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…
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. 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…
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…
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…
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. Grandpa Ott is a morning glory that is still blooming, in front of the house and down in the Potager, as we grandly…
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 Right next to Alma Potchke is this sedum which I think is Neon. It doesn't look that…
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…
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 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. The Purington rambler also starts to bloom at the very end of June, but is now cascading down the Rose…
In order to beat the promised two (more) days of heavy rain, I dashed out to get photos for Bloom Day just as the rain began on Thursday. I've potted up many of the annuals: geraniums, fuschia, petunias, snapdragons, blue and white lobelia, and rosemary. I still have a few that have to be put in the ground. These stocks were a gift from a friend. I didn't totally realize how big the clump would get, and I certainly hadn't…
Last spring was early and hot and on Bloom Day there was a lot of bloom. Things are moving slowly this Bloom Day. This is an area of my lawn reduction project. Waldsteinia has spread over the past three years and I'm underplanted with daffodils. Waldsteinia is a beautiful plant and it is just coming into bloom. It is not any kind of strawberry plant. These miniature daffodils are some of the daffs growing amid the barren strawberry Some daffodils…