July in the garden. This is the time when it is too hot to do much about anything in the garden but relax in the hammock and occasionally go out and harvest some vegetables. But the summer flowers don’t seem to mind the heat and only droop occasionally to remind me to water them.
The little miniature hosta, ‘Pandora’s Box’ is blooming like its bigger cousins, though with bloom included it is only about four inches high. If this were not in a garden of other miniature plants, I’d probably miss its bloom, but where it is, it’s quite visible. I have learned through trial and error that even the best, showiest flower can be missed if it isn’t placed well in the garden.
A few herbs are blooming as well.
I don’t have an herb garden, just a few herbs in the center of my vegetable garden around a dwarf apple tree. There’s St. John’s Wort (the yellow flowers), thyme (the pink flowers) and sage. It is on my evergrowing garden wish list to have an “official herb garden” one day.
In front, I have some rose colored threadleaf coreopsis.
The flowers fade a bit as the days grow hot but they are low-growing and provide a spot of color by the sidewalk leading up to the front door. I’ve made a note to dig some of these up next spring and spread them about in other places in the garden as they make a nice “fill in” plant.
I’ve chosen not to list all the flowers blooming in containers, but did want to include the fairy lilies.
They come and go as the weather changes, and I caught them a few days ago going quite mad with bloom. Since these aren’t hardy here, I put the pots in the garage for the winter, leaving the bulbs planted, and then bring them out in the spring and just start watering them. They could not be any easier to grow!
I have several places where False Sunflowers are growing.
If you have false sunflower or ox-eye sunflower, you will have it in several places, as it is a bit weedy. But it is providing some much needed color to my garden, so I’ll deal with its bad habits!
There are some flowers budding that didn’t quite make it for bloom day. Here’s a pineapple lily
This is another one that I over winter and then plant in a pot each year. The blooms, which will be finished by August bloom day, will be white. I’ve surrounded it with some purple verbana in the background.
There are also a few unnamed lilies blooming.
These are some I bought from a friend’s daughter as part of some kind of fundraiser. I think they saw me coming! The flower bed these are in could actually use a lot more in it, so I’ll get more lilies next year.
So many gardeners have daylilies in bloom right now, me included.
I have several varieties and thought this bloom day post would seem incomplete without at least one daylily picture! I don’t have as many daylilies as some gardeners, less than 10 varieties, though I see them pop up here and there in the garden, so I might have a few more than I realize.
And how can this be?
The ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum are starting to form their flower buds. Wait, this is a fall flower. It’s too soon to think of fall just yet, we have many more summer days to enjoy.
Finally, I’m joyfully awaiting the bloom of the night-blooming cereus.
Here’s a list of what is blooming at May Dreams Gardens today.
In Bloom
Coreopsis rosea – Pink Thresdleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis verticillata – Threadleaf Coreopsis
Thalictrum kiusianum – Dwarf Meadow Rue
Echinacea purpurea – Coneflowers
Helianthus helianthoides – False or Ox-eye Sunflowers
Hemerocallis – Daylilies, several varieties
Hosta – un-named varieties, purple flowers
Hosta ‘Pandora’s Box’
Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer’
Leucanthemum x superbum – Shasta daisies (that’s a funny name…‘super bum’)
Lilium – un-named oriental lilies
Mirabilis jalapa – Four ‘o Clocks
Phlox paniculata – Purple, White, and ‘Crème de Menthe’
Platycodon grandiflora – Balloon Flower
Rudbeckia hirta – Black-eyed Susan’s
Tagetes – Marigolds
Zinnia – Purple, pink, white, and my favorite, green
In the vegetable garden
Cucumbers
Green Beans
Peppers
Spaghetti squash
Tomatoes
Zucchini squash
Hanging on from previous months but on the decline
Clematis integrifolia ‘Alba’
Rose – White Flower Carpet
Spirea japonica ‘Limemound’
Tradescantia sp. – Spiderwort
In bud
Pardancanda – Candy Lily
Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Night blooming cereus, which might actually bloom late on the 15th! If it does, it will get its own post)
Eucomis sp. – Pineapple Lily
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Plus lots of flowers in containers!
