Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day September 2023

Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)

Well this has been a terrible summer for us.  We have a few flowers for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, but we have lost so many plants to drought.  The Princess Flower has survived because it is on the porch getting regular water.

Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)

But we don’t have anything like the usual flowering at this time of year.  Probably the most striking flowers right now are the dahlias which also have gotten fairly regular watering.

Dahlia ‘Mai Tai’

Dahlia ‘Helen Richmond’

The sedum is pretty hardy and has returned with its usual flowering for September.

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

And the colchicum at coming out the ground as scheduled.

Colchicum bivonae

Colchicum ‘Giant’

The very reliable cestrum is still in flower.

Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’

And walking about the yard yesterday, I found a few cyclamen with fall flowers.

Cyclamen hederifolium

In the greenhouse a pot of the non-hardy cyclamen was also in bloom.

Cyclamen graecum

Beside it are several pots of sinninglia species (that are happy to spread to neighboring pots)

Sinninglia sp.

It is worth mentioning that the dry weather has been very good for our figs and it’s become a lunchtime habit for me.

Steady stream of Figs

Also very noteworthy is a lovely little bukiniczia with great foliage in the alpine bed. It came from seed this year and should be able to flower next year.

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day August 2023

Crepe Myrtle

Well it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day again and I would like to begin by celebrating the crepe myrtles that provide a summer flower show.  As you can see from the above image the red one has been with us for a very long time.  It’s well over the garage roof.  The bark is wonderful and the individual flowers are lovely one and all.

Individual Crepe Myrtle flowers

We also have a white one down in the pasture and it seems to be growing nicely.

Crepe Myrtle white

Flowers that we see every day are the Princess Flowers on the back porch.

Princess flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)

Both we and the hummingbirds look forward to our daily dose.

The Hydrangeas are also prolific and and an everyday summer flower show.

Hydrangea ‘Limelight’

Looking around the yard you have appreciate just how dry it has been here.

Dry ground

We are currently at 75% of the normal rainfall and that has left us with many dead plants from my spring planting.  Yes we run hoses but there are many places on 7 acres that are not accessible the hoses.  I have a set of watering cans but that only covers the time when I’m actually here.

Watering Cans

Despite all that, and with help of hoses, we do have some more flowers to share.  As always the Allium millenium are reliable summer color.

Allium millenium

And I noticed (after one of the few thunderstorms that we’ve had) the Cyclamen hederifolium are starting to bloom.

Cyclamen hederifolium

As we wander out to the garden it is clear that the annuals provide a spot of color.

Annuals in the veg garden

And nearby the sunflowers are on display

Sunflower

More Sunflowers

The vegetable garden is also where we find a steady supply of gladiolias

Gladiolus ‘Princess Margaret Rose’

And despite the drought we have a good supply of vegetable and fruit.  I notice that the raspberries are starting their fall crop.

Fall Raspberry crop

And we been bringing in peaches and pears.

Harvesting Pears (Crispie)

That’s it for now, I’ll go back to doing my rain dance…

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day July 2023

Orienpet Lilium ‘Scheherazade’

 

Well, for mid-summer it’s got to be all about the lilies for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.

Each time the wind begins to chime,
And end begins to near
A whisper of the softest sort
Flows gently to the ear

The scent and sight enough are great
Yet lilies live for more
The lilies whisper poetry
As none have heard before 

— The Lilies Whisper Poetry by Deborah Amar

Orienpet Lilium ‘Scheherazade’

Lilies are definitely the most striking flower in the yard right now.  They come in all shapes and sizes.

Orienpet Lily ‘Anastasia’

Lilium oriental ‘Muscadet’

Lilium oriental hybrid ‘Casa Blanca’

Lilium ‘Madame Butterfly’

Oriental Lily ‘Stargazer’

Orienpet Lily Conca d’Or

Of course, the lilies also work on the inside of the house.

