Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Bloom Day for Garden Bloggers

Despite my camera and photo storage problems, I do actually have some pretty flowers in the garden this week! Thanks to May Dreams Gardens for sponsoring GBBD!

This perennial border is just too narrow and crowded, as I have repeatedly whined about. Some cool cloudy weather is giving me a chance to start transplanting and widening. I do like some of the combinations I have going, like this coneflower (White Swan) with Allium. I have moved the small non-blooming Hydrangea (at left) to a spot with more shade, but I don't dare move the Phlox before it blooms, nor the Monarda that is also squeezed in there and blooming for the first time. The Iris can handle a move, and I may have to move the Peony as well.
My lavender has gotten huge, but not necessarily in a good way. I think but need to confirm that the purple flower is Adenophora--I previously thought it was Campanula. It spreads, but not in an aggressive way, and I like it. Believe it or not, there are also Veronica, Dahlia, Liatris, coneflower, and Yarrow in there. Don't worry, plans for a much expanded border are in the works, and at least I have the plant material to work with!
Most of my bulbs did well this year, and I am especially loving the Alliums. Here is one just before opening:
Native honeysuckle will have to be in every garden I ever plant:
Yarrow has the added benefit of attracting beneficial insects. It needs to be supported though, as these are really "floppy."
Another favorite of mine is coneflower. This is "sundown," which changes from pink to coral-orange. This one is between blueberries--that is why it is covered with net.
Here is another sundown (or a purple coneflower) with a different Allium seedpod.
In the native shade garden, the Clethra will bloom soon. I missed the Itea in full bloom (while on vacation) so I can't compare their scents.
Also blooming is the oak leaved Hydrangea, which is unfortunately getting too much sun. I don't want to move a large established shrub in summer, and I am hoping the small tree I plan to add over here (at left) will give it the afternoon shade it needs.
And here is a long view of the native shade garden:
In the front yard, on the shady side of the house, I have another Hydrangea, which is great for cut flowers:
Here is the hydrangea in context, and you can see the Dahlias and Sedums starting to bloom. Something is devouring the Dahlias (a beetle of some sort)--but maybe I should leave them as a trap crop to keep the pest off my vegetables?
Just the sunny part of the front corner, with blooming thyme and northern sea oats closeups below. I am hoping the Dianthus will bloom again.
I need another one of these sea oats on the other side of the house, behind this Spirea. I really like Spirea, but I wish I had known it was invasive before I bought it so I would not have to feel guilty.
The Spirea does pair nicely with this huge Hibiscus and its purple hued leaves:

I'll be adding more Sedums to this side of the house, along with Dianthus. A native honeysuckle is growing on the trellis behind the Nandina.Along the driveway, I have tons of shasta daisies:
Thanks for checking out DinkyDo's flowers!

2 comments:

  1. I really like your perennial border...lots of great plants! The rest are nice, too. I wouldn't worry too much about the spirea...just keep it in check. I love native plants but have many non-natives that are said to be invasive in some places. For examply, they say that Buddleia is invasive...but mine hasn't changed in size in over 10 years!! I cut it back each year, it blooms, end of story. Hope you have some time to expand your borders if that's what you're aiming for;-)

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  2. Thanks--I have Buddleia too, as I just could not resist, so I will just have to keep them both in check!

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