What’s blooming in your garden today? Please join us for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day on the 15th of each month by posting on your blog what’s blooming in your garden, and then leave a comment here so we can find you and visit to see all your pretty flowers.
If you don’t have a blog, feel free to list your blooms in a comment below.
If you have too many blooms to list or not enough time, just go with your top 10 list and join us anyway. And botanical names are strictly optional! All are welcome!
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
You sure do have a lot of pretty flowers. As you already know, I love flowers but know the names of hardly any. I love the little ones that just cover the earth in abundance
Hi Carol! Can’t believe it is that time again…so soon. I am excited to have posted my list on my blog. We certainly have a lot of the same things blooming in our “Zone 5’s.” I was also amazed at the Autumn Joy Sedum. I am grateful that you sponsor this each month because it is interesting to see what is blooming in gardens far away from mine. And hearing other gardeners’ enthusiasm and love for growing things sparks my own. It encourages me to try things I would not have otherwise considered. Thank you!!
PS I love, love, love the pink Fairy Lilies. How great that you can continue them each season in the pots.
I’m actually early to the party for a change. I’ve got my bloom scans up here: http://www.remarc.com/craig/?p=202
I’m also early to the party, Carol. Your garden photos are lovely. I envy your vegetable garden.
Nice photos! I have to run out and check my Sedum now :). Mid Summer already, where does the time go? We had our first ripe tomatoes, yum, yum. I am green with envy over your night blooming cereus, I have had one for years that has not bloomed for me. My Clivia has another bud on it, it bloomed earlier this spring, it is one of my favorite house plants.
I am early to the party as well as I have posted a few pictures, thanks for hosting the party!
The small city garden is open for viewing in Bernal Heights, San Francisco.
http://coldcalculation.blogspot.com/2007/07/garden-blogger-bloom-day.html
Carol, your great idea has quickly become an institution–GBBD is part of our lives now. You deserve a special garden blogger commendation.
How I wish I could see your night-blooming cereus in flower. But, then . . . I guess I will, on your blog. Yea!
My Bloom Day photos are up too.
Got my camera out today and my post is up at http://kissofsun.blogspot.com/
Thanks for pulling it together. Love your photos!
Beautiful flower. I have a real love for sunflowers. A few friends and I have launched a website called the Ultimate Sunflower site. Please come visit us at http://www.sunflowerocity.com and post your picture in our gallery. Thanks!
Cristie.kline@sunflowerocity.com
I love that little Hosta. I’m going to have to see if I can track it down and add it to my garden. I should have planned things better and used miniature plants for my tiny space.
I remember you commented on my fairy tale pink and now see yours blooming. Do you know if it is normal for the blooms to appear to be upside down? I’ll post a pic soon and see if your blooms do the same thing.
I like your Eucomis it grows a little different than mine or maybe mine are a little older because the stalks and flower cluster is a little thicker. I have some bulbs just sprouting and I’m hoping one of them is the dark leafed Eucomis.
My sedum is more far along and should be blooming soon. I’m trying to propagate it and it’s already about to bloom. Which also makes me think of fall.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I noticed your post is dated July 15th but it was up for viewing on July 14th. I just finished mine but it is post-dated so won’t show up until tomorrow:
http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/07/15/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-july/
I can’t believe it, I actually wasn’t late for once.
Thanks for the comment on the Chameleon plant. I think that I will weedwack it down, and try Roundup with spreader sticker added. If that doesn’t work I will be glad to share, you can have all you want! Your rain lilies are great, mine refuses to bloom until we have some rain….so, I may be waiting awhile.
Carol, my Bloom Day post is up. Thank you for thinking of this. I look forward to vising every one’s blog to see what’s blooming.
