Yet More Blooms . . .

For Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - I keep forgetting some! I'm kind of ruining the one-day thing, aren't I? But these are all in bloom now, too.

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora
Sometimes called Montbretia, but the proper name is now accepted to be Crocosmia. I can't find where I recently read this and I don't know why it's changed. I mean, all the rest of the flowers only have one common name, right? We wouldn't want things to be too confusing . . .

Leptodermis oblonga
This is a lovely small shrub that I've had for two years, but this is the first year it's bloomed. It's very tidy and it handled our hot, dry summer perfectly! Even the foliage looks nearly perfect.


Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata 'Fantasy')
Oooooh! I love this monarda. It doesn't flop, it doesn't get powdery mildew, it still has that lemony scent to the foliage and the flowers are cool. Each one builds on the previous flower. I've got some that were five 'stories' tall and they all looked great. The bees and butterflies love it, too.

This is another one that's sitting on the fence for me, as far as zone hardiness goes. I've seen 5 and I've seen 6, so I'll mulch it well after frost and keep my fingers crossed. It's been in bloom nearly all summer (unlike its cousin) and I'd hate to lose it.


Floribunda Rose (Rosa 'Chihuly')
This, along with 'Disneyland' and 'Glamis Castle' has been my best rose performer this summer. Still, the blooms were smaller in general and not as many as last year, but the hot, dry summer is bound to take its toll. While I generally find that the Japanese Beetles like the yellow roses best, this one has escaped their evil clutches somehow.


English Rose (Rosa 'Falstaff')
This is a healthy grower and prolific bloomer that's seemingly untouched by bugs and disease. Fragrant, too.


Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria 'Zavina')
This isn't hardy to our zone 5, but there is one cultivar that is supposed to be ('Sweet Laura'). I'll take it inside and save the bulbs/corms for next spring. This has bloomed non-stop all summer, but it's showing signs of slowing down now. I'm just awful about fertilizing anything, so that could be the reason or else it's just time for it to slow down, I don't know.

Okay. I'm done now. Promise.