Bloom Day-July 2013

How did it get to be the middle of July?   Due to company and Idyllunion prequell activities, and much to my dismay, I was unable to participate in June Bloom Day.  In the interim, the weather has been challenging to say the least.  For the past couple of weeks in central Connecticut we've been dealing with heat waves, tropical levels of humidity and frequent extreme weather that has included tornadoes, damaging winds, severe electrical storms and deluges of rain.

So far my garden has not suffered any real damage beyond some minor erosion.  Keeping up with weeds has been a losing proposition especially since I never finished the mulch.  As I write this, we are currently in day two of a six or seven day heat wave, our fourth so far this summer.  Heat indexes are expected to exceed 100 degrees F every day this week.  For a variety of reasons I am not a fan of air conditioning.  In New England we spend winter months cooped up in the house hibernating from the cold so the last thing I want to do is spend summer months cooped up in the house hibernating from the heat.

My seventy plus year old house does not have central air conditioning.  A living room window unit keeps the first floor cool for the dog when necessary.  By keeping the house closed up during the day and by making strategic use of blinds, awnings and fans I can usually manage to keep the house comfortable.  Usually.  Not this year.  Over Fourth of July weekend I finally broke down, rummaged through the attic crawl space and fished out another air conditioner for the second floor den/exercise room.  Now I'm spending way too much time in the house for comfort and I feel like I'm living in a cave.  When can I open the windows again?

So what does all this have to do with July Bloom Day?  Absolutely nothing.  I just wanted to rant.

Usually I don't take many pictures of my front garden.  For the most part it's a hodge podge of low maintenance and reseeding plants.  Dry soil and little to no supplemental care or water create growing conditions that are challenging at best.   Besides spring and fall cleanups I do try to get out there somewhat regularly to weed and deadhead.  When it comes to plant selection, I let the plants choose. 

Time to thin out the Echinacea.  In the background is Persicaria polymorpha.  After a few failed attempts to dig it out I gave up and now just try to keep it from flopping in too much shade.

I have no idea where these Stargazer lilies came from or how they've survived the onslaught of lily leaf beetles but since they have I need to treat them with a newfound respect.

A very old plant of Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine' and a very large plant of some reseeded Tradescantia.

A reverted seedling of Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine' and some reseeded Echinacea.  In the lower left, Dianthus 'Firewitch' was a new addition this spring.



Abelia grandiflora and Cotinus act as backdrops for the Echinacea and lilies.

Smoke on the Smokebush because I neglected to cut it back this year.  At it's feet is an ongoing garden renovation.  The Hydrangea just finishing up is 'Bluebird', a beautiful serrata.

Speaking of Hydrangea, what a year it's been for them!  I keep telling myself not to buy any more but they are very hard to resist.  For the first time deer browsed many of the flowers on my Hydrangea quercifolias this year.  By the time I realized it was happening a few had been nipped back significantly.  Damn those hooved minions!

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Amethyst'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lemon Wave' is a first class foliage plant.

H. paniculata 'Quickfire' is sporting unusually huge flowers this year

One of my favorites-H. serrata 'Preziosa'

H. 'Endless Summer' has been a reliable performer for me.  Not so for everybody apparently.  Many of my garden friends have removed them for lack of blooms.

H. serrata 'Woodlander' finishing up after a gorgeous display

H. paniculata 'Dharuma'

A few "new to me" Echinaceas found their way into the garden this year.  Usually I don't fall victim to the newest cultivar-especially when it comes to Heucheras, Echinaceas and especially Coreopsis.  'Sombrero Salsa Red' was a total impulse buy that I posted about HERE last summer.  I'm happy to report that it came back strong unlike my 'Hot Papaya' which after three successful seasons is now just a shadow of it's former self.




Echinacea 'Sombrero Salsa Red' with Campanula 'Sarastro'

'Tangerine Dream'

'Coconut Lime'

Old reliable and long blooming 'White Swan'

Some miscellaneous items that caught my eye.  Much of my garden got ripped up and replanted this spring and many of those plants don't look like much this year.  Lots of holes don't make for good photo ops.

One of my favorite annuals-the dreaded Ricinus.  Twerpster in a hurry in the background.

I just love these cheerful Rudbekia hirta 'Prairie Sun'.  They are not reliably perennial so I buy a few plants every year and treat them as annuals.  If they come back I consider it a bonus.  The Coreopsis is 'Mercury Rising' supposedly a hardy red.

Lysimachia clethroides 'Geisha'

 

  

Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes'

 

 

 

Oxydendron arboreum

 

Hemerocallis 'Moonlit Masquerade'

 

 

Hemerocallis 'Indian Giver'

 

 

Clematis 'Jackmanii'

 

Naturally the containers have been providing alot of color.  Tropicals love the heat and humidity.

 

 



 

 

 

 

A few wide angle shots.  The heat has been keeping me from regular dead heading and maintenance chores so things are a little rough.  If the weather cooperates I hope to have everything spiffed up again soon.

 

Thanks for visiting.  To see more of what the garden world has to offer, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

Sue~