Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - July 2012

I think I'm in denial about this month's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Because if it's REALLY July 15th, then it's really less than 3 weeks until my wedding day... and I feel like there's so much to be done between now and then!

But I like to keep the GBBD records each month for my own knowledge, so here's a quickie post to show what's in bloom in my yard:

A new celosia. It's too hard to resist a full, lush, 6 inch annual like this, especially when it's on clearance for $2!

One of the dahlias I hope to use in the girls' bouquets... if it's still in bloom in a few weeks!
(Note: that's my wrist on the left. Just to give you an idea of how huge this beauty is.)

Not a great photo, but I'm really excited about the first blooms on my passalong plumeria!

Red snapdragons... which are one of the flowers I used on my wedding invitation design.

This lantana has been growing strangely. Instead of branching up and out, it's spreading and staying low--almost as low as the silver dichondra! At least it's blooming...

I believe that when I was bragging about my accidentally overwintered bay laurel this spring, I mentioned being surprised that 'Black and Blue' salvia had disappeared. Well... sort of. Really, it was just hiding under the ever-encroaching oakleaf hydrangea. I cut the hydrangea back a little bit, and B&B has responded accordingly!

THREE emerging bloom stalks this year on my pineapple lily!!!
I also have three bridesmaids bouquets to make.  Coincidence?  Hmm...

Other things that are in bloom - July 2012

Annuals: 'Bonfire' begonia, 'Vista Burgundy' salvia, unnamed coral/orange portulaca, 2 different red New Guinea impatiens, red begonias, 'Hopi Red Dye' amaranth, ruby orach, red pennisetum, orange snapdragons, verbena bonariensis, stephanotis, 'Black and Blue' salvia gauranitica

(Holy RED, Batman! I didn't realize I had planted so much hot-colored stuff this year!)

Perennials & Shrubs:  Blue globe thistle, 'Caradonna' salvia, the deep wine yarrow whose name I can never remember, the red sedums, blue shrub clematis, Russian sage, 'Purple Dragon' lamium, catmint, 'Albury Purple' St John's wort, bronze fennel, 'Grosso' lavender

Herbs and Veggies:  All of the tomatoes, 'African Blue' basil, Thai basil, lemon verbena, all of the peppers.  Noticeably absent:  No flowers yet at all on my tomatillo!

As always... For more of what's in bloom around the world, check out Carol's July Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post over at May Dreams Gardens.  :-)

Of All The Things I'll Lose When I Move...

... I just might miss the front yard garden the most. I have a quiet but deep appreciation for its ease.  For its undemanding nature.  

For the way it greets me with waves of grasses and sea kale when I pull up next to it after work.

  

For the way it catches the light and extends the beauty of the evening in exquisite jewel tones.

I don't like playing favorites, but this is really the one part of the garden that I plan to somewhat recreate--or at least keep in mind--when we move.

If you were moving away from your garden, which part would you miss the most?

Spiky and Purple Foliage Follow Up - June 2012

It's a spikey, purple foliage follow up this month in my garden!  First up:  Why should the "ornamental" gardens have all the fun?  Here's a pretty cordyline that's snuggling up to my 'Canby' raspberries in the backyard:

It was simply labeled "Tropical Foliage" and was being sold for an obscenely low amount at Home Depot... and jumped into my cart when I went to buy paint. I know, I know.  I really do try to support my local independent garden centers, but... sometimes you have to rescue cool plants at the big box stores, too.

'Sparkling Burgundy' eucomis is similarly spiky, purple and tropical-looking.  Here it picks up the warm tones of carex buchannii and 'Purple Knockout' salvia lyrata, and echoes the form of the dwarf iris at its feet, while contrasting nicely with the fine textured ponytail grass and chunky oakleaf hydrangea:

My front yard is at a bit of an angle, which is kind of fun because it adds another dimension. From some angles--like this one--you don't even see the green foliage of the foxgloves, sedums and bergenia that break up this swath of purple:

It looks like a lot of purple, but it actually looks really nice against my house--which is beige, and surrounded by cement driveways that add to the boring. From top to bottom, we're seeing purple from my Japanese maple, 'Diablo' purple ninebark, an unnamed heuchera, and 'Albury Purple' St. John's wort.

For more awesome foliage--in all colors and forms--check out Pam's Foliage Follow-Up post, here.  (And be sure to check out all the links!)

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - June 2012

I have to admit, I'm late for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day more often than I'm on time. Usually, I have good intentions, and start planning to try to fit in a GBBD post around the 10th... but miss the deadline anyway.  This month?  I just flat out missed the date!  I literally looked at my cell phone this morning and then said out loud:  "Oh my gosh, it's the SEVENTEENTH! I totally missed Garden Bloggers Bloom Day--AND the Foliage Follow-Up!"

At least the plants are blooming right on cue.  Well, the oakleaf hydrangea might be a tad bit early, but the ponytail grass and the salvia lyrata are pretty much on time, anyway.  And the presence of as-yet-unplanted flats of summer annuals confirms (sadly) that it's still mid-June at my house:

'Bonfire' begonia is nearing the end of its first flush of blooms on the north side of the front porch:

While bright red snapdragons are just starting to bloom in the backyard.

Drumstick alliums are just getting started now, too, but it's odd to see the lighter purple of verbena bonariensis already in bloom behind them:

I feel like the verbena usually doesn't start putting on a show until later--at least July--in a normal year. And it's odd to have a June Bloom Day without the appearance of my 'Zweiweltenkind' goatsbeard, which started blooming in earnest right after the May edition and it browned and done right now.  So I guess that the legacy of our mild winter lives on through June!

Also blooming in my yard right now:

'Summerwine' yarrow, 'Chubby Fingers' sedum album, various red sedum, 'Purple Dragon' lamium, 'Caradonna' salvia, (the last of the) sea kale, a few hosta, lonicera sempervirens, clematis jackmanii, culinary onions, 'Sweet Kate' spiderwort, 'Black Beauty' and 'Black Lace' elders (because I cut them back so late in the spring), 'Grosso' lavender, horehound, Meyer lemon, 'Blue Daze' evolvulus.

For more of what's in bloom all around the world, visit Carol's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day roundup, here.

Wordless Wednesday: An Old Dog & Her Birthday Treat