Some of my favorite flowers have finally begun to bloom. With all of the heat we've had (in the 80's) I've been out watering at least once a day. A few of my newer plants have been pretty droopy, actually some of the plants that have been here for many years have been droopy. I've got some plant moving I need to do, but it's just too hot for both me and the plants. Until then I've got a running mental list going of what needs to go where.
Here are the latest blooms, with more coming soon:
Baptisia is giving me flowers it's first year in my garden. It's an even prettier shad of blue than I imagined.
Red Valerian (centranthrus ruber) is a real favorite of mine. It blooms all summer, and has fluffy seed heads when it's done blooming.
Syringa x prestoniae 'Miss Canada' is in full bloom. It's blooms didn't last long at all. I think it's because it's been in the 80's and it's just too hot. This has been in our garden 2 years and it has quite a few blooms this year.
Knautia macedonia is another favorite that will bloom all summer. It looks a lot like Scabiosa, which is what it was marked as. I finally learned that this is in fact Knautia thanks to Sue at A Corner Garden.
Persian Cornflower (centaurea dealbata) is only about 1 foot high, but has lots of buds on it, just a few have opened so far. I've read that it can spread, but no problems with it here.
Mock Orange (philadelphus) has gold leaves and I wish I knew the variety. It's just beautiful and smells so good. I moved it recently to be closer to the deck so we could enjoy it more.
Clematis 'Ville de Lyon' was the first Clematis I ever planted. It has been very easy and no problems with wilt which can affect Clematis. It grows up the post of the birdhouse where the Chickadees are now. Every year I need to tie it up and it always coincides with the babies being fed. I just love the sound of hungry baby birds.
Lupine that I thought was light pink. It actually looked light pink until it opened all the way. Now it's more red looking.
My favorite new bloom of all, Water Lily 'Sioux'. I worked near the pond for hours yesterday before I noticed it. How could I have missed this? There are 5 more buds now above the water and 2 are close to blooming. Each flower lasts about 3 days and each day the flower gets a darker shade of apricot. I'll take pictures of it as it ages. It also closes up each evening and then reopens as the next day progresses.
It's supposed to be in the mid 80's again today, so I'll be out watering again soon. The good thing about watering frequently is that it gives me an excuse to be looking for more flowers.
I MUST get a persian coneflower!!! WOW!! The lupine reminds me of watermelon..maybe because I have been eating way to much of it this week! I am certain my lupine will not bloom this year...oh well. I love seeing all the new blooms. I know ya'll must get tired of seeing the same all crap over at my place...LOL! I do love the Red Valerian and Syringa...never have seen them until today (Rain Gardener has them on her blog today). Clearly I can't grow them here is 80 degree weather is too hot. They would keel over in a heartbeat here!
ReplyDeleteI have not heard of some of these. You do have LOTS of new flowers blooming. At least you haven't been watering TWICE a day! We have had temps in the hight 90's. Looking forward to the 80's today with maybe a rain shower.
ReplyDeleteThe Baptisia is delightful.
ReplyDeleteI also have a Ville de Lyon but not ready to flower just yet.
You have so many beautiful flowers. I especially love Baptisia. It is a lovely color. I've noticed over the years that as I water the plants, I really get to SEE everything better than any other time! Take care.
ReplyDeleteBaptisia, Red Valerian, Miss Canada, Knautia, Persian Cornflower, Mock Orange, Clematis 'Ville de Lyon',Lupine, Waterlilies - what a dazzling and impressive display of flowers! Congratulations on the sheer variety of flowers you have in the garden.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, I'm glad your daughter spotted Angelina. You can't imagine how many smiles I get when someone notices her when we go out on the weekend.
Just beautiful, Catherine! I love that P. Coneflower! Our Lupine doesn't look great this year- not sure why. I know that they tend to be short lived per. and I've had it for a few years now. Maybe it's time to pull it and get something else...like P. Coneflower ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine
ReplyDeletelugging watering cans around has health benefits!
That red valerian should seed itself about.
Enjoy the good weather.
Rob
Beautiful - I'll take one of each! LOL The Persian Cornflower is gorgeous and I'm going to have to look for one - but you knew I would! And Miss Canada is pretty too - does it resemble Red Valerian or just in the picture? That Clematis sure is a heavenly color! All of your flowers are going nuts in this weather - mine were too until . . . oh I forgot to tell ya they even ate the Columbines on our 'babies' graves I was fixing up so nice - talk about no respect!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers!
ReplyDeleteWell, glad to know it's not just my plants that are droopy in this weather. I was wondering if I was doing something wrong. I just got home and my iris has completely toppled over. So sad. I have been soaking my plants in the morning, but that is about it. It got to 93° yesterday - and its 88° right now. Whew! This is like August weather for us.
You have a great display of blooms all over your place. The heat is getting bad here too. Soon it will be too hot to garden. That is beautiful water lily. Ms Canada is awesome - I've never heard of it.
