Sunday, June 15, 2008

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day--June 2008

We'd like to dedicate this edition of GBBD to a very special step-dad. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! We hope you enjoy the bouquets from our garden. As usual, we're a bit late but a card IS on its way!

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June is lily month in our garden and both the Asiatic lilies and the daylilies cooperated by opening their first bloom just in time for GBBD.

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In the shade garden we have two dark-leaved surprises. First, the purple oxalis returned from the dead. Two winters ago we forgot where it was and we plunked the bird bath on top of it. Last summer it put out a couple of anemic pink leaves and then died. We didn't expect it back. But here it is! The second surprise is a new addition this year, hardy geranium 'Midnight Reiter'.

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On the hillside the plants are filling in nicely. Everything is full and lush. Right now only a few things are in full bloom. The wall flower is providing much visual interest with its bi-colored flowers and its variegated foliage. And it smells wonderful. Another plant with variegated foliage on the hillside is this sage. It has very delicate foliage and tiny but eye-catching bright flowers. 

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Euphorbia 'Excalibur' is looking like a funky palm tree since it lost its bottom leaves after all the recent rains. The white Spanish lavender is keeping the bees very happy. We are seeing lots and lots of bees in our garden this year.

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The strawflowers returned even though they were tagged as "annual"  Shorter than most everything else on the hill, they hold their own with that shock of bright yellow color. Below, one final flower, this one from our potager. Can you guess what it is?

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This is our first tomatillo flower!!!

For more Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day posts from around the world visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

19 comments:

Viooltje said...

My compliments on the wonderful blooms. I was totally mesmerized by the fairy-like purple oxalis. What an extraordinary plant. Your garden is blooming just delightfully. I hope you're proud of it. I know you are actually ;-)

Cheers!

Daphne Gould said...

I would probably love your wall flower. I'm such a sucker for scented blooms. But it would have to be in a different section of the garden from my dianthus since it is one of my favorite scents.

Tomatillos! I used to grow those all the time. The funny thing is, I never ate the tomatillos. I just love the plants. Someday I have to learn to make something out of them.

chey said...

You have some great blooms in your garden! Your Asiatic lilies are such a beautiful pink, and your tomatillo bloom is impressive.Love the purple oxalis as well!

garden girl said...

great shots of wonderful plants and blooms. I think the euphorbia looks cool. Love that salvia - I've never seen a variagated one.

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

I enjoyed your pictures! Thanks for sharing your garden!!! I will check back again! Everything looks fabulous!!!

@JeanAnnVK said...

Tomatillo flowers!! I have many planted, but they aren't really in bloom yet...they are growing well, so I expect a nice yield...purple of course...:)

emmat said...

I like the Euphorbia too! I have excalibur, but no flowers yet... Boo hoo. Keep up the good work. Everything looks gorgeous.

@JeanAnnVK said...

You are famous! check out the new post on www.portlandfoodie.com to see the infamous Oregano Cubano!

gintoino said...

I'm so glad for your purple oxalis, mine is recovering from the "dog accident" 2 weeks ago. Oh...I just looooooove that white lavender!! I need to get me some of that! (I hope I can find it)

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful gallery of beauties to celebrate Bloom Day! That dark-leaved geranium is stunning, and oh, I'm so jealous that you have luck with that variegated wallflower. I'd give a lot to be able to grow it. And perennial strawflowers? Wow! That tomatillo flower is gorgeous too. Thanks for sharing, you two!

Les said...

I like that Euphorbia, but then again I seem to like them all. I never considered the Tomatillo as an ornamental, but it is attractive. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Great bloom day post! Love the title of your blog and the picture of the 'wenches'. Now those are real gardening outfits! Where in the US are you gardening to get oxalis to come back from the dead?

Kerri said...

Things are blooming beautifully there in WA! Ah, lovely lilies..gorgeous colors! Isn't it a good feeling when you find a plant has 'returned from the dead'? Love those oxalis leaves! I much prefer that color wallflower to the bright orange I've grown in the past. I truly love your salvia!!! It's on my wish list.
You had me stumped with the tomatillo flower :)
A very happy Bloom Day to you (a little late)!

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I've never grown a Wallflower, but after seeing your variegated plant, I think I should try it. Is 'Magic Reiter' a new seedling or sport of Victor or Dark Reiter? Whatever, it's great!

Carol Michel said...

I love all the plants with variegated leaves. And that oxalis just goes to show how persistent plants can be.

Thanks for joining in for bloom day!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Aunt Debbi/kurts mom said...

Everything looks great. I love that the straw flower came back.

joanna uk said...

www's:

Thanks for stopping by: I wouldn't be surprised if I had inadvertently pressed the wrong button and erased your first comment. Glad you tried again.
Spanish white Lavender is new to me and I like it better than French purple.
This GBBD event is a great opportunity for meeting up with unknown plants.

Annie in Austin said...

Those little oxalis can fool you - a friends thought hers were dead and tried to plant new ones in the same spot... of course once she started watering the new plant the old ones popped up, too.

Your Spanish Lavender looks great and so does the Euphorbia. Happy Blooming, WWWenches!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Shady Gardener said...

Beautiful array of blossoms! I enjoy seeing things I don't have, too!!! You are great gardeners. :-)