Can it really be the middle of July already?
Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is here again - actually it has come and gone - but I did tell you I was the
Queen of Procrastination, didn't I? Every day when I go out to the gardens, there's something new flowering. That's the way we like it and is precisely the reason we garden. It's also the reason we can't resist stopping at every garden center we see. The more beautiful blooms, the better!
If you visited Our Little Acre today, this is some of what you would see:
Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Giant' really
does have giant blooms.
Echinacea 'Summer Sky' is one of my very favorites of the many varieties of coneflowers that we have. The gradations of color are gorgeous, and they seem to be more intense at dusk.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4DxWulUuI/AAAAAAAAIuM/ngYdIul25Mg/s400/gerbera_calibrochoa_7_10_08_a.jpg)
Each year I plant something a little different in two baskets that attach to an old fireplace chimney. This year it's
Calibrachoa 'Callie Painted Coral' with a matching
Gerbera daisy thrown in for good measure. The Callies are struggling a bit though.
I've grown Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera 'Red Midget') before, but last year it didn't return. I missed it so I bought more this spring from Bluestone Perennials. I think it must have been a fluke that it didn't return, because it's got a reputation for being a tough and reliable perennial here.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4DIi0I-fI/AAAAAAAAItU/ZDRmhdIa-QE/s400/platycodon_7_13_08_a.jpg)
The
Balloon Flowers (
Platycodon gigantea) are popping. I've got a pale pink one, too.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4DIyYkC4I/AAAAAAAAItc/8mGT0_0o9js/s400/peruviandaff_7_10_08_a.jpg)
These frilly
Peruvian Daffodils (
Hymenocallis festalis) bloom reliably every summer. I store the bulbs in the basement for the winter and pot them up in the spring.
Before this year, I'd never grown Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus 'Cupani's Original'). I love this color and I think I'll grow them again next year. I'm growing Lathyrus sativus this year, too, and it's got very small blue blooms. They're underwhelming so I don't think I'll bother with those again, although the color is pretty.
Oriental Lily 'Stargazer' needs no explanation, does it?
This Passion Flower (Passiflora caerulea 'Clear Sky') is enjoying its fourth year here, after being purchased when I attended my very first flower show ever - The Cleveland Flower Show in May 2005. We have to bring it in for the winter, where it blooms sporadically, but right now it has several blooms in production. These will forever amaze me with their bizarre look.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4CXetTruI/AAAAAAAAIs0/qekp4HGaAfg/s400/lewisia_7_10_08.jpg)
This is the third flush of blooms for the
Lewisia cotyledon.
Orienpet 'Robert Swanson' is the first Orienpet lily to bloom here. Probably because it's the only Orienpet I have! Must get more. Smells great.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4CX2HNZfI/AAAAAAAAItE/v_2v_BhRnPk/s400/liatris_7_10_08_b.jpg)
The
Blazing Star (
Liatris spicata 'Kobold') is...well...blazing!
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4CYPcJShI/AAAAAAAAItM/7Mh6OYHmwVE/s400/lorainesunshine_7_10_08_a.jpg)
The variegated foliage on
Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine' sometimes reverts to all green, but the yellow flowers remain their cheerful self. I winter sowed these two years ago and this is the first time they have ever bloomed.
Dianthus amurensis 'Siberian Blues' isn't blue, but a shade of deep, intense lavender. It's my favorite of the several
Dianthus we have.
Echinacea 'Hope' was developed to benefit Breast Cancer Research. It has pale pink petals that are shorter than those of most other coneflowers.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4BnAcTEBI/AAAAAAAAIsU/O6XAm9xfiGo/s400/echinacea_pinkdoubledelight_7_13_08_a.jpg)
Some gardeners don't like this
Coneflower, known as
'Pink Double Delight', but I do.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH4BnSCdynI/AAAAAAAAIsc/-8dkw-B3V6E/s400/gaura_7_10_08.jpg)
The
Gaura I grew last year didn't return for me, so I bought more this year.
I love hardy geraniums and this one - 'Ballerina' - is one of my very favorites. 'Samobor' is blooming as well, right along with 'Rozanne' and 'Striata'. I especially like the veining in this one.