ReplyDeleteDirt Princess - Isn't the Persian cornflower pretty? I was just outside noticing how many more have bloomed. The lupine does look like watermelon. I think Red Valerian would grow fine there, the syringa might not like it.
ReplyDeleteDarla - It does seem like some hot days that watering can take up a lot of time. I guess if we want our plants to keep blooming we do what we have to. I think Sunday it's supposed to cool down here and maybe rain. I think the plants need a good soaking.
Joanne - I just love the Batptisia, I wish I had known about it years ago. Can't wait to see your 'Ville de Lyon' in bloom.
Mildred - The days the watering seems like a chore because I'm busy with other things are rewarded with enjoying the flowers, especially the surprises.
Prospero - I do have variety, probably would be better to have more of several things than one or two of each, but there are just too many flowers to choose from.
I'm sure you do get lots of smiles when people see Angelina, she's so cute!
Tessa- I've noticed the lupines seems to live about 3 years and then they're done. The Persian cornflower I think is long lived, so it would be a fun change.
Rob - Watering does get to be good exercise doesn't it? So far the Red Valerian has been well behaved, just enough seedlings to enjoy but not become weedy.
Linda - I'd never seen this cornflower before, I think I was lucky to find it when I did. It's so pretty. I'm sorry about the darn deer, you're right, no respect :(
Renee - I hope your iris recovers. Most of mine look better once there is a bit of shade again, but some look almost crispy. I don't think the plants here are used to this much hot dry weather this time of year. It does feel like August. I wonder if August will be even more hot.
Becca - I hate to complain about the heat after such a cold winter. I think a lot of us around here are used to cool and wet Junes. Hope the heat doesn't get too bad there. I guess this weather would be nothing compared to how hot it gets there.
80's are perfect for me Catherine ~ isn't it funny how everyone's thermometer is different? I'm so excited to see your 'Sioux' water lily ~ I bought that one too (and 'James Brydon'). I am really hoping they bloom at least by August (trying not to be too greedy!). I added Baptisia this year as well. It's encouraging that yours bloomed right away ~ maybe mine will too. Fingers crossed. Love all your new blooms. Enjoy the warm weather!
ReplyDeleteHi! I saw your knautia bloom, and then your link. Thanks! We do like the same kinds of flowers. I have or have had many of what you have in this post. I don't always get lupines to live over winters, so I don't have them every year. I just bought a couple in April to try again. It doesn't look like they will bloom this year. Yours is pretty, even though it wasn't the color you thought it was. I've had that happen.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to subscribe to the follow up comments, so have to leave another comment. My amsonias and baptisias are almost finished blooming for the season, and that makes me sad. The day lilies and other flowers will cheer me up, though.
ReplyDeleteI love the Persian Cornflower! Such lovely colours and so delicate.
ReplyDeleteWow, this heat wave is really something, isn't it?! I agree, not a great time to transplant. But fun while watering to see the daily growth, you can almost watch the sun-lovers expand before your eyes! I was about to write down "red scabiosa" in my notebook of plant wish lists but so interesting that it's actually something different!
ReplyDeleteThey look great even with the heat. I do like your variety of sizes and color.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, I love that pink lilac, Miss Canada, and also the water lily...a very good reason for having a pond..and funny you didn't notice it right away..lol.
ReplyDeleteLynn
Kathleen - You're right about the personal thermometer. I think a lot of us around here are wimpy about the heat, maybe it's because hardly anyone has AC.
ReplyDeleteYou will love Sioux, it's the best water lily I have. I have 2 others, but they aren't reliable bloomers. Sioux blooms all summer.
Sue - I don't think Lupine is really reliable, but I just love them. I have had some that reseeded, and I did just find a seedling the other day. Good luck with yours! It is kind of sad when certain flowers finish, especially if they only bloom for a short time. Thanks again for helping me out with the knautia.
Phoenix - They are very delicate and yet the plant itself is very hardy looking.
Karen - It looks like one more hot day and then back to normal. I have seedlings of knautia that I will share with you. I'm also saving columbine seeds for you when they are ready.
Anna- I think some of these plants just love the heat, and really have taken off.
Lynn - I can't believe I didn't notice it, I must've walked by it 10 times and it's right on the edge of the pond. Guess I was focused on other things. :)
Wow, some beautiful shots of a stunning and magnificently tended to garden! Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteDavid
Beautiful! I love the velarian. I must have some of that too:-D
ReplyDeleteWhoa! I see I missed quite a number of wonderful posts in a week. Going through them all in a day is such a treat! I'm loving it! The Baptisia, does it belong to pea family? Looks like little butterflies perched along the stem! Sweet. I cannot not mention that gorgeous lily! Can you get a shot of it from distance? BTW, how long does it last? How many populate your pond at a time? I'm curious
ReplyDeleteBeautiful selection of those flowers... They are totally amazed me a lot...
ReplyDelete