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 Daylilies on the Bank On this July Garden Bloggers Bloom Day the Daylily Bank is just starting to come into bloom. By August my garden in the upper elevations of Western Massachusetts should be filled with gentle, but riotous color.
 Buckland Rose At the same time there is still enough rose bloom to be enjoyed from our dining table. The Buckland rose bush began a little late and so is quite floriferous now. The same is true of the Meideland red, and white, as well as Rachel, Celestial, Ispahan, Queen of Denmark on the Rose Walk. I had given up hopeof ever seeing Rosamunda, a striped rose, but she woke up too.
 Passionate Nymph’s Thigh The Passionate Nymph has been just amazing this year. She put out lots of strong new growth and is STILL blooming.
 Purington Rambler The vigorous Purington rambler also began to bloom a little later this year, like any number of flowers in my garden.
 Hydrangea “Mothlight’ “Mothlight” is the oldest and largest of my hydrangeas, but the oakleaf, “Limelight” and “Pinky Winky” are producing some bloom – having survived deer, bitter cold, and the town plow.
 Astilbe I was able to give some of the pink astilbe to the Bridge of Flowers plant sale in May, but it is hardly missed. Another pink astilbe, “Bressingham Beauty” blooms in the South Lawn Bed. In general the year has been so cool that I still have many many pansy and johnny jump up volunteers in full bloom.
 Achillea “Terra Cotta” I just love the shades of Achillea “Terra Cotta.” I have given away several clumps of this strong grower.
 Achillea “Paprika” This is supposed to be “Paprika” but I have my doubts. I ordered it after I saw a truly paprika orange achilea (yarrow) in a friend’s garden, and this has never matched that spicy hue. I think I will have to buy “Paprika” again and see if I have any better luck.
 Yellow Loosestrife Yellow Loosesstrife is not an invasive plant, but it is persistent. This plant was growing here when we moved in in November 1979. Well, not actually during the winter, but in the spring of 1980, and very welcome were those sunny blooms.
 Cosmos, snapdragon, echinacea purpurea Of course I have dependable annuals to make sure there is always some bloom in the garden. Here are cosmos, white snapdragons, and Echinacea purpurea just coming into bloom.
 Cuphea llavera I tried some new annuals to the standard pots of petunias, geraniums, and million bells. This is Cupea llavea or bat-faced cuphea. You have to use your imagination to see the bat face in the purple and with scarlet ears, but I love the intense color. This is described as a shrub so maybe by the end of the summer I’ll have a really substantial plant sharing pot space with this silvery foliage.
 Love Lies Bleeding I first saw Love Lies Bleeding at Wave Hill many years ago. Growing in the ground it was a large lush plant with lots of those drooping flowers. My reaction? What IS that?! It is not as eye stopping growing in a pot. I put two seedlings in the ground and they haven’t yet caught up. I am watching to see how they develop. Of course, I have not Wave Hill’s climate, and maybe not its soil either.
 Torenia and daisies I have a number of other annuals, daisy like,-like flowers in white, yellow and blue. These blue torenia are not spreading quite as I hoped but they are beautiful ground huggers. They are also labeled deer resistant and I have to say they are doing better that some of the other plants in the garden.
In spite of all the weather trials this yyear I am quite happy with all the bloom. I thank Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Bloom Day and giving all of us a chance to show off, and to admire gardens all across the country.
 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – stocks On this sunny, cool (72 degrees) but breezy, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, bloom is beginning to arrive. These stocks are in the Herb Bed right in front of the house, where there is also an array of potted geraniums, petunias and such. They are not doing terribly well because the weather remains so cool.
 Rhododendron ‘Calsap’ Calsap will stand in for all the plants in the corner that have gone by, the 2 tree peonies, as well as Boule de Neige and Rangoon rhodies. The herbaceous peonies are late, but there are a couple of fat buds. The advantage to me, and visitors to the Annual Rose Viewing on June 29 is that there will be lots of peony bloom, as well as rose bloom.
 Siberian iris Siberian irises are just beginning. White ones too.
 L. martagon ‘Album’ I didn’t really have any idea of the delicacy of this martagon lily when I bought it from Old House Gardens. This is my first bloom year with it and it is only about 3 feet tall, but it is said to need some patience. Perhaps next year it will be a bit taller. I think it is just beautiful.
 Rugosa rose ‘Agnes’ I’ve mislabelled this elsewhere, but this is the ‘Agnes’ the first of the rugosas to bloom. The rugosas in general are the first roses to bloom and I have quite a few.
 Scabrosa Another rugosa, Scabrosa, is spreading every which way on the Rose Walk.
 Rugosa Therese Bugnet Therese Bugnet is a dependable rugosa, even after like the winter we have just “enjoyed.”
