Monday, August 15, 2011

Bloomday, August 2011

This Bloomday is special, not because of what’s blooming in my garden, but because at the GB Fling last month in Seattle I got to meet Carol, the lady who started (and hosts) the Bloomday tradition! I’ve participated in every Bloomday since I started blogging in April of 2009. I love the excuse to get out in the garden and really look for and at the flowers. Thank you Carol! And now the August blooms….

I thought I would organize this month’s flower show as though you were visiting my garden. First we’ll look at the flowers in the front garden, and then the back. The bight orange Canna flowers provide bold drama…
While the last of my Yucca to blooms is hiding under a tree. Hesperaloe parviflora. This is one of two plants that are blooming in my garden this summer, proving Mr Hogan’s (Cistus Nursery) advice that it isn’t summer heat that gets them to bloom (because we haven’t had any for the last two summers!) but rather summer water. Salvia clevelandii 'alpine' Eucomis 'oakhurst' Eryngium yuccifolium, or Rattlesnake Master Genista aetnensis Eryngium giganteum Miss Willmott's Ghost Mertensia simplicissima blue (sorry for the harsh shadows!) In the back garden there is no ignoring the Hydrangea and its bright electric blue flowers. Agapanthus Liatris Echinops 'arctic glow' So black it’s hard to photograph, Zantedeschia 'Edge of Night.’ Lysimachia Paridiformis F. Stenophylla Euphorbia Excalibur Eryngium agavifolium Sempervivum And another Sempervivum Sedum Macleaya cordata (Plume poppy) Callistemon 'Woodlanders Hardy Red' Abutilon Hesperaloe parviflora This is only the third time this plant has bloomed, I’ve had it for five years. I love the look of this expired Ginger flower. And last it's the exotic (in these parts) Kangaroo Paw... So get yourself on over to Carol's May Dreams Gardens, say hello and check out more high summer flowers!

16 comments:

  1. Your flower palette this month has almost a tropical twist to it. Nice!

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  2. Thank you for this fabulous Bloomday post! I love it. The colors are electric, vibrant, wonderful reminders of the full richness of life! Thank you :)

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  3. I've been enjoying your nursery jaunts and always love to see what's happening in the DG, blooms or no blooms. My poor rattlesnake eryngo was swamped under a selago. Yours looks fantastic. That is so neat that you met Carol in person!

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  4. Incredible color on the Kangaroo Paws!
    So many color outbursts in the late summer.....

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  5. Don't you just love when yucca blooms? It is such a stunning display. Your garden blooms are lovely. Happy GBBD!

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  6. That Zantedeschia 'Edge of Night’ is drop-dead gorgeous fronting your golden grass (Hakonechloa?)

    Interesting about the water factor in Hesperaloe blooms...I've seen constant bloom this summer from both mine, too.

    Happy Bloom Day!

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  7. Oooh, adore that Salvia clevelandii 'alpine'. Such an eclectic bunch of glorious blooms. Happy GBBD!

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  8. Wow, I think this is more flowers than I have ever seen on you blog. I guess the recent arrival of your summer weather spurred things on. Happy GBBD!

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  9. man, hard to keep up! bloomerama.

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  10. danger, danger! you've got some great looking things blooming over there loree. well done. happy bloom day.

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  11. Excellent shot of the kangaroo paw, I have one doing much the same but I've found it difficult to photograph.

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  12. DD, tropical in Portland...I'll take it! (we still haven't reached 90 degrees this summer...they're saying this coming week is the best chance we've got, otherwise we tie 1954 the only other year not to reach 90!)

    jackieb13, thank you!

    Denise, at first I worried that the Rattler wasn't going to come back this summer. But finally it's showing off a bit.

    rosekraft, it is a bit of a crazy color fest around here!

    Sage B, yes! I love yucca blooms!

    MulchMaid, isn't it? (the Hesperaloe/water connection). I really thought the heat theory had some merit but water wins!

    Caroline, if you could smell it (the Salvia) you'd be loving it even more!

    Les, I think you're right!

    greggo, thanks for stopping by!

    grwhryrpltd, thanks!

    Nat, I was pretty happy with how that one turned out...it can be tricky to capture all the different shades and the texture.

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  13. I have long held that only white calla lilies would do...but oh, that black! Once again you force me to rethink my priorities.

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  14. It all looks great, especially love your Eucomis as mine was killed by winter wet. Also your Eryngium yuccifolium which I've never seen over here in Scotland. I couldn't keep up with editing all my pics for bloom day so I just did the rich berried coloured ones and still took all day to get it done.

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  15. Really love the color of that Abutilon. Happy GBBD!

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  16. Great post...nice variety of blooms! That Echinops is great...does yours have the red stems...I seem to see some around that do, but an equal amount that don't. How do you like the Salvia clevandii...I've been eyeing that one on Annie's site for a while now.

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