Sunday, July 6, 2014

So many blooms!

It seems that in late spring, I get so busy planting that I don't find time for posting here. There aren't as many blooms then either, since everything is newly planted. Well, now it's summer time, and there are flowers everywhere! Now I'm out there snapping pictures of every little bloom, then I end up not posting because I'm too busy editing photos. Either way, it's a silly excuse, and I thought it was time to update the blog with some of the pretty spots around the yard. I find it so lovely out there, that I often look around me and just sigh with contentment.
Tahitian sunset rose

Fourth of July climbing rose
Chinatown rose-brand new!

Happy Chappy-groundcover rose
Pope John Paul rose-brand new! 


It really is heart warming to see my roses rebounding like they have. I have to say, anything that survived the cold winter actually seems healthier than ever. As a matter of fact, I'd say the cold did them some good. Several of my older roses were really out of control, and too large for their space. But now they've been cut back to a bit smaller space, and they seem much better for it, like my favorite yellow knock out rose. One thing that was not improved by winter was my birdhouse. It now appears to be the low rent district birdhouse. I'll have to figure out how to do some repairs.
Rosa Sunny knock out rose


Another plant that received a little judicious pruning was the lavender. It was a little slow to start, then I had to really cut out a lot of deadwood. But over all, it looks better than ever because it's more controlled now.
Munstead lavender with Angelina sedum flowers
Mustead lavender with Cheyenne Spirit lavender and Moonshine yarrow
Munstead lavender with shasta daisies





I use common geraniums fairly often, but I found that I rarely take pictures of them. I thought I should remedy that. My patio urns are filled with multi colored geraniums this year. 
  
Common pelargonium


 Now this little beauty is what I call my "pet" geranium. I like to bring a potted geranium into the house over the winter to cheer me up, and what better way than this one with variegated leaves. I love it, and it doesn't even have to bloom to be pretty.
Pelargonium tri-color
I've never grown red hot poker before, but when a friend passed on a seedling, I thought I'd give it a try. Turns out that I really like it! I wish the blooms lasted longer though.
Kniphofia 
I know I rave about my sedum Angelina all the time, especially in winter. But I've noticed that it makes a nice backdrop for a lot of my summer flowers. Here it is framing Black and Blue salvia. It's one of those annuals that I must have every summer. It's actually listed as hardy to zone 6, which I am, but I've never had it return. Sometimes I leave it growing in a pot so that I can overwinter it inside. But most of the time I just buy a new one each spring.
Black and Blue salvia
Black and blue salvia
I also like the way that the sedum Angelina makes a nice backdrop for garden art. I'm a big fan of Mexican pottery, so I thought this globe looked nice nestled here.
Sedum Angelina with Talavera pottery
 Here's a peek at my little water garden. I purposely fed them so they'd come up top for their photo op.
Water Garden
I thought I'd give you a look at another one of the Proven Winner plants I'm trialing. This one is a heuchera called Cinnamon Curls. It was quite red when I first got it, but now the color is more variable. I'll be curious to see if it blooms this year. I am anxious for it to grow up a little bigger, but it is quite pretty either way. They gave me several shade plants in my trial box, and that's always a challenge here. My shady spots are quite small, so I had to find a spot to wedge them in!
Cinnamon Curls heuchera
I plan most of my back garden as a sanctuary for butterflies and hummingbirds. Of course that means growing milkweed for the monarchs, and various carrot family crops for swallowtails. I haven't seen a monarch yet, but I've heard they are in the area. All of my milkweeds are blooming, and ready for company. I'd like to get a few more varieties, if I can find them locally.
Swamp milkweed
Gay butterflies milkweed
Gay butterflies milkweed
But I definitely did see swallowtails in the garden. I spotted one laying her eggs on my dill plants. Soon after, I found them covered in all manner of swallowtail caterpillars!
Swallowtail caterpillars
I picked up an annual cuphea to help attract hummers, but I haven't seen them on this one. It's called Candy Corn. I like it either way. And I see hummingbirds all the time anyway. Just another one of the many blooms I'm enjoying right now. Soon, I'll have many more to share with you!
Cuphea Candy Corn with Snapdragons Tall Ribbon Mix
                                                                                 


22 comments:

  1. I always enjoy visiting your garden because you have such a variety of plants. Our red hot pokers didn't bloom, except for one spike. I hade four huge clumps, but I think they winter killed. I am going to move them to a sunnier spot to see if they don't do better next year. Does your lavender come up every year? Mine never does. And I like the weathered look of your birdhouse.

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    1. Yes, my lavender comes back reliably every year. It's in a berm area, so it drains quickly. And it's in a bright, sunny place.

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  2. Robin, how beautiful! Swamp milkweed stole my heart! Black and blue salvia is one of my favorites. July is gorgeous in your garden!

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    1. The swamp milkweed is very pretty in bloom, but otherwise unremarkable, especially if monarch cats eat it up. But I guess that's the whole point in growing it! I hope to add other milkweeds eventually.

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  3. I love that Swamp Milkweed and all the Butterfly weeds. I have not saw one Monarch on my plants. Maybe I need to plant a bigger swath of them. I love the Black and Blue Salvia too Robin. Does it over winter or is it an annual here? Loving your new roses. I have four yet to replace but I am waiting until spring I think to do more roses. I am afraid I will get more mixed up colors. LOL!

