An unapologetic plant geek shares advice and opinions on gardening, the contrived and the natural landscape, as well as occasional topics from the other side of the gate.

June 15, 2013

Bloom Day - Light and Shadow

     Despite the many flowers blooming in my garden right now, this Bloom Day post was difficult, mainly from deciding which photos to show and which to toss.  I took my pictures yesterday in the harsh afternoon light, which is not the best time to photograph your garden, unless it is the only time you have.  However, given the destructive weather others are having, I will take any bright day I can get and be glad of it.

     In June my garden is mostly about hydrangeas and daylilies (which we will get to), but there are other things going on, like an annual I am trying for the first time, Stachytarpheta mutabilis (Porterweed).
Stachytarpheta mutabilis 'Coral'

Cuphea ignea 'David Verity' and Canna australis
Cuphea ignea 'David Verity' and Canna australis

Gardenia jasminoides 'August Beauty'
Gardenia jasminoides 'August Beauty'

Acanthus mollis (Grecian Pattern Plant, Bear's Breeches)
Acanthus mollis

Delosperma copperii (Hardy Ice Plant) and a daylily I have yet to ID
Delosperma cooperii and Hemerocallis '

Hemerocallis 'Smoky Mountain Autumn and Canna australis
Hemerocallis 'Smoky Mountain Autumn'

Another Awaiting ID
Hemerocallis (2)

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Frau Kinue' and Jasminum officinale 'Aurea'
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Frau Kinue' and Jasminum officinale 'Aurea' (2)

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Frau Kinue' and Jasminum officinale 'Aurea' (3)

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst'
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bluebird'
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bluebird'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha'
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Penny Mac'
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Penny Mac'

     If you would like to see what kind of day other gardeners are enjoying, then you should pay a visit to Carol of May Dreams Gardens. She hosts Garden Bloggers Bloom Day on the 15th of each month, rain or shine.

14 comments:

  1. I like the shot of "Penny Mac." It looks like it was illuminated from within. Nice!

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  2. Wow, you're a couple of weeks ahead of us. Wish that gardenias liked it here. They do o.k. but we don't get the summer heat that they really need to thrive. Your combination of Cuphea ignea 'David Verity' and Canna australis is gorgeous! Also loved the daylily and ice plant! Happy GBBD!

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  3. Nice blooms, Les:) I haven't done a GBBD post in months because I just simply get so overwhelmed with photo choices! I need to just focus in on a few and just do it...ahh, easier said than done :) Hydrangeas are lovely. My 2 are in pots...and aren't producing much this year. I think I need to move them to the ground after being in pots for at least 3 yrs.

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  4. Wonderful photo of the yellow daylily dwarfing (menacing?) the ice plant!

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  5. Les, I rescued that aureate jasmine from some terrible conditons twice (overcrowded, shaded, too dry) and finally moved it into a pot to baby it for a while, and it's responding with new growth. It is a beautiful vine, as your photo shows so well. Tough, too! Happy BD.

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  6. Gorgeous photos - especially given the lighting conditions you were working with. The bears' breeches and August Beauty gardenia are my favorites....

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  7. Great choices, all. You and the butterflies will love Porterweed. I have the blue, just putting out tentative spikes now. Is the mystery eyed daylily Desperado?

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  8. I love Day Lilies - such faithful bloomers!
    That dark, dark Canna is really a beauty, too!
    Have a wonderful week-end!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

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  9. So beautiful! You take excellent photographs. I have lots of daylilies, too, and I don't know the names of most of them. I kind of like it that way. It feels like they have a little secret from me. It's their little joke on me. :o)

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  10. I planted Cuphea for the first time in May, but I'll bet they're happier in your tidewater climate. I like them, though. Never heard of porterweed, very lovely. And an excellent selection of daylilies!

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  11. It is so hard this time of year. So much is going in, and I don't know what to capture. I love growing Stachytarpheta mutabilis so much that this year, I bought purple, pink and the coral. Although they are annual in my climate, they are very statuesque. You can't go wrong either with Canna 'Australia.' The dark foliage is a great foil for everything else. Happy Bloom Day Les. I hope you're having fun in your garden.~~Dee

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  12. I have Bluebird too and never took as nice a photo of it as you did. Many nice images in your post.

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  13. How I wish I had a few of those lovelies in our New England garden. It's all on the drawing board. Sigh.

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  14. I like that you combined more than one bloom in one photo. I want that cannna with its leaves. And, I am still waiting for my 3 year old acanthus to do something ... maybe next year.
    Ray

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