting one in the ground next summer.

There aren't as many flowers on Begonia boliviensis this year. The ones there are good, but I think it needs more feeding.

This is the third summer in the ground for this NOID Cuphea. The hummers check it out for nectar every day.

Summering on the patio is good for Clivia 'Belgian Hybrid Orange'.

 

Eucomus comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy'.

 

Pretty seedhead shapes on Cyperus alternifolia.

In the Northwest Territory, the beach daisy, Erigeron glaucus, is blooming on.

I have a number of similar Cyclamen all planted close to each other. These first little blooms may be C. 'Xera Sterling'.

Finishing with a flourish, here's Heterotheca villosa brightening up the Northwest Territory. It's absolutely covered with pollinators!

As always, I'm joining Carol at May Dreams Gardens to celebrate the flowers in our gardens for August.

Happy Bloom Day, all!

 

 

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - July 2021. Now, with pollinators!

After incinerating us in late June, Portland weather has settled down to pleasant 70-80 degree highs for a few weeks. It makes for nice gardening, but there are multiple plants in my garden that would like more than cloudy mornings and gently warming days. Some like it hot - me among them! But since we're already halfway through summer (nooooo!) I do have some summer flowers, and a few of their pollinator friends, to share today.

Here's Echinacea 'Sombrero Salsa Red'.

These Echinacea, from around a 'Rainbow Marcella" plant, attract major numbers of Bombus to their blooms.

 

Another pollinator attractor is Helenium puberulum, with its odd little button flowers. To the left of it are the fading flowers of Salvia desoleana.

Once the individual florets on Echinops ritro open, they'll be covered with bees.

 

Eryngium agavifolium seems to attract flies. I can't detect any kind of foul odor but there must be something there...  The flower heads are cool, regardless.

The flowers in the top image, a newer Hesperaloe parviflora plant, are a softer pink and paler on the inside than the ones on my five-year-old plant. This one came from our spring bloggers swap, and I'm delighted it settled in happily enough to bloom this summer. The older plant is below, with a happy bee explorer.

Cypella herbertii keeps pumping out blooms.

Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy', a reliable summer bloomer.

While looking out for pollinators today, I noticed the tiny blooms of Origanum vulgarum.

 

Catananche caerulea is a nice hit of blue to lead into all my orange flowers coming up.

Agastache 'Acapulco Orange' finally doing it's thing. It wants more sun, but I love it right here near the patio.

Agastache rupestris.

Agastache aurantiaca 'Tango', I believe.

A late-blooming milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa. The earlier blooming plants had their flowers cooked, so there were no milkweed pods. I hope this one will make seed after it opens.

 

Lastly, Crocosmia 'Corona'. I grow just a few crocosmia these days, due to their thuggish ways. This one may not last much longer in the garden (I say that every year) but until I evict it, I'll enjoy its pretty, bi-colored flowers.

 

I'm joining Carol, of May Dreams Gardens, to celebrate the flowers blooming in our gardens on the 15th of each month.

Happy Bloom Day, all!