Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is a meme hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens on the fifteenth of each month to allow bloggers from around the world to share what's blooming in their gardens. Having participated in GBBD for five years, I've found that it also creates a garden journal of sorts that helps us keep track of bloom times of various plants. Thanks Carol for this valuable and enjoyable tool. To join in the florapalooza, click here.
The really big show of spring and early summer is over and many plants are looking a bit tired. Seems that once the last of the Oriental lilies drops it's petals, the garden begins the inexorable glide toward autumn. This year the old Linden tree, which creates much of the shade in the side garden, is hosting an infestation of aphids which means that the many plants beneath are coated with a disgustingly sticky clear syrup (aphid excrement.) The ladybugs have arrived to counter the aphid population but the sprinkler must be used to wash the plants and path every couple of days. New to me this year is powdery mildew attacking the tuberous begonias and fans of the hot dry weather, spider mites have taken up residence in the brugmansias. Weekly spraying with neem oil after the pollinators have gone to bed for the day and plants loosing leaves is not fun. Just before my garden open, the leaves a native Ribes sanguineum suddenly decided to turn brown so out it came. My 25-year-old Corylus avellana 'Contorta' is showing signs of the usually-fatal Eastern Filbert Blight that is infecting filbert/hazelnut trees all over the region and once again I'm battling Botrytis blight on a couple of patches of lilies. Amidst the pestilence and decay, there are still happy and healthy blooms. Here's a bit of what's currently blooming in my zone 8 Western Washington garden.
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Persicaria 'Golden Arrow' whose foliage is more golden with a bit more light. Too much more light and it turns a crispy brown.
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The carnivorous Pinguicula 'Pirouette' not only split into four plants this spring but it's now blooming.
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Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa Tree) is starting to drop spent blooms everywhere. This plant sex is messy business.
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The really big show of spring and early summer is over and many plants are looking a bit tired. Seems that once the last of the Oriental lilies drops it's petals, the garden begins the inexorable glide toward autumn. This year the old Linden tree, which creates much of the shade in the side garden, is hosting an infestation of aphids which means that the many plants beneath are coated with a disgustingly sticky clear syrup (aphid excrement.) The ladybugs have arrived to counter the aphid population but the sprinkler must be used to wash the plants and path every couple of days. New to me this year is powdery mildew attacking the tuberous begonias and fans of the hot dry weather, spider mites have taken up residence in the brugmansias. Weekly spraying with neem oil after the pollinators have gone to bed for the day and plants loosing leaves is not fun. Just before my garden open, the leaves a native Ribes sanguineum suddenly decided to turn brown so out it came. My 25-year-old Corylus avellana 'Contorta' is showing signs of the usually-fatal Eastern Filbert Blight that is infecting filbert/hazelnut trees all over the region and once again I'm battling Botrytis blight on a couple of patches of lilies. Amidst the pestilence and decay, there are still happy and healthy blooms. Here's a bit of what's currently blooming in my zone 8 Western Washington garden.
Fuchsias
'Delta's Groom'
NOID hardy fuchsia
F. 'Golden Herald'
F. 'Blackie'
Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel,' Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer,' NOID mophead hydrangea.
Noid clematis.
Clematis 'Nelly Moser'
Don Juan climbing rose is now so far overhead that one can only enjoy this view.
R. 'Betty Boop.''Zephirine Drouhin' and several others are also in bloom.
Cyclamen are just beginning to bloom.
Variegated New Guinea Impatiens putting out flowers and growing like summer will never end.
A few of the Pelargonum (Geraniums)
Kirengeshoma palmata
Campanula x pulloides 'Jelly Bells'
Canna 'Tropicanna'
Clerodendrum bungei 'cashmere Bouquet' and Anemone hupehensis
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bavaria'
Mahonia gracilipes
Abutilon megapotamicum
Abutilon megapotamicum 'Orange Hot Lava'
Abutilon 'Victor Reiter'
Despite their powdery mildew affliction, The stars of the floral show are tuberous begonias.
Crocosmia 'Hellfire'
Angelica stricta ‘Purpurea’
Eryngium 'Big Blue'
Persicaria 'Golden Arrow' whose foliage is more golden with a bit more light. Too much more light and it turns a crispy brown.
Roscoea 'Family Jewels' hybrid
Tricyrtis hirta (Toad Lily)
Bougainvillea 'Raspberry Ice' has survived a couple of winters in the greenhouse.
The carnivorous Pinguicula 'Pirouette' not only split into four plants this spring but it's now blooming.
Hosta 'Rainbow's End'
As they sometimes do, the spring-flowering magnolias are putting out a few off-season flowers.
Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa Tree) is starting to drop spent blooms everywhere. This plant sex is messy business.
Tropaeolum speciosum
The last few Romneya coulteri of the season will soon be but a memory.
Agastache somethingorother
Hope I find the tag for this cool European native Linaria. It's not supposed to be a thug.
Some annuals, gifts for teacher appreciation week in May - Dianthus and Sweet Alyssum.
A non-invasive weeping Buddleia
Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)
Impatiens glandulifera
Dactylicapnos scandens 'Golden Tears'
Clerodendrum trichotomum 'Carnival'
Cotinus coggygria 'Little Lady'
Happy GBBD everyone!