 Blanc Double de Coubert Blanc Double de Coubert, a popular white rugosa took a beating this winter, but it is reviving.
 Dart’s Dash rugosa On the other hand, Dart’s Dash is spreading beautifully on the Rose Bank. You can see the distinctive ribbed rugosa foliage on all these plants. No bugs. No disease.
 Purington’s Pink is a rose that just exploded. You can see all the new growth in this photo. It didn’t mind the winter at all. Purington Pink was given to me by Herb and Barbara Purington who farm in Colrain.
Rose season is just beginning. Other perennials in bloom are May Night Salvia, Joan Elliot campanula, Achillea Paprika, trollius, and a host of volunteer pansies. I do not object to pansies or any other volunteers. I do object to deer that have eaten lily buds, Japanese anemone and veronicas!
Thank you Carol for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day over at May Dreams Gardens. There is a lot to see in gardens all across the nation at this time of year.
 Coltsfoot and violets on the Rose Bank I begin this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post with a blooming mistake. Maybe three years ago I thought coltsfoot might be a good groundcover on the Rose Bank. I was only thinking of the flowers and the size of the early spring foliage – not what it would look like in June, July, August, September and October. Or how very rapidly and strongly it would spread. I don’t mind the violet which are everywhere here, and in the Flowery Mead – aka the Lawn.
 Daffodils, dandelions and grape hyacinths Here is a blooming trifecta. The first dandelion appeared on May 2. Now, after the first lawn mowing and some warm weather, they are everywhere. The daffodils and grape hyacinths are happy under the weeping birch.
 Forsythia There is better, more lushly blooming forsythia in the neighborhood, but this is the best forsythia bloom I have had in all the 34 years we have lived here. I often thought about ripping out this hedge because it bloomed so intermittently and poorly, but it was just too much work. And now after the longest, coldest spring it is shouting out Hallelujah!
 Primroses and snake Because my camera is the ‘point and hope’ variety, and the shadows were so dappled, I did not see this snake among the primroses until I took it out of the camera. Do you see it? I like snakes in the garden.
 Van Sion daffodil Van Sion is a very old daffodil. It was growing here when we moved in. It is a very strong grower and spreader. I have helped spread it here and there, but can’t ever seem to get all of it out from this rose bush. Some years the outer petals are quite green which I really like, but others have called this an ugly daffodil. I don’t see why. Look at all those happy petals.
 Poeticus daffodil I don’t think anyone dislikes or thinks the old Poeticus daffodil is ugly. At a tour of the daffodils at Tower Hill one year our guide told us that the all the pink shades in pink daffodils come from the narrow red rim on the cup in this daffodil. Poeticus is one of the many daffs I have moved to the eastern edge of the lawn. Someday soon I am going to try and name them.
 Wild cherry Even the walk to the henhouse – or the solar clothes dryer – is a joy at this time of the year when the wild cherries are in bloom.
 Dutchman’s breeches Just in time for Bloom day are the Dutchman’s breeches. It is too wet this morning – mist and fog – to get a really good photo of the blossoms, but I was happy to see that this has spread throughout the garden – by ants!
 Epimedium rubrum I love the epimediums. This clump of Epimedium rubrum is a few years old.
 Epimedium sulphureum This clump of Epimedium sulphureum is only two years old, but it is taking hold nicely.
 Weeping cherry Finally, barely in time for Bloom Day, the weeping cherry has begun to bloom.
It has been a long cold spring here in the higher elevations of western Massachusetts, so I am glad to finally be able to have some bloom and join the party hosted by Carol over at May Dreams Gardens. Thank you Carol!
 Snowdrops This Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is rainy, but I finally have blooms. Not many. Snowdrops are blooming in front of the house, and in the erstwhile orchard. I had hoped that I might have a few daffodils, buds at least, but it is not to be.
 Van Sion daffodils I saw these Van Sion Daffodils blooming down in Charlemont – 1000 feet lower than Heath – and checked my Van Sions, an old and very early daff, but I don’t even have buds. In previous years at this time I’ve had daffs, scillas and glory of the snow all blooming. It has been a long cold winter. I am happy for today’s warm rain.
 Pussy Willows Can I count pussy willows on this Bloom Day?
Carol over at May Dreams Gardens is hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day where you can see what else is blooming across the country. Join the fun.
 Dead-ish Poinsettia For me, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is a bust this month. This poinsettia has been living happily on our dining table, in front of a big southern window since Christmas. At night we close the lined curtains, to slightly moderate heat loss. I’ve kept it watered, but yesterday I came downstairs and when I opened the curtains I saw that it was withered and drooping. I don’t think it was below 32 degrees in our living space, but it was cool. Did several nights of zero degree temperatures prove too much for it? What happened? Any ideas?
