A Few Of My Favorite Things: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day July 2013

– Posted in: What's up/blooming
15 comments

There are lots of blooming plants in my garden, so I decided to focus on a few favorites.

Unknown striped daylily blooming in my garden

This daylily was planted by the former owner. Any guesses as to its name?

I love the vivid colors in this daylily that came with the house. There are lots of buds, so it should be in bloom for a long time.
Unknown russet daylily blooming in my garden

This striking russet daylily is blooming in the Slope Garden. I wish I knew its name.

These two daylilies are on opposite ends of the Slope Garden. I have to figure out a way to bring them closer together so the colors can play off each other.
The best white rose campion I ever grew.

This is the best white rose campion I ever grew.

It’s kind of an oxymoronic name, isn’t it? White rose campion? When you call it Lychnis coronaria ‘Alba’ it doesn’t sound so contradictory. The real mystery is why this plant looks so good. Usually, for me, rose campion is growing wherever it seeded itself, weaving in and out between other plants. It doesn’t develop such good branching because it doesn’t get the space that would enable it to do so. That’s my best guess.
Ivory Halo dogwood and perennial flax growing in my garden.

I just love the single flax flower peeking through the foliage of the Ivory Halo dogwood.

If you have ever grown perennial flax (Linum perenne), you know this scene did not last long. Each flower on this plant only lasts a day, although when it really gets going, blue flax can look spectacular. But I happened to be there at the right time, and caught this lovely juxtaposition. I guess if you want to know what else is blooming in my garden, you can look at the last of my DIY backyard bouquets.

Inspired by the words of Elizabeth Lawrence, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year,” Carol of May Dreams Gardens started Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. On the 15th of every month, garden bloggers from all over the world publish what is currently blooming in their gardens, and leave a link in Mr. Linky and the comments of May Dreams Gardens.

About the Author

Kathy Purdy is a colchicum evangelist, converting unsuspecting gardeners into colchicophiles. She gardens in rural upstate NY, which used to be USDA Hardiness Zone 4 but is now Zone 5. Kathy’s been writing since 4th grade, gardening since high school, and blogging since 2002. Find her on Instagram as kopurdy.

In its own way, frost may be one of the most beautiful things to happen in your garden all year . . . Don’t miss it. Like all true beauty, it is fleeting. It will grace your garden for but a short while this morning. . . . For this moment, embrace frost as the beautiful gift that it is.

~Philip Harnden in A Gardener’s Guide to Frost: Outwit the Weather and Extend the Spring and Fall Seasons

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Donna@Gardens Eye View July 21, 2013, 5:32 pm

Kathy I am enjoying lots of bright daylilies as well!

Eric Prado July 19, 2013, 9:49 am

I have the same experience in not knowing the name of flowers but I do appreciate its appearance. Sometimes, I just put a name of it based on the looks. I love how you named it “daylily”.

Jennifer July 19, 2013, 3:49 am

I really like the choices you made,, there are some wonderful colors. I wish I had a nice looking garden…well I did until my 1 year old son decided to pull all the flower heads off ha ha. I will wait until he is a little older before trying again.

Donalyn@The Creekside Cook July 18, 2013, 7:51 am

I concur on ‘Frans Hals” – one of my favorites & it’s pretty old. I think the second one might be ‘Sammy Russell’, another old favorite of mine – a very prolific bloomer, though once it gets to be 6 or 7 years old, it peters out quite a bit, until you divide it. Though with something like 60,000 named daylilies, it is easy to be wrong 😉

Kathy Purdy July 18, 2013, 10:57 am

It might be ‘Sammy Russell’ Donalyn. Some of the images I googled didn’t look quite like it, and others did. I will consider it ‘Sammy Russell’ until I find a more likely candidate.

Petaltalk-Jean July 17, 2013, 6:56 pm

I’m so glad you learned the name of that unusual daylily. I just have a few because they tend to get somewhat pushy. But if I had an acre or two, I’d certainly grow more of them! Gorgeous photos. Thanks for sharing!

Flâneur Gardener July 17, 2013, 4:15 pm

My ‘Frans Hals’ are still waiting to bloom, hopefully later this week in time for our annual summer party on Saturday. (Well, a gardener can hope, right?)

I find it a very reliable day lily to deal with; No fuss, great hardiness and it spreads moderately but bulks out nicely.

Murielle Cyr July 17, 2013, 2:06 pm

Daylilies are one of my favourites. When the tall orange indigenous ones first bloom, it’s an indication that all the other ones will follow, a leader of colours, if you will. Low maintenance, hardy and loyal, they never fail to bring a smile.
you have a lovely garden.

Vivian Rowe July 17, 2013, 8:11 am

I love your beautiful photos, Kathy. These blooming wonders are totally majestic. My favorite is the pretty flax flower. 🙂

Kathie July 17, 2013, 7:37 am

The russet daylily might be ‘antec.’ I grow these. They look great near ‘annabelle’ hydrangea and also with a pink coneflower I have that has a russet eye. They also look good with yellow coreopsis.

Kathy Purdy July 17, 2013, 10:21 am

Kathie, I tried googling your suggestion and couldn’t find a daylily with the name ‘Antec’. Can you link to an online picture of it?

Rose July 17, 2013, 7:28 am

When I first started collecting daylilies I was very good about recording names of the cultivars and where they were planted. But I’ve added so many passalongs now that I’ve given up. Yours are lovely and can be enjoyed, no matter their name! Your rose campion is looking good, too; I remember seeing this plant in so many gardens in Asheville last year.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter July 17, 2013, 6:27 am

It’s really a shame there are so many daylily cultivars; it makes it impossible in most cases to definitely ID an inherited one. Yours complement each other so well. I love the near-spider form of the second one. I’ve never grown Lychnis, so I can’t offer an opinion beyond the obvious that it looks lovely.

Kalman Matolcsy July 17, 2013, 12:45 am

The first daylily is I believe–no, I’m pretty sure–the “Frans Hals” veriety.

Kathy Purdy July 17, 2013, 10:19 am

Having looked up images of Frans Hals, I believe you are right. Thank you for taking the time to let me know, Kalman.