Showy lilies on the mantle

However, there are other things happening on our hillside.  I notice, for example that the Corydalis are doing there usual magic in the front yard where they just gently spread over any vacant space.

Corydalis lutea

Similarly, the echinacea are everywhere in the perennial beds.

Echinacea purpurea

I should also share the Cestrum which is just now flowering for the first time this year and they will go on like this for the next 5 months.

Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’

The Hydrangea are just now flowering for the first time this year as well and they will also have any extended flowering.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’

One of the real delights for us is the Bishop of Llandaff Dahlia which has once again survived a winter in the ground.

Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’

In the middle of the backyard there are some allium also showing up for the first time this year.

Allium ‘Millenium’

If we go back beside the greenhouse the alpine bed has some Daphne that are flowering once again this year.

Daphne collina x cneorum

Nearby in the troughs there is one with a little potentilla that flowers for a long time.

Potentilla hyparctica ‘Nana’

And in another trough a very tiny thyme that has taken over a good part of the trough.

Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’

I should also share the vegetable garden which has a number of flowers.

Vegetable Garden

Although flowers are not the main purpose there are many, many flowers every day in the vegetable garden.

Cucumbers

If you think of corn as a grass, it is the tallest grass we’ve ever grown in our garden this year.

Kandy Korn

We’re just hoping the raccoons don’t come exploring for the corn.  I won’t go into the peaches, pears, and apples — more about those in the future.  But the wildflowers in the pasture are quite striking right now.

Wildflowers in the pasture

We mowed them down once because of the poison ivy, but the flowers seem to be outgrowing the poison ivy at the moment.  And finally, it has rained now and then for which I’m quite grateful.

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day June 2023

Stewartia malacodendron

Although it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day I am leading off with a flower that finished blooming last month.  It came into bloom at the end of May and I was so frightfully impressed that I have purchased yet another of these trees.  I promise another posting on the Stewartias because they are well worth sharing.

Currently the Stewartia japonica which we’ve had for years is just now coming into bloom

Stewartia japonica

In the meantime the other striking flowers at the moment are the lilies.  Just a few of them are showing right now but they are lovely

Yellow Lily in the Herb bed

Asiatic Lily ‘Forever Susan’

Lililum ‘Istanbul’

Lilium ‘Purple Marble’

There is also a very late and very large Azalea at the front of the house

Xtra Large White Azalea

The rest of flowering is more or less normal roses, penstemon, and annuals.  One exception is the Evening Primrose out on the bank to the pasture.

Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa)

This wildflower came along on its own and appears anytime we don’t mow to close or too often on the pasture hillside.

We have been busy picking and eating fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries).  Mostly it’s what we expect but for many of them they are bit on the small side given the extremely dry weather we’ve had (can we say drought?).  The exception is the wild cherry tree at the entrance to our forest.

Wild Cherries in Blossom

This tree is just one of many wild cherry trees in our forest.  Most of them seem to have come from bird-planted seedlings from the original orchard that we planted forty years ago.  They all have reasonable taste and the birds love them.

WaxWing in the Cherry Tree

This gives some idea of the density.

But the really surprising thing is that one of the smaller trees with branches actually close to the ground has absolutely marvelous cherries and they grow without being sprayed.  Just pick them.

Josh picking at the xtrasweet wild cherry

This is one of the bowls he brought in the other night.

Wild Cherries

Of course the other thing we get is as a bonus is all the birds visiting at this time of year.

Waxwings Sharing Mulberry

I’ve even seen the bluebird in the cherry tree, though he spends most of his time harvesting grubs in the grass.

A very blue bluebird

Life is good.  Now if we could just get some rain…

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day May 2023

Rhododendron Chionoides

Well it’s a late posting for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, but what can I say. This time of year I’m in the garden…

Rhododendron are in flower in multiple places in the yard but this year we have also added them to the woods (courtesy of the new deer fence)

Rhododendrun ‘Nova Zembla’ in the woods

I am fully engaged in adding new and unusual flowers to the woods (leading to lack of care for some of the plants in the yard).  But we still have a few things worth sharing.  We inherited this lovely ground orchid in a plant exchange last year.

