Cool temps and plenty of rain. That’s the kind of summer we have been having so far as we enter the middle of July. That means the gardens are green and full of blooms. Here is what is blooming today on Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day: July, 2014.
The temps rose yesterday to 90 degrees, but the heat isn’t unexpected. And, we are not experiencing a drought like last year. July blooms are on schedule and it seems like the whole garden is making up for last year. The cherry tree is still full of gorgeous red tart cherries. In fact, I picked 4 cups last night and made a cherry crisp. Last year I didn’t even bother with picking. The early warmth and subsequent freeze killed last years crop.
Blooming in the garden right now:
July means day lilies (hemerocallis), and today the fireworks are just beginning to explode into bloom. These are my favorite flowers. As much as I love hydrangeas and my hansa roses, it is the day lilies that charm me the most. The name “hemerocallis” means “bloom for a day” and that’s pretty much what day lilies do. And, they do not actually belong to the lily family.
It was colonists who brought day lilies to the New World, but it wasn’t until the 1930’s that hybridization really began. For centuries gardeners grew what are often referred to as “ditch lilies.” These are the common orange flowers that we see growing wild along country roads, in old homestead sites, and in sunny meadows. But those bright orange or sometimes yellow flowers are not native to North America. They probably came to Europeans from China and other Asian countries where various parts of the plant were valued for their medicinal qualities. Settlers carried day lily plants on horseback and in covered wagons across the North American continent.
Blooming today in the Secret Garden are Cystal Pinot, First Night, Sea Urchin, a nameless deep plum plant, and Red Rum.
But it’s not just day lilies that are gracing the garden. Scroll down to see other shots.
My summer semester begins tomorrow and so my leisurely days in the garden will be a bit limited. And, wouldn’t you know, today it has been stormy. But I pulled a few weeds that had popped up. And I deadheaded a few spent day lilies. First Knight started blooming a couple days ago. It is one of my favorites, even though it isn’t pink.
My favorite day lily, Storm of the Century bloomed today. I’ve included a picture here, though this first flower seems to have gotten a little bruised in its birthing process.
Several years ago a friend divided his crocosmia and gave me some of the extras. But the little clumps of roots were, um, little. And, I transplanted them several times before they found a permanent home. Well, permanent in a garden is not quite possible. Anyway, I found a couple plants at a garden center and planted those. They bloomed a bit last year, but this year, it looks like I am going to get a nice show. And, my friend’s crocosmia have long budded spires, too. So, I’ll see these scarlet bird-like flowers in two places in the secret garden. The clumps that my friend gave me are nestled in front of the dutchman’s pipe “wall.” The plants I bought at a garden center are at the edge of the large day lily bed in the middle of the secret garden. I thought the foliage would make a nice transition from the lilies to whatever else ends up next. At the moment that is Tiny Nancy asiatic lilies.
And, remember the fountain that I killed? The one that I never covered last winter and suffered a fatal crack? The one that is now a planter in the Secret Garden? Well, it’s replacement arrived this past week. It’s burble is welcoming neighborhood birds, who found it within an hour. I think I might even like this fountain more than the other one.
I went on the Ottawa Hills Garden Tour yesterday. There were some lovely gardens, and, inspired by some of the things I saw, went to Phil’s Stuff hoping to find some little treasure to place in one of the gardens. I bought two iron stakes with ornaments on the top. I haven’t decided where to put them yet. Maybe I’ll do that this evening. I also picked up some annuals to plunk into some empty spaces, including a flat of nicotiana.
