Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – July 15, 2014

Daylilies on the Bank
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
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
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
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'
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
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"
Achillea “Terra Cotta”

I just love the shades of  Achillea “Terra Cotta.”  I have given away several clumps of this strong grower.

Achillea "Paprika"
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 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
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
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
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
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.

This Post Has 11 Comments

  1. Jenny

    Who would not fall in love with the Purington rambler. An English village, I wonder? What a beauty. Happy bloom day.

  2. Pat

    Jenny – My Purington rambler is a shoot of one growing at the top of a stone wall – creating a cascade of exuberant bloom. Perfect in any English village, or here.

  3. Lisa at Greenbow

    You have so much blooming in your garden. Love those roses. Fabulous. Happy GBBD.

  4. Nell Jean

    Your Roses and Daylilies are stunning. I meant to have Cupheas of all kinds this year and never went were they were for sale.

    A neighbor where I lived some years back used to plant Amaranthus by her mailbox. She called them “Red Heads’ and they were eye-catching. Your Love Lies Bleeding is stunning.

  5. Sally

    I love your roses! So beautiful. Are any of them vintage? What would you plant for roses if you were new to it? Is there anything you find grow especially well in our climate? Yellow Loosestrife is very pretty. I’ve never seen it before and Love Lies Bleeding is so eye catching. Thanks for sharing!

  6. What beautiful Roses! Don’t you just love Cosmos?! I think they must be the perfect annual for a northern garden. So easy care, beautiful, and they’re fabulous cut flowers. Your garden is looking great! Happy Bloom Day!

  7. Margaret

    Gorgeous flowers – the roses are simply stunning!

  8. Helen Gazeley

    That clinches it! I must get some daylilies. Every GBBD post I’ve read so far has them, and I don’t? I love the Passionate Nymph – and I love the idea of having a passionate nymph in the garden. Thank you for a lovely visit.

  9. Rose

    Your roses are beautiful, Pat! I’ve seen Bat-faced Cuphea often on southern blogs, but I didn’t know it was available as an annual–such an eye-catching color. I’ve also admired Love-lies-Bleeding for a long time, but just haven’t found the right place for it here. With a name like that, I think I need to look a little harder:)

  10. Pat

    Lisa – I was surprised myself to see that I had so much blooming.
    Nell Jean – I had never seen cuphea before and I love it. It is doing very well, and I have heard in a warmer climate it would grow quite large.
    Sally – Many of my roses are Old Roses. If you take my virtual garden tour you will see the albas, Leda, a painted damask, and several wonderful rugosa hybrids. There are also new sustainable roses like the Knockouts and they all do well at my high elevation in Massachusetts.
    Beth – Cosmos can be a life saver in teh garden. And so many types!
    Margaret – I am glad you like my roses. They are my special love.

  11. Pat

    Rose – I never knew where to plant love lies bleeding either – hence the pots. I did put a couple of extra plants out in the Shed Bed, but I don’t think they get enough sun. Or maybe they just need a little more time. I did dawdle about getting them in the ground.

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