I know that on my Blotanical profile I say that red is my favorite color in the garden. But I also love those blues. And the gardens are singing the sweet blues today. The Hidcote Lavender (lavendula angustifolia hidcote) is in full bloom and so is the Jean Davis Lavender (lavendual angustifolia cv. Jean Davis), which is pink. But never mind. The Endless Summer (hydrangea macrophylla endless summer) hydrangeas are sorta kinda blue.
I still haven’t gotten the right amount of acid applied to the soil around several of them. The Nikko Blue (hydrangea macrophylla nikko blue) is anything but blue.
But the perennial geranium is bravely battling its way through the White Dome (arborescens ‘dardom’) hydrangeas and showing off its bright blue blooms. These are especially pretty against the white lace caps.
But I’ve noticed something. Or, more accurately, I have NOT noticed something. There seem to be fewer bees humming around the hydrangeas. It may be the weather has been too wet or too cool. I’ve seen honey bees, but very few carpenter or bumble bees. Bumble bees are social, but carpenter bees are solitary so don’t think there was a hive collapse, primarily because carpenter bees don’t live in a hive. I wonder if they were victims of our hard winter.
The Royal Candles Veronica (Veronica spicata royal candles) is a pretty backdrop for the Lady’s Mantle.
But perhaps the big news of the day is that the first of the day lilies bloomed today. Hemerocallis ‘Crystal Pinot’ wins the race. I suspect others will pop open within the next few days.
The red carpet rose is also blooming. And, it’s looking splendid against two perennial geraniums in the Secret Garden. I wish I had recorded this variety of perennial geranium. It blooms a little later, but is so nicely behaved. Unlike the unnamed geranium in the lower garden, this variety doesn’t get leggy and flop.
I am totally in love with the rose campion (lychnis coronaria). It doesn’t live very long, at least in my garden, but I’m willing to replant it every few years just for the lovely velvety grey foliage and the vibrant pink blooms. It sits in my lower garden where I can see it from my kitchen widow. I have a little desk in front of that window and often pop open my laptop and work there. Since there are bird feeders outside the window, the cat usually joins me.
Garden 337 