March Blooms 2011 (GBBD)

(From upper L-R across & down: Narcissus, Grape Hyacinth, Creeping Phlox, Siberian Squill, Hellebore 'Blue Lady' and yellow Pansies)

Here’s what’s blooming in my garden this week.  It won’t be much longer and more spring bulbs will be opening.  I have Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’, ‘Minnow’ and ‘Thalia’ in bud as we speak.  Looks like spring is off to a good start so far.  Since I like to compare from year to year I looked back in my archive section and found  that I didn’t post in March of 2010.  However two years ago on this day I posted my first collage for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day which you can see below iff you’re interested. 

GBBD Post 3/15/09

 It’s been awhile since I remembered to put together a post for GBBD.  If you would like to participate or just see what’s blooming in other gardens all over the world please visit our gracious host Carol @ May Dreams Gardens.  🙂

November Blooms (GBBD 11-15-09)

Well I finally remembered it was the 15th of the month, which means it is Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.  After not participating for a few months due to family stuff and mainly forgetfulness I was happy to get a post together today.  November is a month of cooler temps and lingering blooms in my zone 7-8 garden (check to see what your zone is here).  Somethings will continue to push out a few blooms right through December.  To see what’s blooming in other gardens all over the world or to join in on the fun please visit our gracious host Carol @May Dreams Gardens. 

update:  For those of you who are wondering about how my yard handled the Nor’Easter that passed through this week I was very fortunate.  Other than a few dead limbs from the Pecan Tree, leaf debris and a soggy yard that’s all I substained.  Unfortunately some of my neighbors weren’t so lucky.  There are some cases of roof damage in my neighborhood from trees snapping due to tropical storm strength winds.  I don’t live in a flood zone so that wasn’t an issue for us either.  I’ve been having computer problems so this post that was created ahead of time posted before I could finish the link.  This morning I was busy trying to backup all my photos and other important info to an external harddrive incase this one crashes permanently. 

July Blooms (GBBD)

The stars of the show in my garden this month have to be the Hydrangeas.   Whether they be mopheads, paniculatas or oakleafs they all shine in their own way.   But the true prima donna  has to be my favorite of all of them, ‘Limelight’.  As you can see in the photo to above he’s almost glowing when the sunlight hits the  new blossoms.  Below it the fading blossoms of ‘Nikko Blue’ will continue to create interest through the next few months as they age to a combination of cream, pink &  blue.  In front of ‘Nikko’ is  one of my newest additions to the Hydrangea border, the dwarf oakleaf cultivar ‘Little Honey’.  The bright golden leaves are interesting even without any flowers. 

There is a riot of colors in Grandma’s Garden Beds that include the dependable blooms of Shasta Daisies, Rubeckia, Knockout Roses, Orange Tiger Lillies and Pink Petunias.  The little white lattice fence hides the ugly a/c unit nicely.

Here’s some of the other summer blooms going on in the garden at the moment including from upper L-R : Belamcanda ‘Hello Yellow’, Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, Four o’ clocks, Hydrangea ‘Forever & Ever Red’  and Cleome.  To see what’s blooming in other gardens all over the world or to join in this month please visit our gracious host  Carol @ May Dreams Gardens.

June Bloom Day

(From upper left-right across small photos: Achillea ‘Summer Pastels’, Elfin Thyme, Echinacea ‘Sundown’, Penstemon ‘Pike’s Peak Purple’, Liatris, Monarda ‘Panorama Mixed’, Euphorbia ‘Tiny Tim’, Echinacea ‘White Swan’, Drumstick Alliums, Soapwort, Hydrangea ‘Forever & Ever Red’, Agastache ‘Raspberry Summer’ and in  the large center photo is pinkish purple Angelonia combined with Superbells ‘Saffron’.  If you look real close you’ll see Coreopsis ‘Jethro Tull’ &  ‘Sentimental Blue’ Balloon flowers in the background)  🙂

      Well it’s the 15th of the month and you know what that means?  It’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, the day when gardeners from all over the country and world post what’s blooming in their garden at the moment.  I’ve been a busy bee in & out of  the garden this weekend, so I didn’t get around to writing a proper post for Bloom Day.  But I still wanted to share a few of my favorite flowers from my own garden today.  So I hope you enjoy my collage of colorful blooms that I created especially for GBBD.  To see what’s blooming in gardens all over the world today or to join in the fun yourself, please visit our gracious host Carol @ May Dreams Gardens.

May Blooms (GBBD)

(From top L-R across & down: Paeonia 'Sarah Bernhardt, Unknown Pink Rose, Rosa 'Peace', Unknown Creamy Pink Rose, Paeonia 'Karl Rosenfeld'?, Unknown Red Rose w/Nelly Moser Clematis)

It’s that time of the month when Garden Bloggers from all over the world get together and share what’s blooming in their gardens.  May is the month for Roses and Peonies.  I have three Peony plants in my garden, 2 of which I’ve identified as ‘Sarah Bernhardt’.  The third looks like ‘Karl Rosenfeld’, but I could be wrong.  Most of my unknown Roses came from Grandma’s former apartment garden before she moved in with us.  The Red Rose I believe was inherited with the house.  It’s been moved a few times over the years.   

(Top L-R across and down: Astilbe, Achillea 'Summer Pastels', Coreopsis 'Jethro Tull' and Grandma's Daisies)

 This white Astilbe has long since lost it’s id but is the earliest bloomer amongst all the ones I own.  It reminds me of sparklers on the fourth of July.  Achillea or Yarrow is great for filling in the bare spots.  I love the ferny foliage as well as the blooms.  ‘Jethro Tull’ was a new addition last May to the garden.  It is the easiest one I’ve ever grown and the two small plants I purchased were divided into four plants this spring.  Can’t wait to spread it around a bit more.  Grandma’s Daisies are happily blooming at the moment.  This is a early variety and the flowers are much smaller than the typical Shastas. 

(From L-R across & down: Allium mulitbulbosum, Clematis 'Dr Ruppel', Unknown Iris, Clematis 'Niobe', Siberian Iris ' New Wine' and Clematis 'Snow Queen')

Alliums are amongst my favorite perennials for the garden.  This past fall I added this white variety along with Purple Sensation which is still blooming as well.  I couldn’t imagine my garden without the vertical interest that Clematis provide in the spring and fall.  Niobe is my favorite since it repeat blooms right up till frost.  I’ve grown Bearded & Dutch Irises for years, but the Siberian Iris is a new addition.  It was added in the spring of 08′, but this second season it has been more prolific with blooms.  To see what’s blooming in other gardens all over the world or to join in this month please visit our gracious host Carol at May Dreams Gardens.