 Cyclamen This cyclamen did pretty well on this uncurtained windowsill, but a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the window side of the plant was dying. I suspect the plant will recover. In the fall. Unlike poinsettias, cyclamen don’t mind cold weather, although putting it right next to window was probably too much to ask.
That is my sad report on this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in February 2014, but I am sure you will find many happier stories if you click here. I can always count on our hos Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for optimism.
 Thanksgiving cactus budding On this November Garden Bloggers Bloom Day I only have a promise. I just brought my little Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) in from the unheated Great Room. Now that it is in the warm I think it may actually bloom on the appointed day. Early in my blogging career (almost 6 years ago) I was assured that ‘buds count.’ Lucky for me. I visited a neighbor recently and her beautiful pale pink Thanksgiving cactus was in full glorious bloom.
The big beautiful Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) in our bedroom, which is very cool, is also budded, but the buds are so tiny that they do not photograph. I think there will be a magnificent show by Christmas, perhaps even by December Bloom Day.
All Thanks with a capital T to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day all these years. She has given us an opportunity to create our own record, but even more to visit all manner of gardens and garden rooms during every season.
 Thomas Affleck rose On this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day in my Massachusetts hilltop garden we have come through only one good frost, but the garden is slowly falling to sleep. Thomas Affleck is still blooming, and sporadic blossoms are still being thrown out by The Fairy, Meideland red and white, Hawkeye Belle and Knock Out Double Red.
 The Fairy  Grandpa Ott Grandpa Ott is a morning glory that is still blooming, in front of the house and down in the Potager, as we grandly call the vegetable garden. The Potager is still enjoying blooming annual salvia, annual gomphrena, zinnias, and Agastache ‘Cana’ which will definitely have to be divided in the spring!
 Blue lobelia The standard blue lobelia has been quietly blooming all summer long.
 Japanese anemone I love my Japanese anemone – and so do the deer. Not much is left of her.
 ‘Starlet’ spoon mums ‘Starlet’ spoon mum is struggling a bit, but I appreciate her golden face.
 Purple aster Fall is time for asters, but pink Alma Potchke is already gone.
 Sheffield daisies Sheffield daisies, sheffies, are wonderful strong growers that bloom into October. Mine have barely started. My Montauk daisies have also barely begun.
 Nasturtiums I will end the Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post with some sunny nasturtiums. The day itself promises sunny, and time to get out and continue cutting back and cleaning the garden.
Thank you Carol for hosting Garden Bloggers’s Bloom Day. I’ve gotten a headstart today but you’ll be able to see what else is blooming all over the country here.
 Alma Potchke aster It has been quite a summer! Rain all through June. Drought all through July. And a very dry August, so you can imagine how I welcome the 2 inches of rain last week. The garden has been thirsty most of the season so some plants have really suffered, but bloom will entirely be denied. Alma Potchke has just begun to bloom
 Neon sedum Right next to Alma Potchke is this sedum which I think is Neon. It doesn’t look that bright, but I like it, and it hasn’t minded the variable weather. Hot. Cold. Dry. Wet.
 Lisianthus This spring I planted a flat of the tiniest lisianthus seedlings. It is only this month that I have gotten any blooms. This is a real ‘florist’s flower’ and it is beautiful, but I think it needs a little more cosseting than I tend to give my plants. You can see there is a remnant of a phlox next to it, and remnants of phlox appear in a ragged way throughout the garden.
 Japanese anemone This is the second year for this Japanese anemone. The clump is larger, but very short this year. I think maybe due to so much dry weather.
 Cosmos In the Herb Bed there is a small tangle of cosmos blooming with Grandpa Ott morning glory and fighting with the horseradish which I thought I had totally dug out.
 Acidanthra I stuck some extra acidanthra bulbs in the Herb Bed next to the bee balm. They do not show to best advantage here. That’s what happens when you’ve run out of time and thought in the spring. The acidanthra does not seem insulted however.
 Thomas Affleck The ever dependable Thomas Affleck rose continues to bloom at the end of the Herb Bed. There are occasional blooms on Buck roses, Hawkeye Belle and Folksinger, but this not rose season at the end of the road.
There are a few zinnias and gomphrena down in the vegetable garden, the hydrangeas look great and I am glad to note that the season is not over.
I am a day late, but still glad to join in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
 Ann Varner Dayliliy On this Garden Bloggers Bloom day there are some surprises. The weather should not surprise anymore, but it does, and often causes gnashing of teeth. In June we had a glorious 12 inches of rain. In July there was no rain! It was hot! An official heat wave. In August it has been much cooler and we had 4 inches of rain so far. Still there are lots of blooms in the un-irrigated flower gardens. The Daylily Bank is drawing down but Ann Varner is still magnificent.
