On this June Bloom Day, I use the words colorful, strange, and plentiful to describe the garden for these reasons:
Colorful: While the blooms are always colorful at this time of year, for some reason they seem to "pop" more than usual on the landscape currently. I don't know why.
Strange: Where do I start? We've had weird weather in April, May, and June (so far). Near-record and record hot days followed by near-record, very cold days; some "perfect" days; and now we're in a drought (though we've had some recent light rain). The weather never seems to be "normal" for the time of year anymore.
Plentiful: So many things are blooming; I picked just a few...mainly plants at their peak, annuals, and colorful stars in the garden.
Alliums...I have many varieties in the garden. Some are faded; some haven't bloomed yet. But a few are lovely currently, including the tall, stately 'Ambassador' Alliums.
American Garlic (Allium unifolium) has had a good season, despite the temperature swings and lack of rain.
The annuals currently taking the stage are the Lantanas (L. camara). I get a kick out of their changeable colors; the Lantanas in both photos above are the same variety: Lucky 'Sunrise Rose.'
Companions with the Lantanas in color and placement are 'Snapshot Rose' Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus). These are somewhat shorter (10 inches) than many Snapdragons I've grown in the past, but the flower spikes are full and tall.
Alliums...I have many varieties in the garden. Some are faded; some haven't bloomed yet. But a few are lovely currently, including the tall, stately 'Ambassador' Alliums.
American Garlic (Allium unifolium) has had a good season, despite the temperature swings and lack of rain.
The annuals currently taking the stage are the Lantanas (L. camara). I get a kick out of their changeable colors; the Lantanas in both photos above are the same variety: Lucky 'Sunrise Rose.'
Companions with the Lantanas in color and placement are 'Snapshot Rose' Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus). These are somewhat shorter (10 inches) than many Snapdragons I've grown in the past, but the flower spikes are full and tall.
'May Night' Salvia: While its parentage apparently is somewhat debated currently, it's been an anchor to the side sunny garden for two decades. It's a regal, reliable garden stalwart for the pleasure of humans and pollinators, alike.
On a whim, I purchased this 'Starsister Scarlet and Yellow' Dahlia. It's a compact, shrubby plant, and I currently have it placed in the side sunny garden. I haven't decided if I'll keep it in the pot or place it in the ground. I love the bright colors!
Near the Dahlias is this pot filled with French Marigolds (Tagetes patula), Spotlight 'Lime Heart' Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas), and 'Serena Blue' Angelonia (A. angustifolia). I think I need to deadhead the latter to encourage more blooms (and maybe give it a little more sun). But I expect it will be lovely through the growing season.
I'll plan to post about the other potted plants in the weeks ahead. All potted plants, including those shown at the beginning and end of this post, are bringing much color and joy to the garden, despite the strange growing season so far.
What's blooming in your garden? To enjoy other lovelies on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, visit May Dreams Gardens.
Your weather does seem strange, Beth - and not altogether in a good way! I love your Alliums and I'm very envious of that you already have a Dahlia in bloom. My own dahlias are only now being moved out of their temporary pots into my raised planters and I think I'll be lucky if I have any blooms within a month.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's always more challenging when we don't get the rain with the young plants. The variable temps and the heat, especially, without rain, make it tough. I must admit I bought the Dahlias in bud. I have some others that I overwintered and have replanted, but they aren't blooming yet. Dahlias are lovely whenever they bloom, aren't they? :)
DeleteYou’ve perfectly described our weather. And definitely a lot of nice color in your garden.
ReplyDeleteMay and June are usually among the more reliable months for great weather and regular precipitation around here, aren't they? We've had our share of nice days...but we certainly have had more heat than "normal," and definitely not enough rain. :(
DeleteBeautiful blooms! Love the Dahlia!
ReplyDeleteHappy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
Thank you, Lea. :) I've grown Dahlias in the past, but this is my first time with this particular variety. It certainly brightens the garden. :)
DeleteSorry to hear your weather has not been ideal. Still, your potted flowers look happy and the flowers are lovely. Have flower buds on one Dahlia, but you beat us here in SoCal! Lantana are another plant that sing "Summer!'--that bright pink is cheerful.
ReplyDeleteI've had 'May Night' for 20 odd years as well--and it's back every year to flower even though this is not quite its climate. Must be a great one if it can do well in both WI and in SoCal.
Happy Blooms, and best wishes for some ideal gardening weather.
I can't imagine a summer without Lantanas--you describe them so well. And good point about the adaptability of the Salvia...love it! Re: the Dahlias...I must admit that they were budding when I purchased them. I have others that I overwintered indoors, and they're just beginning to bud.