That rose colored coreopsis is so pretty and dainty. I have “Moonbeam” but think I need this one as well. 🙂
I’m early, too, but you can find my post here:
http://blackswampgirl.blogspot.com/2007/07/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-july.html
By the way, Carol, I love those rain lilies–and the pineapple lily, too! Your beautiful pictures have me wanting to get some next year even though I don’t trust myself to dig them up in the fall… lol.
Hi Carol, I’m a Carol too. What a wonderful idea, I’m so glad to join in and view everyone else’s variety!
my apologies, I didn’t leave a link to my blog on my other post – http://www.ellzey.org/wordpress/?p=237
It’s after midnight where I live, but my Bloomin’ post says July 14, anyway.
Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day Carol!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day Carol!
Those herbs look delightful. I also plan to start a herb garden someday. In fact, I wish to have a commercial herb and medicinal plantation but given the practical constraints, things will have to wait for now.
My bloom list is up. I thought given the time zone I should be relatively early in putting up the list but as I see people are posting with an infectious enthusiasm!
I didn’t forget this month Carol. Your flowers look lovely. The “Pandora’s Box” is sweet – I really like mini-hostas. My favorite of them all is the pineapple lily. It has a nice architechtual look – please post a picture when it blooms.
I’ve got my blog ready for Blooms Day. Please stop by.
Alyssa
My post is up too Carol.
Sue
It’s bloom time again! Lovely pics and blooms Carol! My blooms are up too at http://blissyo-elgarden.blogspot.com/
Cracking set of pictures and well taken to boot. Love the information that you have added and the last picture almost looks snake like.
Cheers Mark
It’s the middle of July and time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. You have lots of beautiful blooms in your garden. Can’t wait to see the night blooming cereus. Lots is happening in My Canadian Garden … hope you can stop by for a visit.
Hi, Carol,
Your mid-summer garden looks wonderful. I’ll have to take a closer look at my sedum next time I’m out at the plot; it does seem early to be getting buds already.
My Bloom Day post is online now too. Come have a look.
Hi Carol, I thought I would be early for a change and can’t believe how many beat me to your post. Bloom Day has certainly become very popular! I love the fairy lilies and would love to try them. Your pineapple lily is so unusual….it’s great to see what other plants are out there.
You can tell we’re sisters – I agree with Country Girl, I love the pineapple lily. I love the Fairy lilies too and I’m quite impatient for mine to bloom! Our Bloom reports are both up here.
Carol,
Thanks for organizing this. I really enjoy seeing all the different gardens and am honored to join in this month. 😆 it looks like bloom day is actually the 14th with all the early posts. I going to try and visit everyone.
My post is up.
I love your little Hosta. Probably needs a special spot not to get swallowed up by the bigger plants. About the Sedum maybe it was the crazy winter. I always pinch my Sedums and Asters a couple of times during the season to assure that they will bloom late in the season, keeps ’em bushy too. Yours look a little too far along for that, though.
Lovely pictures!
I’m in SE Virginia, and I have a Sedum that was given to me this spring. It’s had those little buds on it for ages and ages now, seriously like two months, but I didn’t know if it was normal or unusual. I guess now I know it’s unusual lol.
Love the mini-hosta!
Please stop in and visit my Denver garden list…
Gorgeous lilies – I used to have a couple, but they were lost in our great pond-building/patio-pouring adventure 2 years ago. I should think about planting some this fall…
No mysteries this month in my garden, just a bunch of mid-summer blooms!
Carol, this is a message for Bev from Colorado Springs. I found her blog via your comments and really enjoyed her post. I wanted to leave a note for her but found that she doesn’t allow anonymous (non-Blogger) comments. Can I leave her a message here? Here’s what I wanted to tell her:
“I was thinking the butterfly is a tiger swallowtail too, though I haven’t Googled it to see if that’s right.
Your garden is absolutely gorgeous, and I love Colorado Springs, so I look forward to following your blog in the future. I’m glad I found you via May Dreams.”
Your fairy lillies look at lot like our rain lillies. Are they one and the same?