Asiatic Lily 'Italia'This is one of the last Asiatic lilies to bloom in the garden.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH3-rFHI4QI/AAAAAAAAIrk/NAoruZ6T3do/s400/bunnytails_7_13_08_b.jpg)
This is a very small annual called
Bunny Tails (
Laguras ovatus) that I grew from seed. It's a miracle any of them survived to bloom because the kitties kept eating the grass-like foliage.
Last year, I grew Annual Candytuft (Iberis crenata) from seed. I didn't plant any this year because I didn't have to. This is a prolific self-seeder. Good thing I like it.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH3-rSIa5ZI/AAAAAAAAIr0/U8Z_n_cz7Yo/s400/coreopsis_sweetdreams_7_13_08_b.jpg)
Thread-leaf
Coreopsis 'Sweet Dreams'![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH3-rdUei0I/AAAAAAAAIr8/_D2DvQhYcQc/s400/coreopsis_zagreb_7_10_08_a.jpg)
Another thread-leaf
Coreopsis - 'Zagreb' - is a passalong plant from Mom. It's nearly identical to 'Moonbeam' which we also have, thanks again to Mom, except 'Zagreb' is a more intense shade of yellow. I prefer the pale yellow of 'Moonbeam' and it's blooming, too. All of our
Coreopsis are blooming.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH9-bGoSpFI/AAAAAAAAIvE/SqVcq2hQdHg/s400/alstroemeria_7_8_08_a.JPG)
I wintered over this
Alstroemeria 'Princess Zavina' in the basement greenhouse.
Asiatic Lily 'Corrida' ![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7m-nNSHCETk/SH9-b0GPjhI/AAAAAAAAIvU/7uIsl4jGgZ0/s400/tritonia_7_8_08_a.JPG)
I grew these
Tritonia bulbs last summer and only got foliage. This year - blooms! Very delicate, but moderately sized. They were labeled
Tritonia, but I think they might be rain lilies (
Zephyranthes grandiflora), although mine are not requiring a rain to bring on blooms. Hmmm...
This is the first bloom for Astilbe 'Sprite' that Mom bought me late last summer. It's her favorite Astilbe of all. I know, because she tells me that every time we see one.
This is a new Campanula for Our Little Acre. It's Campanula carpatica 'Pearl Light Blue', otherwise known as Carpathian Harebell. I love the clear blue color.
And with those, I'm going to have to stop, or else I'll never get this posted! There's much more, of course, because we're smack dab in the middle of the growing season. It's a happy, happy time in the garden. Except that the Japanese Beetles have arrived and the cabbage loopers are getting fatter by the minute.
If only the Japanese Beetles had a taste for cabbage loopers...
18 comments:
Lots of beautiful blooms. I love the passion flower.
HA! There it is! Sure enough! I love that I have this amazing surprise in my garden. Your photo is much better than mine. I love how you've capture it.
Cindy
Wow!! Great photos of the flowers you are growing! Things here in Philly Suburbs don't seem as green, a little drier and hot.
These are beautiful photos of your flowers. I'd love to see the "big picture" of how they all blend together.
Kylee, you're pictures here read like a wishlist for my garden! I love your Liatris, interesting Sweet Peas, bicolor Coreopsis...thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures.
Ladies and Gentlemen... count 'em. 28 photos in one blogger post! 28! That is a lot of uploading, right clicking, deleting, and positioning, and pasting! 28 in one post! I would have went blind! Way to go Kylee.
Now, just one comment about one of your flowers. Sweet Pea? Oh my, here in Southwest Missouri that is a very hardy perennial and you don't have to worry about replanting it. It is very aggressive, and very rude. Once planted, it is there forever. It gets that cold in Northwest Ohio that it acts as an annual?
I love all your blooms but I'm partial to the coneflowers and that passion flower is stunning!
I really like Moonbeam Coreopsis, too. And your coneflower is beautiful! I bought Harvest Moon last year, but I like yours better. :)
Crafty Gardener ~ Thanks, CG. That passion flower is a stunner, isn't it?