DeleteYou really have some gorgeous color! Love that 'May Night' salvia--it's gorgeous! I hope your summer weather is more conducive to a happy garden (and gardener!). Tina
ReplyDeleteHi Tina: Yes, the Salvia is a reliable favorite, for sure. And the pollinators love it. I hope we'll get more rain in the days ahead. The forecast isn't promising, but maybe it will change. Fingers crossed...for gardeners, but especially for the farmers.
DeleteBeth, So true! the weather has been rather bad the last weeks. Yet, we both have a number of great blooms happening.I have never planted Dahlia, thought I love the variety of colors I could have, I just don't want to dig them up in the Fall and keep them over winter. Don't like the work jaja. Good to visit what you are up to at this time.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the extra work with the Dahlias. I guess it's become a part of my autumn and early spring routines. I plant them early in my sunroom, and the blooms start in midsummer. I keep them in pots (usually) through the summer. After the first autumn frost, I dig them up, dry them on newspaper, and store them for the winter. Not too taxing. Hope all is well with you up in your part of the state. :)
DeleteSnapdragons were one of my favorite plants growing up, and I love that combination your have going on in the pot. We have strange weather here also, in that everything seems to be blooming about a month earlier that what used to be normal.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne. :) We've had early blooms, too. But now that everything's so dry, it's all mixed up. I'm watering in the morning, since we have a week of near-90s and no rain ahead. :(
DeleteLate in reading because I've been trying to tame my yard due to "weird" weather here too. Lots of rain while I was gone, and it hasn't stopped. Supposedly next week will be sunny and dry.
ReplyDeleteOpposite to our problem. Please send some rain our way. We have near-90s for the week ahead, with no rain. We're down about 8-9 inches for the late spring season. :(
DeleteGorgeous blooms! I especially love that salvia and the dahlias.
ReplyDeleteOur weather here in central Ohio has been very similar. Definitely unusual. Though now we've been having days that are cooler than normal, which I enjoy. And we got 2" of much-needed rain last week, but are still in a moderate drought.
Thank you! I'm glad you got some much-needed rain. We thought we were going to get more than we did--less than half an inch. But at least it was something. Hopefully we'll have some rain in the next few days. Fingers crossed. Good luck!
DeleteI just bought a lantana the other weekend, the one that changes from yellow to orange to red. I love the scent. Snapdragons are fun too, we've got the taller varieties seeding around here and there. Seems like they revert back to pink over time.
ReplyDeleteYes, I fell in love with Lantanas when we visited New Orleans a few years ago. Since then, I've planted them as annuals every season. The Snapdragons are wonderful for the pollinators and for cut flowers! :)
DeleteHello Beth,
ReplyDeleteI love my Lantanas for that change of color. I find it fascinating. I am excited to see more of your pots.
Carla
From the River
Hi Carla: Yes, Lantanas are SO fun! I think they attract the hummingbirds, and they definitely attract me. ;-) The pots are coming along...I wish we'd get some rain, though, so I don't have to water them every other day. [rain dance]
DeleteYou have so much color in your garden for the month of June. I especially love your Dahlias, lantana and salvia. Happy almost summer!
ReplyDeleteHappy summer, Lee! I'm cheating with lots of annuals, but the Alliums and Salvia help, too. I'm enjoying these new Dahlias. I've grown Dahlias before, but never this variety.
DeleteThe weather has been temperamental for several years. Hope you get some rain Beth, to help get your plants off to their best start. Everything is looking lovely. Angelonia is one of my favorite annuals. I've been watering many times more than usual (and more than I want). Finally this afternoon we had a decent rain with forecasts of rain all week.
ReplyDeleteHi Susie: No rain yet, but Sunday is looking promising. Fingers crossed. I love Angelonia, too. I'm glad you got some needed rain. :)
DeleteI agree such strange weather this spring here too! I love all the colorful blooms in your garden and in those containers. Can't wait to see more.
ReplyDeleteThe color is cheery, and will be even more so after we get some rain. It's interesting how much we gardeners (especially in the U.S. northeastern and northcentral regions) rely on that precipitation. Everything seems like it's kind of "on hold" until the drought breaks. Meanwhile, the containers and the little garden will be watered...
DeleteYour garden seems to be taking the unusual weather in stride, it's looking great! I love the multiple colors on your lantana, it's such a good little creeper.
ReplyDeleteThanks. :) Fingers crossed we'll get some rain this weekend. I love the Lantana, too. So cheery!
DeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteThank you. :)
DeleteThe strange weathers seems to make your plants happy.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed.
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