Sunday, July 15, 2012

Garden Blogger Bloom Day July 2012

Hymenocallis
The hymenocallis that I divided two years ago have settled in and are starting to bloom around the garden. This was what you might call a gateway drug bulb for me. I don't even remember where it came from but it was one of those come-ons I got in the mail from some bulb company many years ago. $25.00 worth of free bulbs and they hope you will spend more. I remember carefully choosing just $25.00 worth since I had no idea if this company could be trusted. Whatever else I got is long gone, as are many of the bulbs I have tried over the years, but these have hung in there and been happy.
Roselily Thalita
One of my newest bulbs is this Oriental hybrid. It is pretty over the top but I love it! It is in a pot this year but I will be finding an in-ground home for it soon.

Serpente di Sicilia
When this started blooming I went and looked at the package to make sure it was what I thought it was. This is the oddest squash blossom I have ever grown!  The leaves are unusual too. The plant is really happy and I am hoping to see what the squash looks like soon. My grandpa grew something like these years ago. He was smart enough to use a good trellis. Mine is bent on garden dominance.

Echinacea Double Delight, white four-o'clocks, salvia May Night
The narrow border in front of one of the vegetable gardens has several plants brightening things up.

Plumbago growing over the arbor with Lady Banks rose
The plumbago I wove through the banksia rose a few years ago adds a little color to the arbor.

Agapanthus, salvias, alyssum, society garlic, lavenders, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, green beans, oreganos (both culinary and ornamental), solanum jasminoides, shasta daisies, hollyhocks, pelargoniums and begonias of several kinds add to the blooms.  It may not be as floriferous as a month ago but there are, as Elizabeth Lawrence said, blooms nearly every month of the year, and July is no exception. Visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see blooms around the world. That is also a good place to find out just who Elizabeth Lawrence was!

10 comments:

Patsy Bell Hobson said...

Your blooms always seem exotic and fabulous to me. It's always a pleasure seeing your garden.

Fairegarden said...

What an unusual squash, Leslie. Very pretty. The Hymenocalis is beautiful, like a white daffodil. Good idea with the plumbago, extending the color season. I bet that is something when Lady Banks is in bloom.

Carol Michel said...

I am likewise intrigued by that squash. I wonder if I could grow it in my garden?

Gail said...

I didn't know plumbago could be trained to climb! That is cool. gail

dorothy said...

I really like the looks of the Hymenocalis. And the lily is a beauty. Your garden is looking good in spite of the heat. Thank you for the visit to my blog!

growingagardenindavis said...

Thanks Patsy! I love that about Bloom Day...being able to see what grows elsewhere!
Frances...the common name for the hymenocallis is Peruvian daffodil!
I know you could grow that squash Carol and your garden is a better size for the plant.
The key word would be weave, Gail! It doesn't really climb much but by weaving it through the banksia it stays.
You are welcome Dorothy...thanks for visiting back!

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Hymenocallis is such an exotic thing, at least it is to me. It looks like one of those plants they use on Star Trek to stand in for an alien flower. (Which means I like it.) Is it just me, or does plumbago remind you of lumbago?

Noel Morata said...

aloha,

wow i love that double lilly, it must smell really potent!

Cindy, MCOK said...

I am SO enjoying the Hymenocallis in my gardens. I wonder if the white Plumbago would climb? I could use it to screen those confounded red cannas on my neighbor's side of the fence!

Unknown said...

I'm known for doing "different" things, so you might think this sounds crazy, but... I would LOVE to just grow that squash as an ornamental! The leaves look so dark and soft, and the bloom is very pretty. I hope it makes delicious squash for you, too. Happy GBBD! :-)