Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day July, 2009

When I started blogging in October, it didn't take long for me to find blogs that participated in Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. I Googled it, and found that Carol, of May Dreams Gardens isthe hostess of this monthly event. I joined in immediately, and it is now my first July posting. (Clicking on the photos will enlarge them.)

It is the height of the day lily blooming, as well as liatris, false sunflowers, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and other rudbeckias. The annuals I planted from seeds in the ground are doing as well or better than their counterparts started inside.

I have been pleased when people make comments as they drive by, as most of my flowers are visible from the street. Yesterday, a woman was in the yard taking photos while her husband sat on the curb. My son saw her out the window, so I went out to see if I knew who it was. The man stood up and said his wife was taking photos, and he apologized for her being in the yard. They didn't speak much English, and I don't know how much of what I said they understood, but they did understand I was pleased they enjoyed my flowers, and they could walk anywhere in the yard and take pictures.

Speaking of pictures, I still go out to take a few photos for a post, but end up with a huge number of them, and then struggle to get it down to a reasonable number. Some of what are blooming now not pictured are thyme, winter savory, germander, catmint, portulaca, pansies, snap dragons, spiderwort, bachelor buttons, larkspur, and the pansies that are hanging on so far.

From left to right are Heather Queen Agastache, Queen Anne's Lace, Butterfly Pink Pentas, Paprika Yarrow, and Pastel Sunset Zinnia, that is the first of those planted from seeds in the ground.

Cleome, Tithonia, that I grew from seed inside, ginger mint, beautyberry bush, goldenrod, I think, Little Lemon, and liatris:

The mountain mint flowers are opening up enough for bees and wasps to enjoy them. Next are Rudbeckia pinnata with a coneflower that may be Magnus and a day lily. Under the mountain mint is a bloom from the tall plant behind the rudbeckia, which is Rudbeckia Herbstonne. In the bottom row are a skull cap, quaking grass, black-eyed Susans, false sunflower, and in the last photo here, you can see the flowers in the photo above, then next to them are ornamental onions, Russian sage, liatris, catmint in the front, and an amsonia plant on the right looking as pretty as the blooms.

Before the globe thistle and hollyhocks got tall, I saw that a morning glory was coming up, and left it there to grow up the ladder that is leaning against the fence. I didn't know if it was getting enough sun to make it up the ladder, but noticed a bloom this morning (Tuesday). Can you see it? The Virginia Mountain mint will continue to bloom and draw bees and wasps to it all summer, and is growing behind a goldenrod I bought for my father-in-law about 13 years ago, and planted against the shed. I moved this last year when the shed needed to be repaired. In the bottom row are cupid's dart, false sunflowers, and rue.

We just went from the front yard, and down the side. We are now in front of the vegetable garden. The red on the fence is an annual sweet pea, and in front of it are a light colored larkspur and one of the 4 O' Clocks, that are just starting to bloom. The purple phlox get powdery mildew each year, and I thought I had them all pulled, but a couple came back and are blooming. On the bottom are a close up of a 4 O' Clock, then one of the several lantanas I'm growing for butterflies, and a David Phlox.

Verbena bonariensis with dill seeds and moonflower-datura, not the vining kind, are a few blooms from the veggie garden. I'm letting the parsley bloom in in the herb garden in my back yard for caterpillars, but haven't seen any yet. The pink begonia is an angel wing of some kind growing in the shade of the deck. The annual, Priairie Sun rudbeckia is fun to have around, and the last flower is a non-stop begonia.

Laguna 4 Deep Blue Lisianthus, sweet pea, Black and Blue Salvia, and ageratum all in pots near the vegetable garden, except for the sweet pea, and a morning glory and wild petunia from the back yard.

I had to include a few of the day lilies in bloom. To see more, and to see other recent blooms, scroll down my blog.

Here are some blooms from my garden across the street. The first, and the one under it are the same plant, kiss me over the garden gate, given to me by a friend. The zinnias are from free Thomson and Morgan seeds that were supposed to be Giant Cactus Flowers Mixed, but look nothing like the photos on the package. I like them, though. The African marigolds are doing well, and the sunflower is the first of the Flash Blend sunflowers to bloom.

The Pia Hydrangea I planted last year is blooming. It had the spots on the leaves then, too. The seller said it wasn't a disease, but from what I researched, it looks like it is. I'll have to keep an eye on it. I deadheaded it last year, and it didn't bloom again like I thought it would. The tag said it blooms all summer. Well, I'll leave the flowers on it longer this year.

There were some questions about this "combination" in a recent post. It is a rattlesnake master with a cardinal climber vine growing on it. I also have the thinner leaved cypress vines from last year's plants that are not blooming yet.

Happy GBBD! I hope all of you and your flowers are happy and healthy. I'm behind in my blog reading again. I hope to see what's blooming in your gardens this month.