Saturday, July 14, 2007

July Gardener's Bloom Day


"Voodoo" has never had so many blooms at once!


Certainly the highlight of my garden right now is my small rose garden. I have never had so many blooms as this year! I think I owe it to the new organic fertilizer I used for the first time, Peace of Mind. I have applied it twice.

Many of my garden areas are in transition. The Salvias have all been cut back (boo hoo) and are beginning their second bloom, although not as full. I cut back my beautiful large Pink Poppy which was a star attraction next to the May Night Salvia and Snow in Summer (which looks dreadful at the moment). Next to take center stage will be the Russian Sage. They are the mainstay of the hell strips from now on, and are almost in bloom.

Several Yarrows are in bloom, including red (Paprika), white, purple and gold. Autumn Joy is beginning to bud (is it that time already?) Here are photos of some of the highlights of this July 2007 Bloom Day:
And here is my pride and joy... Endless Summer Hydrangia... YEA!

This Creeping Jenny has the most delightful blooms, which I do not recall seeing before this year.

These Asiatic Lilies were a gift from a friend. I once had several plants but this is all that remains.

I'm posting this photo of a Hollyhock for my garden buddy LostRoses!

This is one of my Penstemons. I'm planning a special post on them in the near future.

What more beautiful way to view a Purple Coneflower? I do not know what kind of butterfly this is...perhaps someone could enlighten me?

This is a bright combination of carnations and Butterfly Blue Delphiniums.

This the first Rudbeckia of the year. They seem to last only a couple of years so had to be replanted this season.

This is in a container, a very delicate Salvia "Nymph Coral" which caught my eye at the nursery.


Other new blooms for July:
Gladiola - 1 so far
Cosmos - just beginning
Morning glories
Coreopsis
Hollyhock
Purple Monkshood

Continuing to bloom:
Rose Campion
California Poppies
Violas - many varieties
Verbena
Dianthus - a few varieties
Feverfew
Companula Scottish Bells
Shasta Daisies

Herbs continue to do well, thyme is heading out and cilantro is bolting. My 2 lavenders are blooming but need to be in a location where they get more sun.

Vegetables: Second crop of lettuce is showing leaves. We actually have about 3 green tomatoes, which is exciting. Have been harvesting cucumbers, yellow squash and peppers.

28 comments:

Iowa Gardening Woman said...

I think your butterfly is a swallowtail and it sure makes your coneflower look prettier than mine! I planted an Endless Summer Hydrangea this spring, I love Hydrangea but their constant desire for water is always an issue for me but I keep planting them.

Your garden is beautiful, thanks for the tour!

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

Wow! Great pictures, especially the penstemon. I've given up trying to get pictures of mine.

Unknown said...

Beautiful rose pictures. Thanks.

Carol Michel said...

Your rose garden is a show stopper, one that makes your jaw drop when you see it.

Thanks for participating in Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Wow! Bev, what beautiful flowers you have. I think the butterfly a tiger swallowtail. It's beautiful. Great job!

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Lovely Bev, simple and utterly lovely! Wow to that butterfly, how beautiful it is.

Great name for an organic fertilizer BTW. And how wonderful that you've had such great results with it!!!

BTW my blooms are up too.

Christa said...

Your Nymph Coral salvia is so pretty. I've never seen a salvia in that color. I like your Penstemons, too!

I think your butterfly might be a Tiger Swallowtail. Not completely sure, though...

Happy Bloom Day!

Linda said...

It's the middle of July and time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. You have lots of beautiful blooms in your garden. Lots is happening in My Canadian Garden ... hope you can stop by for a visit.

Gina said...

your rose garden is OUTSTANDING!! what an inspiration.

Digital Flower Pictures said...

I love how colorful your garden is. My Creeping Jenny bloomed for the first time this year (that i noticed anyway) and was a carpet of color. It was borderline too bright but not really ;-)

Bev said...

Thank you all very much for your comments and interest in my blog!

Digital - I know what you mean about the "brightness" of Jenny. It changes color and intensity according to how much sun, I noticed. Great for a dark corner.

And thanks to all of you who identified my butterfly. I'm not an expert on them, for sure, but I do love them.

All of you Canadian Gardemers are making me more appreciate of your part of the world, and I'm amazed at how much we have in common. I'll at least visit you (Crafty) online!

Yolanda, Carol, and Robin, it's good to hear from you and I always appreciate your comments.

Bonnie, Apple, Christa, Gina & Iowa...it was nice of you to visit and I hope you come by often. I'll be sure to vist you.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers said...

Hi Bev,

Nice to meet you! I'm a Colorado Springs girl too---Palmer High class of '76! I no longer have family there, but still love to visit and stroll around downtown and the FAC. Saw a great exhibit at the FAC Modern last summer.