Lovely photos.
You and Christopher (from the blog Outside Clyde) has inspired me to join in on the fun of wandering out into the garden and shooting some current blooms. .. http://deviantdeziner.blogspot.com/
My Northern California climate has been true to form this year. Cool foggy nights and warm high 70 to low 80 degree days.
Comfortable for both gardening and garden photography.
Your garden looks great !
Carol, to answer the question you left on my GBBD post, I have not noticed the oakleaf hydrangea being a huge attractor of Japanese beetles. That said, this is its first Japanese beetle season in my garden and I haven’t noticed many of them around at all–knock on wood! I kept looking for them on my hollyhocks, or on my cherry trees (that’s where I found them last year) but there hasn’t been a shiny green beetle to be seen. I’ll keep an eye out, though.
I’ve just posted the photos I took this July 15th morning in the rain. I’ll check on everyone’s flowers this week (and it may well take that long!) I so enjoy all your blooms.
http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/
Your garden is full of beautiful blooms. I really like that pineapple lily. Is that a picture of stargazer lilies below the pineapple picture?
i’ve heard of garden blogger’s bloom day, but had never successfully participated until now. i had been doing green thumb sunday which was begun over at as the garden grows… (http://feverishthoughts.com )
so i thought i’d celebrate both! thanks for the lovely pics and for the gracious hosting. love your pineapple lily!
whoops! better leave my address too…
http://strangelybright.blogspot.com/2007/07/convergance.html
Oh..those fairy lilies are beautiful! I’ll have to check if they could grow here! My photos and list are up, too. I’m enjoying checking out so many gardens!
Hi: Late to the party as usual but enjoying all of your posts! Can’t believe it it mis-summer already! Layanee at Ledge and Gardens!
Whew…finally got something out there! Enjoyed your post…now, I think I should go out and check my pineapple lilies, but it is dark! (Surely, I would have noticed if they’re blooming, right??) And, rain lilies, I forgot to look for them! Ah well…tomorrow!
Your blooms look great! I think that between travel and a camera that is being finicky that I won’t be able to post this month, maybe next weekend I’ll find some time and do a ‘late’ post! I enjoy participating in this, and am glad that you have motivated all of us!
All,
Thanks for participating in Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. I enjoyed visiting everyone today (I think I kept up) and seeing all the flowers. I have added a few more flowers to my “wish list” after seeing what others have growing.
If I haven’t visited your blog and left a comment, let me know, as I probably just got lost in the blogosphere!
I’m looking foward to August 15th!
(My night-blooming cereus didn’t bloom this evening. I think it might bloom tomorrow, so stay tuned!)
Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
Oh, and if you haven’t posted your blooms yet, please feel free to do so. You can be a day or so late, no one minds!
Pineapple Lily? I’ve never heard of that, but it’s certainly interesting! WOW, almost like a yucca bloom! Very nice! Happy GTS! 🙂
Hi Carol!
I’m new to your bloggers bloom day, but you can check out a few of my flowers here.
Lovely photos. By the time I figure out what’s blooming I’m already too tired to add a bunch of photos. I need to find an easier way to do that.
Made it back home just in time to participate. Here’s the list for Zanthan Gardens.
I’ve posted now. And my sedum are in bud also. Is that a reaction to the drought? You many notice some water on my blossoms. Yesterday was the first good rain in weeks, but probably too little and too late for the farm crops.
I’m keeping mine short this month. Took a vote and I’m posting the most popular bloom in the garden right now!
I’m workin’ on it, Carol! I took some pictures of blooms today, but it was late in the day and they didn’t turn out well at all, so I’ll do them again in the morning.
Glad to know that fairy lilies are that easy to overwinter. Mine aren’t blooming, but hopefully soon!
My ‘Autumn Fire’ sedum has buds on it, too, and that’s way earlier than last year. I like it better than ‘Autumn Joy’, which I also have.