Cindy ~ You are one lucky lady! Such a beautiful bloom. I'd be thrilled to find such a surprise!
coolstufffordads.com ~ It's hot and dry here, too. The grass is starting to go dormant. We need RAIN! There are big cracks in the yard and the gardens. :-(
Joanie ~ I have taken wider viewed pictures of the gardens, but it seems like they always look like such a conglomeration of stuff to me. Maybe that's how they really do look! I've not mastered how to take those photos and have them capture the real look of things. I'll try again one of these days, though, and then I'll post them.
Katie ~ That's just how I feel whenever I see other gardens. There's always something I just have to have for mine!
Rick ~ Were there really 28 photos? No wonder it took me so long! LOL.
About the sweet peas - there are annual sweet peas and perennial sweet peas. Then there are the annual self-seeders. I suppose any annual could be a self-seeder under the right conditions, but from what I can determine, Lathyrus odoratus is simply an annual. Your comment led me to learn some new things about sweet peas - thank you! There are online businesses devoted solely to sweet peas! Who knew?
Perennial Gardener ~ I love coneflowers, too, and look forward to their long bloom period every year.
Kara ~ Have you seen 'Full Moon' Coreopsis? I think I would like that one maybe even better than 'Moonbeam.' Larger blooms, same color.
I have 'Harvest Moon' too, although I had to replace it this spring. It didn't survive last winter for some reason. I love the color of it!
Did you know that our older daughter's name is Kara? Whenever you comment on my blog, I immediately think it must be her. You even say things that she might say if it were her! :-)
Kylee, Should I be surprised at the variety of beautiful plants you have? After all... HOW many did you take indoors last Fall? lol ;-) You have such a wonderful variety of Different items... and Everything is so Healthy! Someone else mentioned you've started her wish list - you've done the same for me! :-)
Wow, how lucky to have three sets of blooms on a Lewisia! I wish I could coax mine to do that. Your Echinaceas are inspirational. I picked one that I must have next year. I'll have to go searching!
Wow... what a long list! And I'm REALLY envious over your lewisia. I thought it would like me here, with my well-drained soil, but apparently it doesn't. It's almost completely died out. *sigh*
That hymenocallis is gorgeous. I love the otherworldliness of the flower shape.
you have such a gorgeous array of colors!! I LOVE 'Sunset Sky'....perfect name for such a gorgeous flower:) Also--I am jealous of your sweet peas!! I had ONE sweet pea bloom this season---the rest are unfortunately just hanging out and being green :)
I have NOT seen Full Moon coreopsis, I will have to check it out!
I just noticed a few days ago that you were a dental hygienist! I am too, currently only working one day/week due to all my kiddos at home.
And I did see that your daughter was named Kara, I seldom see that name, my patients comment all the time on how unusual it is. :)
Ah, Kylee, you have Summer Sky--and I don't! Not yet...Lovely thing.
I don't think my lily is Italia--too much yellow in mine, which may not have shown up so well in the fog picture. Your blooms are just glorious...
Shady Gardener ~ I don't remember how many - was it a lot? LOLOL. Well, as you can see, I have NO willpower when I visit a garden center.
Gardenista ~ Lewisias are fussy, I think. I lost two this year, due to rotting at soil level. Any success I have with them is due to a fair amount of luck, I think.
So tell me - which Echinacea is it that you picked out for your garden?
Kim ~ As I told Gardenista, lewisia is fussy, so don't feel bad. I've lost them before, too.
Jessica ~ I read something somewhere about why sweet peas don't bloom, but do you think I can remember what or where? Sorry!
Kara ~ You know, I think I may have read that on your profile awhile back that you were a hygienist, too. Very cool!
When we named our Kara, back in 1980, it was an unusual name, but in recent years I've encountered it a fair number of times. I still love the name!
jodi ~ That surprises me that you don't have 'Summer Sky' since I've had it for two years here. I've still not seen 'Green Envy' much at all, even this year.
I knew you were going to say that about 'Italia' not having as much yellow as yours, but my picture really is deceiving. It does have more yellow than my photo shows. But there are so many lilies out there, it could be an entirely different one, although 'Italia' is pretty common.
As an amateur webmaster and photographer, I can appreciate the time and effort you have taken with the site. Great photos and comments.
Mike
What gorgeous blooms you have in your garden now Kylee.
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