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    1. I saw in the paper that the monarchs are back, but I haven't seen one yet. My milkweeds are doing well, so I hope they are convinced to stop by this year. I've never had Black and Blue salvia to over winter here. It used to be listed as hardy to zone 6, but lately I see it listed as an annual. I replaced all of my roses, I couldn't stand to look at all those blank spaces!

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  4. I love, love all your lovely blooms! And also the Talavera pottery amidst the Sedum Angelina! And with the multiple varieties of milkweed, the monarchs are sure to find your garden soon. I am also smitten with your tricolor geranium; I don't blame you for bring it inside for the winter.

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    1. Thank you Deb! I have a thing for Talavera pottery, and have several pieces, including a large ceramic table side table in my living room. We visited Mexico, and I sure wish I could have brought many more pieces home on the plane. But I settled for two!

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  5. Robin your roses are outstanding ! .. all of your plants are doing so well, maybe that hard winter did do some good for a lot of our plants. I am loving that cinnamon curls heuchera .. I think that will be on my list for next years for sure!
    You are ahead of me with the milkweeds .. I have that type Gay Butterflies plus the good old stand orange one .. fingers crossed they grow BIG and strong !
    Your garden is so pretty ... no wonder you sigh with contentment ! LOL ... our projects are supposed to start either tomorrow or Thursday .... we have been waiting for ever ! BIG sigh !
    Joy : )

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    1. The roses that survived the winter are doing so well, but the new ones are so tiny yet. I'm sure they'll all catch up. It's starting to get dry again, which is what summer is like normally here. Darn it!

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  6. So pretty! I hope to get back to flower gardening again. I have lots of dill in the herb/veggie garden, but haven't seen any caterpillars yet. My sister-in-law mentioned yesterday that she's watching for them as well. Too many pesticides in the fields around here, I'm afraid.
    I'm hoping for hummingbirds again this summer - we only get them when they migrate in Spring and early Fall. Some years we get lots of them, some years not many.

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    1. We've seen our favorite hummer many times this summer, but lately, he seems to be hiding from me. I plant so many flowers that they like, I don't know how he can resist!

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  7. You have a riot of color in your garden, and caterpillars also...wow. I noticed that my roses are abundantly blossoming this year also...that might have been because they almost didn't make it.

    Jen

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    1. I think we are on to something here Jen, almost like the brutal winter revived the roses so that they perform better than ever! You're right, mine almost didn't make it either, and many of them didn't.

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  8. Your roses are perfect looking, Miss Robin!
    Mine have succumbed to beetles..grrr!!
    Almost added a Sunny Knock-Out this season...you love yours?

    Milkweed were all wild in my garden but i must find that pink variety!
    Enjoy the weekend!

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    1. Yes Lynn, I highly recommend the yellow Knockout rose. It's everything you like about knockouts, but also fragrant! One of my favorites. My "pink" milkweed was called swamp milkweed when I bought it, but no other identifying information.

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  9. Yes, you do have lots of blooms! Of course, I am envious of the caterpillars. I've had Black and blue salvia come back several seasons, but this is the year it didn't. I planted one in the ground this year, and one in a wash tub. I hope at least one returns next year, but if not, they are always available to purchase. I didn't think some of my lavender had survived winter, either, and may have dug one up, but then at least some of the others finally came up after I cut back the dead stems. It is hot and muggy here today! I am looking forward to some cooler days expected next week. I hope the rest of the summer goes well for you.

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    1. Yes, I also had black and blue salvia come back once, but not usually. I've overwintered it in pots before too, so I'll probably try to take cuttings for that. My lavender does so well, and comes back faithfully while also seeding itself about. I'm not sure why it does so well with my clay soil, but it does. Obviously it gets the drainage it needs.

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  10. Hi Robin, thanks for visiting gardenfool... love your flowers! i didn't know there were so many beautiful varieties of milkweed... maybe i'll grow some! love the tahitian sunset roses! i built a little water fountain for my deck this year, but now need to clean it out..... i'm very happy to see your beautiful garden! oh, btw, my dau is transferring to st. andrews in the uk, and leaving denison... i'm dependent upon you for a lovely view of Ohio! enjoy the summer...

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    1. Well, I can hardly blame your daughter for choosing the UK over Ohio! I love it, but well, world travel is better! Milkweed is fun to grow, even if the monarchs don't always find it promptly. Tahitian Sunset rose is one that I highly recommend, fragrant, beautiful, fuss-free!

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  11. Hi Robin! Your garden is looking awesome! I love Sedum 'angelina' with 'black & blue' Salvia. That is a great color combo. 'Black & Blue' Salvia is one I HAVE to have every year too. It never winters over here but we are a zone colder than you so makes sense. Jealous of all your Swallowtail caterpillars. I planted more dill this year & we have Swallowtails but no caterpillars yet. I totally get how contented your garden makes you. Mine does that for me too. I think Mother Nature has a way of improving our gardens or forcing change (for the better) even if we can't see it at the time.

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    1. Kathleen, you MUST have sedum Angelina. It turns so many lovely colors in the cold of fall, winter and early spring. I love it so much and spread it all around.

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