 Helenium “Mardi Gras” In spite of the dry, and now cool weather the Helenium is a colorful clump.
 Black Beauty lilies I have to lie under them to get a shot of the Black Beauties. The blossoms of the lilies and the adjacent crimson bee balm are not very big this year. Note to self. More compost in this spot. The other lilies are also still blooming by the house.
 Artemesia lactiflora Artemesia lactiflora has much less dramatic blossoms, but they are dainty, and much taller than usual this year.
 Achillea ‘The Pearl’ Achillea is another dainty flower, but a strong grower. The only other yarrow blooming now is the sulphur yellow variety. Nameless.
 Joe Pye Weed This new Joe Pye Weed has just come into bloom. I don’t know if it is a miniature, or just not fully feeling its oats this first year.
 Echinacea and Miss Lingaard phlox The big clump of Echinacea purpurea will need to be divided but it is gorgeous this year. The white phlox is Miss Lingaard and it should have bloomed in June! The Russian sage on the other side of the Echinacea is also blooming well.
 Hydrangea ‘Limelight’ ‘Limelight’ is the only one of the three ‘new’ hydrangeas to have recovered very well from a good browsing from the deer, but ‘Pinky Winky’ and the oakleaf hydrangea do have a few small blossoms.
 Thomas Affleck rose A visiting friend sighed that there were probably no roses anymore. Well, not quite. Thomas Affleck, as usual, is putting out a strong second flush, and other roses put out an occasional bloom
 Folksinger Folksinger, a Griffith Buck hybrid also put out a good second flush. I couldn’t resist taking this photo of his delicate decline. I do not think he has much strength left for this season.
Also blooming are the tall veronicas, very tall and deeply blue aconite, cimicifuga, a few zinnias and gomphrena. Not too bad, and there is still more to come which makes me happy.
To see what else is blooming across our great nation go to May Dreams Gardens where Carol hosts Bloom Day. Thank you Carol!
 Buckland Rose On this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, July 2013, most of the roses are pretty well done. That’s why we have the Annual Rose Viewing on the last Sunday of June.
 The FAiry polyantha rose The Fairy was just starting to bloom two weeks ago, but now she is looking great, and will remain in bloom for a good part of the summer.
 Purington rambler rose The Purington rambler also starts to bloom at the very end of June, but is now cascading down the Rose Bank.
 Daylily Bank The Rose Bank is adjacent to the Day Lily Bank which is just beginning to come into its glory. It was planted to eliminate the need for mowing on the steep bank. The problem with this photo is you don’t get to enjoy the individual beauty of each of the interesting daylily colors and forms. A sampling follows. All names forgotten.
 Daylily, pale yellow
 Daylily, pink  Daylily, small ruffled pink
 Daylily, pale with purple throat I wanted the Daylily Bank to have a gentler palette of colors, but there are a very few varieties like Ann Varner that are more dramatic.
 Ann Varner  Cosmos and White phlox Cosmos and garden phlox are just beginning to bloom. At least those phlox that have not been beheaded by the deer.
 Mothlight, Switzerland and Connecticut Yankee The Mothlight hydrangea is about seven or eight feet tall and full of boisterous bloom. The Switzerland Shasta daisy is also in full bloom. The Connecticut Yankee delphinium, is still floppy, though bred for greater sturdiness. Maybe it is all the rain, making the stems more tender.
 Oakleaf hydrangea I was looking forward to the first blooms on this three year old oakleaf hydrangea, and admired one unique blossom yesterday, but when I went out to take a photo early this morning, it was gone. Deer!
 Achillea ‘Terra Cotta’ I have several yarrows in bloom, “Paprika’, a cranberry red, a deep gold variety and Achilea ‘The Pearl.’ ‘Terra Cotta’ is my favorite and grows right by the front door with a native yellow loosestrife. Not invasive.
 Veronica This is the smaller of two veronicas. The tall one has just barely begun to bloom.
 Japanese iris Last July I planted this beautiful white iris in the Front Garden where I could keep it watered, and where I could admire it during its short bloom period.
 Ostrich astilbe The other pink and white astilbes are fading, but this astilbe, Bressingham’s Beauty, is just starting.
 Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue’ After admiring it for years on the Bridge of Flowers, I planted this sea holly and I love it.
 Linden tree in bloom Our linden trees, otherwise known as basswood, tilia cordata, or lime trees and in bloom and the fragrance is heavenly.
 Petunias These cream and pink petunias on the Welcoming Platform will stand in for the other potted plants, fuschia, lobelia, geraniums and salvia. My blooming plants are spread out over a large area, so I am always amazed that there are so many blooms in July.
Thank you Carol for hosting Bloom Day where May Dreams Gardens will show you what is in bloom all over the country. Click here.
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