"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Thursday, July 15, 2010

July 2010 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

It's so hard to believe that July is already half over.  For some reason half way through July I always decide to start moving plants around, must be because of the bare spots left from annuals that are finished or plants that never grew like I hoped.  I spent hours outside yesterday pulling out spent Foxgloves, Poppies (I saved lots of seeds though!), cutting back Salvias and Veronicas hoping they'll have another flush of blooms before the end of summer.  I also finally planted a few plants that have been waiting for an open spot.  One is a new Agastache 'Cocktail Peach Margarita' with peach flowers and such a wonderful scent.  I only wish it served margaritas while I sat outside to smell it.  There were three different types of butterflies visiting while I was working away.  A Western Tiger Swallowtail, Painted Lady and another one I had never seen before.  It was medium sized black with blue and white on the edges of its wings.  It might have been a White Admiral.  I noticed that the Swallowtail was attracted to our neighbors Willow tree.  I was especially happy to see such a variety of butterflies since last year I hardly saw any at all.  Many of the flowers in the butterfly garden are just starting to bloom so hopefully we'll see even more.
Here are some of what's blooming this Bloom Day:

Rose 'Don Juan', I wish the real deep color of red would show up in a picture.  Most of the rest of my roses are between blooms now.

Agastache 'Pink Panther',  I've gotten a real soft spot for Agastaches lately.

Monarda 'Blue Stocking' is not quite the color I thought it would be.  I thought it would be more blue, but it's actually a pretty deep pink color.

Clematis 'Little Nell' has such tiny flowers, I've fertilized it recently in hopes that it will turn the leaves back to green.  Monarda 'Jacob Cline' is blooming behind it.  The hummingbirds have already started battling over it.

A new Daylily 'Strawberry Candy' is supposed to be a rebloomer.

Daylily 'Mini Pearl' is such a pretty small one.  It really brightens up the area around it.

While these aren't the biggest or showiest flowers, I'm happy to see them because they are on the Beautyberry bush 'Profusion' I planted last year.  I was afraid it didn't get enough sun where it was, but it seems to be doing really well.

And because the Larkspur is prettier than I ever could have imagined and so tall I had to add another picture of them again.  Blooming up against the house is Clematis 'Jackmanii'.  The window boxes are full of Petunias, lobelia and Alyssum this year - and it smells so good by them.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day takes place the 15th of each month and is hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens.  Visit her to join in or see what is blooming around the world.
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38 comments:

  1. Everything is looking very good considering all the hot weather. Are you having any trouble with burnt leaves? I have quite a few and it's so irritating. My one Poppy is still hanging in there - small but still growing. How are yours doing?

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  2. You have so many great blooms!! That larkspur is worth another photo and Jackmanii! I hope mine gets like that some day. Right now, it's adjusting to the heat. I put more straw around its feet for shade. Thanks for the pretty flowers.

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  3. Such pretties! I am really liking your pink agastache. That is a nice addition for sure.

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  4. The Agastache is so cool!!! Hmm.., I probably would have never thought of adding that plant to the garden, but after seeing the photo of yours I think I need one. :)

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  5. Your larkspur is beautiful and so is the pink agastache. I'd like to try that one.

    How odd about he monarda, I had blue stocking years ago and it was more lavender than red.
    Marnie

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  6. All the flowers are gorgeous. I love the larkspur!

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  7. Catherine, I love Agastache also. It is difficult to find the ones that will take our winters, but so far Clue Fortune and Rosita came through. I have them in my alley garden. The larkspur is beautiful.

    Eileen

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  8. Catherine I bought a Strawberry Candy daylily a couple of months ago - oh it does look lovely in your photo - my plant label didn't show it aswell as your photo. It won't flower until next year as it was only a starter plant.

    Those agastache's look great and the bees will love them - I gave up trying to grow those years ago - my soil doesn't suit their requirements.


    Your monarda looks lovely despite the difference in colour to what you expected - another bees favourite I'm sure.

    Oh how I would love to have butterflies like yours visit - I would be out with my camera rather than weeding. :) Rosie

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  9. Catherine, I love your Humor" Cocktail peach margarita does sound like it would smell yummy..

    " I only wish it served margaritas while I sat outside to smell it" Lol! I love that."

    Your rose "Don Jaun is a beauty the Larkpurs are too"..

    Happy Garden Bloom Day!

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  10. And I thought I knew all of the agastaches! :-) You have two that I've never heard of here.

    I was at a nursery today and stared in amazement at the label on agastache 'Purple Haze'. That surely isn't the same plant that I have that was labeled 'Purple Haze'! No wonder I can't tell a difference between my 'Black Adder' and 'Purple Haze' -- because they're probably the same plant after all! Dang it...how do I go back and correct all of my blog posts! nah.

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  11. You have lots of flowers I wouldn't mind having, like the different lilies. Had from seed 2 different kinds of Agastache last year but didn't come back. The larkspur is another one wish I got this year....all needed flowers for hummers.

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  12. Lovely posies. I love that your larkspur still looks so nice. Ours has been gone for some time now.

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  13. Lovely blooms Catherine. I think 'Mini Pearl' is my favorite, very delicate looking.