Bletilla striata ground orchid

One can’t help but notice the roses at this time of year.  And this David Austin rose is having a great showing.

Tess d’Uberville in abundant flower

Rose ‘Tess d’uberville (David Austin)

Right nearby is a longtime resident, the Klondyke exbury Azalea

Rhodendron ‘Klondyke’

Moving across the yard to the Monument bed there is a lovely herbaceous Peony

Peony red herbaceous

and some lovely little allium

Yellow Allium in the Monument Bed

One neighboring bed has the last of another allium relative

Allium (nectaroscordum) tripedale

You have to look a little more closely to see the flowers that appear under may apple relatives

Podophyllum pleianthum flower

Another shade lover is the Pinellia

Pinellia ‘Purple Dragon’

I feel like I have to share some things from the greenhouse and the alpine bed

Zephyranthes katherinae rubra

Morrocan Poppy

Lewisia ‘Rainbow Mix’

And also the Phyteuma that I first met while hiking in the Alps

Phyteuma orbiculare

Let me close with an image of the planting of the dahlias and glads

Glads and Dahlias going in the ground

Which leads to harvesting the strawberries in the neighboring row

Strawberries coming in

And then finally what we do with the harvest

Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day April 2023

Stayman Apple Blossoms

Well of course there are so many flowers for the April Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day that it is difficult to choose what to share.  Let me begin with the apple trees.  Though some of the varieties are definitely showing the biennial bearing effect we still have other trees that are loaded with beautiful blossoms.

Granny Smith Apples in full bloom

The pears and peaches have mostly finished blooming and the cherries are just finishing.  In general flowers are running ahead of the normal flowering cycle as it’s been dry and hot in Maryland.

Other trees in bloom right now are the dogwoods and the redbuds.

Redbud in the front yard

Daffodils are everywhere in bloom.  Even though we’ve have had hundreds of daffodils already, some are still in bud.  Other bulbs showing up right now are the Fritillaria imperials in the front bed

Fritillaria imperialis and Peony in the front bed

and Tulips that I put in the woods with Erythronium last year.

Tulips and Erythronium in the woods

Also in the woods are Shooting Stars that are actually allowed to flower now that the deer are gone.

Shooting Star in the woods

A long-time component of our woods walk are the Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) that have naturalized in abundance.  And some of the bluebells are pink or white.

Pink Bluebell

One strange little bulb that I noticed this year is this little ornithogalum that has taken hold in the back lawn.

Ornithogalum in the back lawn

In terms of strange little plants this little polygala is spreading nicely in the alpine bed.

Polygala chamebuxus

Nearby is one of the Daphnes which contribute to the alpine bed on a regular basis.

Daphne in the Alpine bed

In this same shady Alpine bed there is a small columbine that comes back every year.

Aquilegia flabellata v. nana

And on the sunny side of the alpine bed there is an Asperula doing very well.

Asperula pontica

Along with a delightful Pulsatilla

White Pulsatilla in the Alpine bed

But even more surprising to me is this little Stachys that I planted back in 2017 after seeing it at the Yampa River Botanic Park in Steamboat Springs.  This is the first time it has really poured over the wall in the way I had hoped.

Stachys lavandulifolia

I should also share this double-flowered Quince which provide a particularly striking flower.

Double-flowered Quince

There are many, many other flowers but I think that’s true for everyone at this time of year.

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day March 2023

Helleborus x ‘Berry Swirl’

Well it’s two days past Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day but as you can probably imagine Spring is bringing forth not only tons of flowers but springtime chores as well.

As shown above the Hellebores are everywhere and together with the Daffodils they are providing an abundance of flowers.

Hellebore Lost Name

This is one of my favorite Hellebores but I’ve lost the name.  It sits upright and shows those lovely crinkly flowers.

