Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - July 2013

I know I say the same thing every month...but how on earth is it the 15th already?!? While away in San Francisco earlier this month, everything seemed to surge with new growth. I'll admit, even though I know most of my plants are tough, I still fretted about them not getting watered while we were gone (which happened to coincide with some of the hottest temps of the year here in Portland). I'm happy to report that everything was fine (of course) and growing like crazy! While this weekend was pleasant, it's looking like we're in for some more nasty, hot weather for the rest of the week...ugh.

I know these posts can get pretty long, so I'll keep the chit-chat to a minimum ;-)


Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination'
I totally forgot to stake these earlier and now they are flopping like crazy...oh well, they are still pretty...and the bees love them.


Verbena rigida and Geranium 'Ann Folkard'
I have several different varieties of Verbena in my garden, this one spread about quite a bit by underground runners...but I just love it's bright color popping up in unexpected spots.


Verbena bonariensis
The queen of Verbenas, this one reseeds like crazy...and I usually let it stay...I don't think you can really have too much!

On the left is actually another form of Verbena rigida called 'Polaris', I really like it's cooler coloring...and it's equally as tough (never a drop of water for those two). Another drought-tolerant duo on the right, Teucrium hircanicum in the foreground and Agastache 'Liquorice Candy' in the background. The Teucrium actually started blooming about 2-3 weeks early this year...so this patch is starting to finish up blooming already.


Sedum 'Matrona'
Another sign of our crazy year...the Sedum 'Matrona' are already blooming...so weird.


Sanguisorbia 'Tanna'
A tiny Sanguisorbia for those of us with smaller gardens, this injects a nice airy hint of color and texture among grasses.


Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'
It seems like these are also blooming earlier than usual this year as well (I checked, and yes, they are about a month early).


Persicaria 'Inverleith'
I really love this little Persicaria, which is much smaller than it's cousins...it's not as great at dealing with heat and drought, however...it needs fairly consistent water, or the leaves crisp.


Persicaria 'Firetail'
A much tougher and more vigorous (as in MUCH LARGER) Persicaria, this one took a few years to settle in, but it blooming like crazy this year! It looks so great with grasses and the blue Geranium 'Rozanne' at its feet.


Agastache 'Blue Blazes and Persicaria 'Firetail'
I stuck a cutting of Agastache 'Blue Blazes' behind 'Firetail' last year and it has grown huge...the two make quite the pair.


Agastache 'Black Adder'
Speaking of Agastaches, let's check those out...I have so many these days...including this garden classic.


Agastache 'Liquorice Candy'
This Agastache was a gift from William McClenathan, owner of local nursery Viscaya...it's gorgeous!


Agastache 'Blue Blazes'
The big boy of Agastaches, this thing gets absolutely enormous...especially since I always forget to trim it to control it's size. Oh well...it's so gorgeous...I guess I can live with it swallowing up its neighbors.


Agastache 'Blue Boa'
A wonderful introduction from Terra Nova, this is a smaller Agastache (about 2' tall in bloom), but blooms for months and months...and with great, saturated color.


Agastache 'Desert Sunrise'
This great hybrid from Agastache rupestris has wonderful, warm coloring.


Echinops bannaticus
Always exciting, the Echinops are starting to bloom...the bees are hovering nearby in anticipation.


Astrantia 'Star of Beauty'
While a few of the Astrantias were blooming in spring, there are some that bloom almost all summer as well, including this one.


Astrantia 'Alba'
This rose-blushed white Astrantia is the most floriferous one I have...it just goes and goes and goes. It also reseeds like crazy!


Astrantia 'Star of Fire'
The only new Astrantia I bought this year (limited space, damn you!) was this dark beauty...so nice!


Origanum 'Hopley's Gift'
In other people's gardens, this forms a nice clump...in my garden it's more of a weaver.


Echinacea 'Magnus'
Of course, you can't have summer without Echinaceas...well, at least I can't...and this is MY garden!


Echinacea 'Showoff'
A new variety I'm trying this year, 'Showoff'. I got it for its deeply-reflexed petals. It's just starting to bloom, so time will tell if this becomes my new standard.


Echinacea 'White Swan'
While I admit I don't care for any of the new colors of Echinacea that seem to pop up every year, and prefer something closer to the plant in its natural state, I do like the white varieties as well.


Sorry, I just love 'em!


Ernygium venustum
While some strange insects ate all the bloom stalk of my poor Eryngium yuccifolium (leaving me with just the boring foliage...meh), the Eryngium venustum were left unscathed.


Knautia macedonica
The Knautias are so great, continuously pumping out these rich, berry-red blooms.


Geranium 'Rozanne'
And, of course, what would my garden be without a little bit of 'Rozanne' thrown in?


Monarda 'Jacob Cline'
I don't know what possessed me to plant this Monarda in the first place, I'm so not a fan of it's primary-red blooms. But, it's survived about 3 attempts to kill it...and the Hummingbirds adore it...so it gets to stay!

You all may remember earlier this year that I was lamenting the fact that my stalwart Monarda 'Raspberry Wine' seemed to have died over the winter. I decided to replace it with 'Purple Rooster' on the right...especially since I actually like it's color more. To my surprise, the moment I planted 'Purple Rooster', I noticed a handful of 'Raspberry Wine' sprouts coming up in the area. It seems the center of the clump died...but the periphery was still alive (although much reduced). I rather like them paired together!


Lilium 'Silver Scheherazade'
A very exciting point in the gardening year, for me, at least, is when the Lilies start blooming! This is the first of my Lilies...and I adore it...sadly, it's not fragrant. After last year, I decided that while this is grandfathered in...only FRAGRANT Lilies need apply to live in my garden in the future!


Salvia 'Amistad'
And here we have the newest member of my garden! You may remember I posted about this beauty in my teaser of the Garden Blogger's Fling a while ago. As luck would have it, Heather saw some at Fred Meyer this weekend and grabbed it for me...isn't she the best! I have to admit, I'm a little bit smitten by this plant...I keep moving it around the garden in it's pot...trying to find the perfect spot for it!

So, that's pretty much everything blooming at the moment...although I realize as I type this I missed a few things...I'll catch them next month...let's take a look at some wider shots of the garden, shall we?


North Border from the east


Same view, at sunset


North Border from the west


Back yard seen from driveway


Back yard from north


Back yard from south


Front Border from north


Front Border from south


The whole thing!


So, I hope this Bloom Day finds you and your garden well and happy! For more gardens around the world, check out Carol's May Dreams Garden...and Happy Bloom Day to you all!