Monday, June 16, 2014

Bloom Day June 2014

GBBD June 2014
I know everyone is saying the same thing...but...WOW...it's the middle of June...what the what!

North Garden Angle
This spring (hell, this year) has been an insane whirlwind of activity...and I sort of feel like the garden and I are a little disconnected at this point...but I've been working outside pretty much every weekend for the past few months and I think we're getting on track again. Without further ado...on with the show!

allium seedheads
While the Alliums are pretty much done blooming, the seedheads are just as good...and they will last until I cut them down next spring (or until a cat decides to roll over them).

Yellow Columbine
The many re-seeded Columbine in my garden are an unexpected treat...and I love the air of spontaneity they give.

Bicolor Columbine
This one popped up quite a distance from all the others...I wonder how it got here?

White Astrantia
June in my garden is Astrantia season...when they all start really going crazy...here we have a white form, probably 'Alba'

Astrantia maxima
The slightly less-vigorous Astrantia maxima...and no, we don't sit in this chair :-)

Astrantia Star of Fire 2
The deep, romantic blooms of 'Star of Fire'...

Astrantia Star of Fire 1
...which are too pretty to just have one picture of!

Astrantia patch
And backing up...a whole sea of 'Roma'!

Monarda bradburiana H
The Monarda bradburiana's shimmerying silvery-pink blooms are almost done for the year...and the handsome seedheads will soon follow.

Linaria purpurea
Linaria purpurea has the most wonderfully rich jewel-toned purple flowers every...and they are so dainty...like tiny little Digitalis blooms. They can re-seed and be a nuisance in some gardens...but I wish mine would seed around a bit more!

Knautia
June is also the time for the first big flush of Knautia blooms...love their little, richly-colored buttons bobby about the garden.

Knautia Melton Pastels 1
The front parking strip has a variety called 'Melton Pastels'...a mix of colors...and they have the distinction of being some of the only plants I grew myself from seed! An added benefit...the seedheads are gorgeous!

Scabiosa ochroleuca 1
Another scabios, Scabiosa ochroleuca...love those delicate, creamy-color blooms.

Scabiosa ochroleuca 2
Like their cousins, the Knautias...the seedheads are fascinating.

Teucrium & Scabiosa
I really like them paired with the rich red-purple wands of Tuecrium hircanicum.

Teucrium cossinii
Another Tuecrium, Teucrium cossonii...which I thought had drowned during the repeated flooding of the parking strips this winter...but look, it's blooming!

Geranium Rozanne
It wouldn't be Rhone Street without some Geraniums...'Rozanne' is just starting many months of glorious bloom.

Geranium Katherine Adele
'Katherine Adele' has been moved more times than any other plant in my garden...but she still keeps going!

Geranium Ann Folkard
'Ann Folkard' is at her absolute best in June...before the heat of summer settles in...she still looks fresh and vibrant.

Geranium and Clematis
'Ann Folkard' also likes to scramble up and over everything in her path...here she is mingling with the fading blossoms of Clematis recta purpurea.

Epilobium
I don't have many PNW natives in my garden...but the few I have make up for it by being extra vigorous! This is Epilobium, aka, Fireweed. They spread by underground runners and pop up all over the place...I just edit out the ones I don't want. I could hardly get rid of them, however, they are so fabulous in bloom...and, they have great fall color!

Sidalcea oregana
Another native, Sidalcea oregana. I actually ripped out the original plant years ago because it was horribly spindly. Happily , it re-seeded quite a bit...and the seedlings are fairly well-behaved and so charming, mingling with other plants, I'm happy to let them stay.

Verbascum album
Another plant that I ripped out a few years ago due to their being disfigured by Powdery Mildew, this Verbascum always pops up here and there (presumably from seed). I enjoy them while they bloom...but yank them out at the first sign of PM...still, there are always new ones popping up to take their place.

Salvia amistad
Even though my Salvia 'Amistad' didn't make it through winter, it was so pretty I just had to have another! It's pretty much the same as Salvia 'Black & Blue', but it's purple...so, obviously, better!

Sanguisorbia mensiezii
And now we come to Sanguisorbias...which as such cool flowers...love those fuzzy little button blooms. Sanguisorbia mensiezii has some of the biggest flowers.

Sanguisorbia Pink Tanna
While 'Pink Tanna's' are much daintier...I love this one!

Persicaria Firetail
The Persicarias (this is 'Firetail') are just starting to bloom and should be a sea of ruby-red wands by this time next month.

Agastache Purple Haze
And, of course, the Agastache are starting to bloom. This is 'Purple Haze'...next month will be the height of Agastache season.

North Garden Sunset h
To close this post out, let's take a wide look at the garden...this is the North Border looking west at sunset.

North Garden from West
Again, the North Border looking east.

Backyard Sunny
A peak into the back garden.

Front Garden with Cats
The Front Border looking south..guarded by cats.

Front Parking Strip with Cat
A closer look of the front parking strip.

Front Garden from South
And the Front Border looking North.

North Garden With Cats
And because there weren't enough cats in this post yet...I give you 100% more cats!!!

Boots' Friend 2
I hope you are having a great spring (although summer starts in less than a week...eek)! For more Bloom Day posts, visit our gracious host, Carol, at May Dreams Gardens!

31 comments:

  1. Cats, we love cats! Keep 'em coming!



    With you guys hosting the fling I can just imagine how extra busy you guys must have been recently, that is on top of other things to sort out too.