I had several neighbors while growing up in the old "North End" who were very avid gardeners. In fact, one of them suggested my career path as a landscape designer---I feel forever grateful, as I just love it, even after all of these years.

Glad to hear that you are letting the "gardening bug" run away with you!

Happy gardening,
Jocelyn

Annie in Austin said...

Hello Bev,

You have a wonderful array of flowers for this mid-July Blooms Day. If the 'Coral Nymph' likes your garden you may have lots to give away... I bought one plant 5 or so years ago. That plant died, but there are always seedlings every year in late spring.

My fellow Austin gardener, Pam from 'Digging', would like to comment on your blog, but she's not on Blogspot/Blogger, and your comments set-up won't let her talk to you.... she left you a note in the comments at MayDreams garden.

Happy Garden Blogger Bloom Day!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Anonymous said...

Hi Bev,
thank you visiting my blog..
You asked for it:

Hollyhock Rust Control
Infected leaves should be removed and burned as soon as they are noticed. Rust-infected stalks should be removed as
soon as the plants are through blooming and destroyed with any leaves that have fallen. The round leaf mallow weed in
the vicinity should be destroyed as well to insure that the fungus has no material on which to survive the winter. Dusting
the plants with sulfur or spraying with fungicides will aid in controlling the disease. Many of the all-purpose garden
sprays or dusts contain chemicals that will aid in the disease control. Dusting and spraying should begin early in the
season making sure to keep new foliage covered with the spray or dust, especially the underside of the foliage.
Providing good air circulation about the plants will lessen the chance of the disease spreading. This may necessitate thinning out some plants.
Hope this helps you and your beautiful hollyhocks,
cheers Gisela

LostRoses said...

Bev, thanks so much for the hollyhock picture, it's a beauty! Your roses are just fabulous, I'm going to have to look into Peace of Mind.

I love that salvia, I found one this year called Navajo Pink which was also a stunner. Unfortunately I planted it near some wave petunias and I haven't seen it since (must move it).

Your penstemon looks like my favorite one also, which is over its first flush and is working on some more. I adore that carmine red and the shape of the flowers, don't you?

Lovely post!

Naturegirl said...

Whoo Hoo look at that female..
~Eastern Tiger swallowtail~ butterfly! Great photo!!

Your garden is just ablaze with glorious blossoms!! Oh the roses!!I am now on my 3rd harvest of lavender growing in my garden of ~munstead~

I enjoyed viewing your delphinium as I did have one planted but it is not doing well as I think the rabbits are nibbling! :( NG

QT said...

Thanks for sharing your gorgeous garden! Mine is still only a few years old, so I rarely post pics of the whole things - too many empty spots. I love the salvia "Nymph Coral".

lisa said...

Wow! Great blooms, and I love the butterfly!

Connie said...

Just beautiful! Would love to stroll through your garden and enjoy with all five senses instead of just the eyes. :-)

Bev said...

Connie - I'd love to have you stroll through my garden too!

Lisa - I was really luck with the butterfly...my first photo!

QT - I left a note on your blog.

NG - Thanks for letting me know my butterfly kind and especially that it is a GIRL... so great to know.

LostRoses... don't you wish more pink and red salvias were hardy here? I do!

Annie in Austin said...

Hello again Bev,

The Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph' isn't always perennial with me, although a plant will occasionally winter over next to a South brick wall. What it does is scatter seeds, and the seedlings pop up in spring.
If you like the flowers, I hope they pop up for you. Hummingbirds like it and the species is in the native wildflower database at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center - maybe she liked this one as much as we do.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

CountryGirl said...

Your butterfly photo is amazing! I enjoyed your gardens. It's good to know someone else talks to their flowers...lol

Carol Michel said...

Bev... I have two comments for you over on my blog's Bloom Day post. The commenters aren't registered with Blogger so they couldn't comment directly. Perhaps you might consider the comment option that allows for non-Blogger commenters, but still protects you from spam (where you key in the letters shown?) Just a thought...

Molly said...

Your flowers are stunning! I have that same golden creeping jenny and mine is blooming this year also. I've had a lot of plants flower this year that have never bloomed for me before, or have bloomed sparsely. Love your garden.

Mary said...

Another awesome garden! I'm still establishing some gardens at my house. I will need to find out from you what attracts hummingbirds. I've made notes from Annie's post and I'll be checking on you, too.

growingagardenindavis said...

Just lovely...and the swallowtail photo is fantastic!

Anonymous said...

Your photos are beautiful, Bev. I love Colorado Springs and am happy to have found your blog so that I can "visit" whenever I want. And thanks for enabling the Other comment field for me.

Bev said...

Pam, thanks for visiting and I hope to see you often.