Daffodils are one of our favorites for the Spring.  We began planting them 45 years ago and here are the results for those first ones.

Daffodils in profusion at the deck

Daffodil bank

Of course it’s hard to not to admire the individual flowers as well.

Daffodils in a cluster

Of course not long from now we will see many members of the Rhododendron family, but here is an early bloomer.

Korean Rhododendron (R. mucronulatum)

I spend a lot of time looking up the little guys that are poking up in the yard and woods.  

Haquetia

The first of the Bloodroot popped up yesterday.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

I planted a hundred Scilla sibirica in the front lawn last Fall and they are just showing their marvelous blue color.

Scilla sibirica ‘Spring Beauty’

Nearby the Primula vulgaris are continuing to spread into the lawn.

Primula vulgaris

I also love seeing the Hepatica with their colorful flowers.

Hepatica nobilis light pink

Hepatica nobilis pink form

We even have one Hepatica in the woods that seems to have taken hold.

Hepatica acutiloba

Also in the woods we also  have a number of Corydalis that are slowly spreading.

Corydalis solida ‘Purple Rain’

To help them spread I put in a hundred of the red ones last Fall.

Corydalis solida ‘Beth Evans’

Another successful spreader is the Ranunculus sometimes called Lesser Celandine

Ranunculus ficaria

In the Alpine bed we have a couple of small plants just coming into flower.

Armeria juniperfolia (Spanish thrift)

Polygala chamaebuxus

And in the greenhouse itself there are number of plants seeking attention.

Peruvian Squill alba

Veldtheimia

Notholirion thomsonianum

But the real stars right now are the Clivia that I’ve taken into the house.

Clivia at the house entryway

Clivia in full bloom

Everyone should have Clivia.  So colorful, easy care, and blooming twice a year.  What’s not to like?

 

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day February 2023

Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’

Well it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day (or was yesterday anyway) and February really marks the serious start of spring flowers.  Adonis, Winter Aconite, Crocus, Daffodils, Snowdrops, Witch Hazel, Primrose, Camellias, and Hellebores are all in flower.  We spent three and half weeks in California and it was delightful to see the flowers that had popped up in our absence.

Adonis remains one of my favorite flowers but only the early-blooming ‘Fukujukai’ is currently in flower.

Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’

The biggest impact flower at the moment is the winter aconite.

Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) in the front yard

Winter Aconite (Erantis hyemalis)

We actually have several Eranthis hyemalis cultivars with different shades of yellow.

Eranthis hyemalis ‘Orange Glow’

Eranthis ‘Schwefelglanz’

They are all quite willing to expand and I am finding new specimens each year in the yard and forest in places where I did not plant them.

Winter Aconite in the woods

Another highlight at the moment is the Crocus tommasinanus (which also keeps expanding it’s spot).

Crocus tommasinianus ‘Ruby Giant’

The witch hazels are all in bloom

Chinese Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollis)

Witch Hazel ‘Diane’

We also have numerous clumps of snowdrops that are not only clumping nicely but also spreading out into the lawn

Galanthus nivalis ‘Viridi-apice’

Galanthus nivalis ‘Blewbury Tart’

The Camellia japonica that I brought back from California on my lap in the 70’s continues to put out early flowers.

Camellia japonica red

And as I mentioned the Daffodils and Hellebores are beginning to do their thing.

First Daffodils

Helleborus x ericsmithi ‘HGC Winter’s Song’

Helleborus x hybridus PDN Yellow

The first early primroses (Primula vulgaris) are now showing up.  I don’t know why more people are not growing this lovely British wildflower which is anything but vulgar.

Primula vulgaris

Meanwhile in the greenhouse there are many South African plants beginning their season

Veltheimia bracteata

Babiana framesii

Freesia single Blue

Yeah, I know the name doesn’t match the color in this Freesia but it’s all I have to go on at the moment.