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  14. Hi Catherine. Your new Strawberry Candy lily is so pretty. I am really starting to like lilies so much. Too many pretty ones to choose from though. Your Larkspur is gorgeous. I am going to have to try them again next year in a different spot.

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  15. What a lovely blog you have got! I really enjoy it very much:)
    Lovely colours of your roses!
    Take care,
    Charlotta

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  16. Just heavenly. You are a bit ahead of us - still lots and lots of blooms on the foxgloves here and the poppy seeds aren't quite ready to gather yet.

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  17. Wow! Between the larkspur and the hydrangeas, it must be hard to figure out where to look in your yard. No matter where you look, you'll be missing out on something else!

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  18. Such vibrant colors to the flowers. I always enjoy stopping by and seeing pics.

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  19. Hi Catherine,
    You make me want to go outside and work in my own yard deadheading. Your garden looks great! You are so right about July being half over, I can hardly believe it ither! Have a great weekend.

    Blessing,
    Kay

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  20. I love to see your beautiful blooms!

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  21. I'm not a daylily fan, but your Strawberry Candy and Mini Pearl are fabulous.

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  22. Hi Catherine, I love your daylilies, they are a staple at this time of summer in my garden and they come in some wonderful colors with different bloom times. Your garden is stunning.

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  23. I just adore your new little day lilies! Their colors are so pretty and soft. I'm quite envious of your butterfly action, can't say that I've seen any butterflies this season yet. Just moths :( I'm hoping you'll catch one sometime with the camera as you have such a great way behind the lens. Wishing you a lovely weekend!

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  24. It all looks so great against the blue of your house!

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  25. I have no luck photographing red flowers; they lose details, but I think your Don Juan looks wonderful~Also wonderful are the larkspur! They make me smile. Such a rich deep blue~Happy GBBD to you~ gail

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  26. The larkspur are just lovely! I planted some seeds this year, but they didn't come up--now that I see yours, I'm determined to try again next year. And I love the agastache, another plant I don't have, but want. I seem to come away from Bloom Day posts with lots of plant envy:) Thanks so much for dropping by my blog; I enjoyed my visit here!

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  27. I love the larkspur especially. Should have planted that one. I've never planted it before. Love the bright colors. You're smart to save those seeds!
    Brenda

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  28. so beautiful! :) i myself enjoy gardening. So far i've planted a small vegetable garden. Your blog is very inspiring for me, especially your lost post with the hydrangeas. Good work!

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  29. I love Agastaches too Catherine. They really take the heat and look gorgeous at the same time. Plus the hummingbirds love them ~ can't beat that. I might have to look for 'Jacob Cline' ~ I love how tall it gets. I don't have any that reach that height. I wonder if your 'Purple Stocking' got mixed up with another Monarda?? I have purple stocking and the blooms are really purple??? It looks fabulous there on bloom day (and always).

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  30. Love the rose...such a pretty color. Please post more as they bloom.

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  31. Pretty blooms. Do you use Picasa to edit your photos? I find that adding more black helps the reds look right. Under the 'Tuning' tab, there is a 'Shadows' slider. Move it to the right to darken up your reds.

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  32. Where do you get such interesting plants? I think I need a Peach Margarita agastache!

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  33. Well, I hope this doesn't show up as a duplicate. I started posting my comments and seem to have lost it. What is the name or variety of those dark purple larkspurs? I want those! You mention the clematis up against the house is Jackmani..in the pictures, that clematis looks in the deep rose/red tones. I always thought Jackmani was always deep purple like the color of your larkspur. I am adding "strawberry candy" daylily to my wish list. Have always loved Don Juan rose..it's a beauty! I've been wanting that Blue Stocking and like you said, that color doesn't fit the descripton. Maybe I'll change my mind and stick to Raspberry wine bee balm. Did you just plant the Blue stocking? If you ever have any extra seed from it, I'm raising my hand high in the air. Thanks for sharing all your beautiful gardens with us. It was really a treat!

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  34. I love your agastache. I tried to find more agasatches this year, but only found the few kinds I already have. I'm glad they're blooming, because some of the lower foliage has mildew or something on them.

    I see we have several flowers in common. It's fun to see what they look like in others' gardens. My 'Jacob Cline are falling over a bit, so they may prefer a bit more sun. I think I will deadhead them soon.

    I have that strawberry candy, too.

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  35. VW - I don't use Picasa, but that is helpful advice. It seems like reds and some purples just don't show very true.

    Anonymous - The Larkspur is 'Shades of Blue' and I can save you seeds if you would like. These all just reseeded from last year, so maybe they like being sprinkled out in the fall? I planted the Bee Balm last year, I didn't know you could save seed from them. I can try and save some for you. I'm beginning to think it may be 'Raspberry Wine'. The Jackmanii is very dark purple in person, it seems to look more maroon in pictures. If you send me an email with your address I'll send you the seeds when they are ready.

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  36. I'd almost swear that monarda is Raspberry Wine...could have been mislabeled...happens to me all the time! Check out the links below for what Raspberry Wine and Blue Stocking look like in my garden. Raspberry wine is that deep saturated pink, Blue Stocking is a nice rich lavender-purple.

    http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4810552532_50a6c510f8_b.jpg

    http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4810551822_08a3a103aa_b.jpg

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