Bloom Day June 2011

Salvia 'May Night'

The past few days have been cool (50s) and wet. Sometimes very wet. We got another 2 inches of rain. The sun came out for a few minutes last evening so just a portion of my Bloom Day photos show that summer light. This is Salvia ‘May Night’ in full bloom in the northern Lawn Grove. The new tree, only partially seen, is a weeping cherry. We moved the Sourwood tree that has been in that spot for at least three years because while it seemed healthy, it showed no growth. Maybe it will do better in another spot.

Dianthus - Cheddar pinks

In the same bed as the Salvia, these Cheddar pinks are just beginning to bloom.

Campanula glomerata 'Joan Elliot'

Also in this Lawn Grove is ‘Joan Elliot,’  a great plant. It is nearly indestructible, reproduces well which means I always have some for plant sales, AND it is beautiful.

Martagon lilies

The final bloomers in this Lawn Grove are the white martagon lilies. I thought they would be a little bigger, but maybe next year. The ‘Purple Sensation’ alliums planted next to the lilies have gone by, but other alliums are budding up.

Troillus and Snow in Summer

The southern Lawn Grove holds the new Blue and White arrangement that includes touches of yellow. Both of these plants have increased greatly since I planted them last year. I can see that the Shasta daisy to the left of Snow in Summer is looking pretty crowed with the cotoneasters encroaching on the other side.  This is just one place where I am having trouble calculating seasonal growth so that things look delightfully jam and crammed, but not overcrowded. I’m working on it.

Centaurea montana

We planted this perennial cornflower about 25 years ago. Even thought the plan for this spot has changed, the Centaurea montana as been persistent. Neither the unweeded roses, or the weeds have discouraged it.  I will have this area weeded before the Franklin Land Trust Farm and Garden Tour on June 25 and 26.  For more information about this great annual tour click here

Columbine

Years ago a dear friend gave me this purple columbine. I almost killed it planting it in hot sun, but it has thrived in the shade next to the Cottage Ornee. When I took this photo I noticed that some of the columbine are purple, and some are blue. I have not seen that before. I don’t know what is happening. Any ideas?

Culinary sage

The Herb Bed in front of the house has blooming sage, chervil and chives. Other herbs will bloom as the season progresses. The Thomas Afleck rose in this bed is also just about ready to bloom.

Yellow loosestrife.

This yellow loosestrife was growing in front of the house when we moved here in 1979. We love knowing it came with the house. I added ‘Terra Cotta’ achillea last year and this spring I added an ‘Orange Julius’ spider daylily that I bought at the Bridge of Flowers plant sale last month. I think this will make a nice combination if they all bloom together. We’ll see.

The tree peonies have come and gone. The herbaceous peonies are just beginning. First by chance, and then by design, I have many later blooming peonies to be an extra treat during the Annual Rose Viewing – or this year – the FLT garden tour.

Rosa glauca

So of course we come to the roses. Rosa glauca is usually one of the first to bloom, but not this year. I think I can count the number of tiny pink roses so far. But it is the foliage and magnificent size and shape of this rose that make it notable.

Rosa 'Blanc Double de Coubert'

The rugosa are also early bloomers. Oddly, these hardy tough roses are the ones who suffered the most winterkill this year, but the blooms, on diminished bushes, are as lovely and fragrant as ever. ‘Scabrosa,’ Dart’s Dash, and ‘ Belle Poitvine,’ are also blooming, as is Harrison’s Yellow. I’ll show which roses are blooming shortly before the garden tour, but I can tell you now I think we are in for the best Rose Season yet.

Thank you Carol for hosting Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens. Stop by and visit and see what is blooming around the country.

 

 

This Post Has 16 Comments

  1. Darla

    I really like the natural look of your gardens…rain? I think I remember what that is.

  2. Lisa at Greenbow

    You have some really interesting plants Pat. Those lilies are adorable.

