Bloom Day, June 2008

May Dreams Gardens hosts a monthly Garden Blogger's Bloom Day on the 15th of the month.  Go see the lovely photos Carol has posted for today.  If you'd like, join in the fun. We gardeners love to see photos of others' gardens.

I have a lot blooming today.  Even though we've had some brutally hot temperatures, my garden still looks fresh.  Some of the flowers I'm happiest to see are the ones on my winterberry hollies.  Last summer's drought was hard on them, and then one of our ash trees had the audacity to split and pummel one of them.  With these flowers, I have hope for lovely red berries this fall and winter.

My Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' is taking over a corner of my back garden.  Three little plants two years ago have turned into a clump more than three feet across. It's beautiful and just starting to bloom.

Daylilies are one of those plants you either love or hate. While I'm not thrilled that the foliage will get ratty in a hot, dry summer, Happy Returns is one daylily worth having. Its foliage seems to be more resilient than some, and it will bloom most of the summer if you cut the scapes back when the blooms on them have faded.  Happy Returns is a relatively early bloomer, and it will bloom reliably in full sun or more than half shade. I love its sunny yellow flowers.

Although I took my photos relatively early today, the bees were already busy. My Veronica spitaca 'Red Fox' is going to town, as it always does. I love the intense pink color and the fact that they just bloom and bloom.  The bees love them too.

Of course, my latest hosta acquisition, Dream Queen, had to have a spot in today's photo lineup. It's sporting a tiny remnant of last evening's storm.

I have more blooming. This is not a complete list, but it gets most of it.

Lychnis coronaria (Rose campion)

Oenothera macrocarpa (Ozark sundrops or Missouri evening primrose)

Gaura 'Siskiyou Pink'

Coreopsis

Impatiens - of many colors

Hosta - several varieties

Campanula

Penstemon 'Husker Red'

Dahlia

Achillea var Schwellenberg

Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'

Centaurea montana 'Cupid's Dart'

Blue-eyed grass

Penisetum orientale

Black mondo grass

Calamagrostis 'Karl Forster'

Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet'

Nandina

Happy bloom day!

Comments

[Shirl]

Hi there Kim, Great photos :-)

Love the shot of the veronica and the bee! Ah... but the hosta flower is a sight for sore eyes :-D

I've been out all day so I guess my post will be late once again :-D

[Pam]

Beautiful shots, Kim. I planted the Zagreb coreopsis in the front yard redo, but it's not blooming yet. I also have a yellow daylily that blooms and blooms - Stella d'Oro - but it's not blooming yet either. We've had such a cool May that things are really slow this year.

[Niki]

Oh, you are so making a trip to help me with my garden! GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Carol, May Dreams Gardens]

Thanks for joining in for bloom day. I also have 'Happy Returns' but it isn't blooming yet. I don't know if it is even sending up flower stalks yet.

[Lisa]

The line forms behind me Niki - I called her first!!!! Such lovely blooming going on in your garden Kim.

[Sarah Laurence (England)]

These are gorgeous photos - they just seem to pop out at you. I can see why the bee stopped for a sip.

[Sarah Laurence (England)]

These are gorgeous photos - they just seem to pop out at you. I can see why the bee stopped for a sip.