Carol, sorry my link back disappeared in an editing session (I guess) but I have now fixed it…and a few typos I always seem to miss! Spellcheck can only do so much…lol! Thanks for your patience with all of us!
Carol,
Late again but my offering is posted.
The night blooming Cereus must be a sight to behold. Does it have a scent?
Late, but here with bells on. Come on over and see what’s going on at The Havens.
I really enjoy seeing everyone’s lovely flowers. My bloom page for this month is here:
http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/whats-blooming-in-my-garden-right-now/
I have also been posting a lot of other flower pages recently. Isn’t everything so beautiful this time of year?
—
Shirley
Choosing Voluntary Simplicity
Gosh, I went over to Bev’s Colorado garden, which is stunningly beautiful, btw, and couldn’t leave a comment because the site believed I was anonymous for some reason. Not everybody has a Google or Blogger account. Perhaps she ought to enable a window like you have, Carol.
Better late than never? I really love that night bloomer btw. (Day) blooms to peruse…
1quarteracre.blogspot.com/
Dear Carol, here’s Blithewold a day late and a dollar or two short! Wow I’m the 59th comment! This is almost too successful! When will we all (when do YOU??)ever find the time to peruse all those blooms! Thanks so much for doing this!
oops, my page didn’t seem to come through. Here’s the link!: http://www.blithewold.org/blog/whats-blooming/fashionably-late/
Thanks again!
Well, it’s fitting that a blog that starts with the letter “x” would be at the end of the list! Today’s bloom report is short but sweet. Lots of love for all my fellow garden bloggers! Thanks, Carol!
Xylem & Phloem
Wow – this is becoming a HUGE event! Too good to miss, and I’m afraid I won’t get to all of them.
I just got my list posted.
My ‘Autumn Joy’ is starting to bud too, and the goldenrod is starting to bloom.
All
What an overwhelming and wonderful response to our sixth Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day! Thank you all for posting what is blooming in your gardens on July 15th. I’ve added a few more flowers to my list of those I want to grow in my own garden, after seeing them in YOUR garden.
If you haven’t post yet and still want to, by all means, please do. You can be a few days late, no one minds!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
My July blooms are posted…a bit late. Yours look great as usual, Carol. Thanks again for hosting GBBD!
Hi Carol, You know I’m too lazy to post for GBBD but I just have to say what “unnamed lily”? Stargazer? Only the most famous lily around, you silly girl. Your nose will tell you when your memory won’t!
After fighting with blogger, I did manage to get a few mor pictures up!
Hi Carol! I got my submission in, albeit 2 days late! Funny, but at first I thought “Bloom Day” was every Wednesday for some reason! (I can be a tad slow on the uptake sometimes! 😉 Anyhow, judging from the number of comments here, I’d say that the Bloom Day tradition has officially taken off!
Hey Carol, what a great mixer!
I finally managed to add text to the July bloom post so here I am.
http://pollinators-welcome.blogspot.com/
All.. thank you once again for participating in Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. I’m really looking forward to our next one on August 15th. Who knows what will be blooming by then!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Hi again, Carol
Sorry my post from Scotland is late yet again! Delighted to see so many comments – I have already browsed and intend going back to leave comments later.
Your garden reminds me of hot summer days. Ours already feels like autumn – we seem to have skipped the summer days!
Well done – another successful GBBD!
You have some lovely pictures here and it reminds of what to get ready for spring in my own garden, like you nothing is better that lazing in a garden hammock with a cold drink listening to the buzzing around the flowers from the nectar hungry visitors. Making the garden special is well worth the time and the effort put into it and I always enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the garden in summer.
Fantastic pictures I can’t wait for this year.
http://www.peakgardencentres.co.uk
nice bloomers you got there…..i live in a 10th story flat and have just transformed my balcony into a summer garden of herbs, plants and numerous cnadles and shrubs to give the effect a garden, if not then possibly a room i want to be in. The wind is casuing havoc with some of the smaller flowers but the herbs are gong well, cold ahve some pics to put up if you are interested