    So many beautiful blooms in your garden I don't even know where to start. The light and airy feel of your garden is unmistakable and I almost feel like running my hands over your photos, imagining them gently brushing on to my skin. Fantastic shots!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I won't have to read next month's bloom day post, because I will have seen it in person! Can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I feel as much envy over the profusion of Astrantia as I do over the peonies popping up in posts from the UK and eastern US. You've got a great assortment of blooms and clearly the ostensibly drought-tolerant Teucrium cossonii likes a healthy dose of spring rain - mine, starved of water, show absolutely no sign of any intent to bloom (although they're not dead, for which I'm grateful),

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a face! I must have that Linaria for my new area …when I did up all the lawn :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a lot of beautiful plants you have. Some I used to have and seeing them on your blog I realized I missed them and should look for them again. I like very much the way you garden integrates the street. It feels very friendly.

    ReplyDelete
  6. All the airy flowers as beguiling as usual, I just had to have an Astrantia this year!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've always been here for the crisp shots and amazing compositions. A garden will always be wonderful through your lenses, no matter what conditions they are in! I've always wanted to get shots like those, but i still fail, do i sound so frustrated. That happens whenever i look at those photos. Do you use tripods? haha! And the inclusion of cats, oh they are also always present in ours, plus goat kids and chickens, reason i change my garden strategy. Now i am tending hoyas and addicted to them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. KITTEHS! They make the garden go round, don't they? FABulous pics, Scott. Love love love your garden!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh my god, the cats are cracking me up! I'm starting to think you're renting extras. That heavy slanting light toward the end of the series is so delicious. You can feel how rain-drenched and verdant everything is.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your garden is amazing. And guard cats--who couldn't use that? Beautiful, Scott, just beautiful!
    I did about cry when I saw your geraniums though. My "Rozanne', which I specifically got because I always admired yours, was destroyed by the phone company last week when they ran a new line. Of all the places to go through--they went right through the middle of that plant . I was just sick about it. I hope it comes back...........

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your garden never disappoints. Many of the colors seem extra bright this spring!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, the seed heads! And you have so many cool purple spikes! I'm especially drawn to the Tuecrium and the Persicaria. And I love the kitty companions - make me feel at home!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Many of these (knautia, scabiosa, columbine...) I banished from my garden because they were always flopping over. They are spectacular in yours, I guess because there is no room for flopping. That verbascum is everywhere here, too, I guess because I love the seed heads too much to chop them down. Cats rule!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I can't decide what is more breathtaking: your pictures or your garden... all an inspiration, I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love the ethereal chaotic beauty of your garden. Your photography is awesome! I'm in love with your geraniums and you have given me something new to look for -- teucrium. Happy summer!

    ReplyDelete
  16. You have so many cool things blooming right now! I too was tempted when I saw large 'Amisteads' at Fred Meyer but resisted (so far.) The daisies are just starting to open in my hell strip and they looked so sweet with the deep purple of Amistead last year...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yep, that's a LOT of cats. They must love your garden, with all the hiding places it affords. I am excited to hear that next month is agastache season in your garden. I can't wait to see it all! http://www.penick.net/digging/

    ReplyDelete
  18. so love your beautiful garden!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great cat pictures. Your garden does look great, even if you haven't spent as much time on it as usual. I was just at Lurie and they have lots of the Bradbury monarda that you have. I wish I had known about this Monarda before I planted all that Monarda fistulosa - great plant but its height makes it harder to use.

    ReplyDelete
  20. It's all so lovely, I really enjoy how your gardens are planted with such abandon but with obvious planning if that makes any sense. I need a bit more of that lushness in my gardens.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I appreciate so much your choices of delicate blooms-- all like wildflowers and they dance so nicely together. I'm glad the Sidalcea is part of it, one of my favorite natives. Adorable garden cats!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I don't have a single Astrantia in my garden--you've convinced me I need to plant these beauties! Everything is looking so lovely, Scott. I'm so excited to think I'll be able to see your garden in person in just a few weeks...and maybe meet one of your handsome cats:)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Lona Brown StevensJune 20, 2014 at 4:40 PM

    Scott your garden is just so beautiful this year. The Astrantia has spread and is my favorite. After the hard winter mine died and it is sad. The beds along the sidewalks have filled in and everything looks so lush and beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Superb. Someday I need a consultation on adding some of your varieties to my hellstrip cottage garden.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Donna@Gardens Eye ViewJune 22, 2014 at 1:34 PM

    Oh I just love the long shots and then the close ups in your garden Scott. I have not been able to garden as my recovery is taking longer than we thought so the weeds are outshining the blooms so it is nice to see your beautiful gardens.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Still catching up on Bloom Day posts: your garden is looking electric - in a gorgeously green way. Every time you post Astrantias I wonder why I don't have any. And I'm envious of your Agastaches. Mine mostly died on me and the new crop isn't up to snuff yet. And now, it's Summer!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Another great tour, Scott, Thanks !

    ReplyDelete
  28. That is a lot of cats! I do like the last cat photo, very photogenic. Your garden looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  29. That is gardening with abandon! The cats seem to love their private jungle! You grow some amazing plants!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love the polka-dot effect of the Astrantia. Your 'Black and Blue' bloom beautifully, mine barely bloom at all. I just pulled out three and replaced them with little bluestem.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I saw that black people's Bailey Button Uggs Sale Hougu directly claw kicking a , suddenly flesh and blood flying, black people dead bodies falling down from the sky.

    A black man in the left Bailey Button ugg Boots Uk chest was a direct hit, leaving only a bloody ripped through Bailey Button Ugg Boots Sale the blood of the hole. Golden Feizhou an accelerated fall from beside Bailey Button Ugg Boots Sale the bodies of flying, readily grasp the name of black male bag toward the golden Feizhou savings into a down, a few.

    The next moment  disappeared again into a silver in Cheap Bailey Button Ugg Boots Uk the crowd. Another. Ugg Bailey Button Sale A pointing hand on a gate array pattern guns, light artillery array pattern big place, a golden beam of light suddenly blasted.

    ReplyDelete