  3. Rose

    So much going on in your garden, Pat! I’m glad to hear the Centurea are such hardy plants–I have been planning to add some to my new arbor bed. I have trouble, too, calculating seasonal growth–some of my flowerbeds look like a jungle right now. But the good thing is, when they’re tightly packed in, the weeds don’t have much room to grow:)

  4. linda

    Wonderful blooms Pat! I really love the true blue of Centaurea montana. My guess on the columbine is that one is a seedling that grew up next to the original. They self-sow quite readily in my garden. Columbines are very promiscuous – maybe it was pollinated by another one in the area. Or it could be a self-pollinated seedling, since the original might have mixed parentage and mixed genes.

  5. Mary Schier

    Your gardens look great. It’s so interesting to see the differences in our gardens. My herbaceous peonies are in full bloom, almost past, but my Martagons are shut tight — another week or so until they bloom. I also have the perennial Salvia and it’s pretty all year.

  6. Frances

    Looking good, Pat! Such a good variety of things in various beds, very well done. The columbines are notorious for reverting as seedlings to a long ago relative, especially those blues and purples. Beautiful! Those lilies…I adore them.

  7. Pat

    Darla – Fortunately, the roses love rain.
    Lisa – I love those lilies too. This is my first year.
    Rose – You are right about jam and cram discouraging weeds. I just need to get the proportions right.
    Linda – I guess I have a lot to learn about columbine. I do have a pale pink growing nearby.
    Mary – The way zones work across the country is really mysterious.
    Frances. Thanks for the kind words. I am really pleased with those lilies, too.

  8. Scott Weber

    The foliage on your rosa glauca is stunning…so wonderful with the blooms. I’m so jealous of your Martagon lilies…I’m totally getting some next year!

  9. Houston Garden Girl

    Hi Pat!
    I haven’t heard of martagon lilies. Had to look those up. Your beds look great!

  10. Pat

    Scott – Rosa glauca is the rose that gets the most attention in my garden. It is a stunning plant – even if the roses aren’t notable.
    HGG – The martagons are beautiful.

  11. Kate

    Interesting. Up here in Vermont a number of my roses are blooming but no blooms on the glauca yet. Maybe it doesn’t like the sogginess?
    Your garden looks lovely!

  12. Greggo

    the loostrife can be aggresive.

  13. Pat

    Kate – I think the roses will be in good shape the weekend of the 25th.
    Greggo – The yellow loosestrife is not invasive. We’ve been living with it for 30 years now and it is well behaved. When I see the pink-purple loosestrife by the roadside I do pull it up and put it in the trash.

  14. Corner Garden Sue

    I see Linda answered your question about the columbine. I enjoyed seeing your blooms. I enjoy growing that perennial bachelor button, too. Oh, and I copied the comment you made that I love, and am going to past it here:

    “This is just one place where I am having trouble calculating seasonal growth so that things look delightfully jam and crammed, but not overcrowded. I’m working on it.” I love it! That’s what I do, too. It’s quite the balancing act, isn’t it?

    Does that yellow loosestrife spread far and wide? Larry and I went to a garden center an hour away, as we were there for other business, too. He saw some and said he liked it. I also saw some of that terra cotta yarrow I would have bought if I’d have known the next place we were going would not have it.

    Your place is looking great! I hope your tour goes well.

  15. Pat, I saw a presentation a few years ago on a water-efficient demo garden where I was surprised to learn that lilies really prefer dryness. With all the wetness in our part of the world this spring, perhaps that’s what’s going on with your martagon lilies? Your garden looks lovely, and I’m sure will be spectacular for the tour. Happy Blooms Day (and good luck with the bunnies).

  16. Dahlia Grower

    Very beautiful array of flowers! I happened to bump with this blog and still amazed of how this flowers bloom. I recently got some varieties of dahlias and was hoping to see some tips on how to grow dahlia tubers in this page. Anyhow, congrats for those well-raised flowers.

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