Every time the 15th of the month comes around, I’m immensely grateful to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for coming up with the idea of Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. Besides providing a great opportunity to share what looks best in the garden, it’s been the only form of garden journaling that I’ve ever kept up with for more than a few weeks. There’s only one problem: sometimes there’s so much going on outside that once a month isn’t enough to keep up with all the good stuff. So, rather than make one super-sized post, I’ve decided to concentrate on just the flowers and foliage this time and save the combination and garden photos for the end of the month.
So…flowers. Well, the main theme for the last month can be summed up in one word: lilies. Of the true lilies (Lilium), the star has been ‘Freya’. I’m embarrassed to admit that I misidentified this one as the Orienpet (Oriental-Trumpet hybrid) ‘Conca d’Or’ last month, when I showed the buds and raved about its vigor. Well, here’s the real ‘Conca d’Or’.
It’s ok but reaches only 3 to 4 feet, finishes quickly in hot weather (often in less than a week), and bleaches out within a few hours of opening in its full-sun site.
‘Freya’, an LA (Longiflorum-Asiatic) hybrid, is growing just a few feet away, but it’s miles ahead in performance. It was beautiful just in bud (below on June 20th) at about 40 inches tall…
…and opened to a wonderful clear yellow two days later.
Look at the substance of that thing! It ages to almost ivory, but new flowers keep opening daily over a long period, so it has a nice range of yellow shades through most of its bloom period. It’s so bright that you can’t miss it. Here it is on June 25th.
On the same day, from a different angle:
The very last petal finally dropped yesterday, but the rest of the plant still looks so good that it will remain a presence for several more weeks, at least.
Below is the Orienpet ‘Satisfaction’.
Like ‘Conca d’Or’, it’s nice but no comparison to ‘Freya’ in vigor. Below is a shot of the two of them together on July 8th for comparison, with ‘Satisfaction’ at barely 18 inches (and with one dying stem) and ‘Freya’ at nearly 4 feet..
An Orienpet that has done very well here is ‘Purple Prince’. Above it’s just opening on June 5; below it’s about at peak on July 8th.
Behind and to the left of ‘Purple Prince’ is ‘Robina’, another Orienpet. It was a giant for the first two years but seems to be getting less vigorous, while ‘Purple Prince is increasing nicely. Here’s a closer shot of ‘Robina’, from July 13th.
Among the Asiatic hybrids blooming in the last month are rich red ‘Monte Negro’, at peak on June 20th at about 28 inches tall…
…and “black” ‘Landini’, above on July 2nd and below on July 8th, at about 20 inches tall.
I planted all of these true lilies at the same time (October of 2010), so it’s been very interesting to compare their performance here over the past several seasons.
Midsummer is also prime time for the other lilies: daylilies (Hemerocallis). I have quite a few, but most are now stuck in a corner out back, kept only for the purpose of providing bedtime alpaca snacks for Daniel and Duncan. There are a few that have proven to be interesting enough for the main garden, though, including ‘Nona’s Garnet Spider’…
…and ‘Milk Chocolate’ (both on July 8th).
The main season for ornamental onions (Allium) is about done, but there have been some neat ones opening over the last few weeks, including drumstick chives (A. sphaerocephalon, below on July 2nd)…
…nodding onion (Allium cernuum, July 13th):
…keeled garlic (A. carinatum subsp. pulchellum, July 13th):
…and regular garlic (A. sativum), below on July 5th with Leucanthemum ‘Becky’ and cilantro (Coriandrum sativum).
Two other bulbs just started their season this week: Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ above and ‘Oakhurst’ pineapple lily (Eucomis) below (both on July 14th).
Among the perennials that have peaked in the last several weeks are Knautia macedonica (below on June 20th):
…wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) and Geranium ‘Brookside’ (also on June 20th):
…American ipecac (Gillenia stipulata, June 20th):
…’Governor George Aiken’ mullein (Verbascum, June 22nd):
…eastern prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa, June 25th):
…Miss Willmott’s ghost (Eryngium giganteum, June 25th):
…meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria, July 1st):
…Japanese burnet (Sanguisorba obtusa, July 1st):
… Teucrium viscidum ‘Lemon and Lime’ (July 8th):
…purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, July 13th):
…and Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum, July 14th).
False hemp (Datisca cannabina, July 13th) is technically a shrub, but it dies back to the ground each year here, so it acts more like a perennial (a self-sowing one, at that).
Among the vines, ‘Goldflame’ honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii, July 13th) above and the species clematis below (July 2nd) are still flowering from last month…
…while this other, very vigorous , no-name clematis (July 5th) started around the end of June.
Some really cool annuals have been doing their thing too. ‘Lauren’s Grape’ poppy (Papaver, June 20) started just a few days after the last Bloom Day.
I’ve grown tassel flower (Emilia javanica) before, but this pure orange strain, called ‘Irish Poet’ is new for me this year. It may well be one of my top favorites for 2013. Below it’s shown on June 20th, about a week after it started flowering, and it’s still going strong a month later.
Above (June 20th) and below (June 22nd) is annual mallow (Lavatera trimestris)—most likely ‘Silver Cup’. (Thanks for the seeds, Clark!)
Amethyst flower (Browallia americana, July 1st) started flowering about 3 weeks ago and should keep going through the end of September.
Midsummer brings out the best in many tender coreopsis selections, such as ‘Limerock Ruby’ (July 2nd) above and ‘Desert Coral’ (July 14th) below.
Pretty little Petunia exserta started flowering about a month ago. Despite the heat, high humidity, and practically daily rains we’ve had over the last month, it is still quite happy.
Now, in honor of tomorrow’s Foliage Follow-Up at Digging, some leafy shots, starting with ‘Limon Blush’ coleus (June 20th):
…’Big Red Judy’ coleus with Tropicanna canna (Canna ‘Phaison’, July 8th):
…’Keystone Kopper’ coleus with ’Golden Delicious’ pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) and peppermint geranium (Pelargonium tomentosum), on July 13th:
…Plectranthus ‘Lemon Twist’ (with Delosperma cooperi and Sedum pachyclados, July 2nd):
…rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii) with rex begonia vine (Cissus discolor), on July 13th:
…‘Splash Select White’ polka-dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya, July 14th):
…variegated peppermint (Mentha x piperita ‘Variegata’ , July 14th):
…a variegated form of dayflower (Commelina communis f. aureostriata; thanks for the seed, Kim!) on July 14th:
…and ‘Old Gold’ corn (Zea mays) on July 13th.
This photo isn’t impressive, but I think the plant is: ‘Silver Drop’ cider gum (Eucalyptus gunnii). I planted three of them from 4-inch pots in June of 2011, transplanted them into my unheated greenhouse in November of that year, and moved them back out the the garden in May of 2012. By the end of that growing season, they were 5 to 6 feet tall. All three plants survived the winter outside (mid-Zone 6), but I had to cut most of the stems back to the crown, where new growth was appearing. One of the tall stems survived, though, so I now have a really nice patch of eucalyptus and one 6-foot-tall eucalyptus tree in the herb garden—pretty cool! It’ll be very interesting to see if it makes it through yet another winter.
Well, that’s more than enough flowers and foliage for one post. Don’t forget to visit the main Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day post at May Dreams Gardens to see what other gardeners are showing off today.
Before you go: if you’re seeing ads when you visit here, would you leave me a comment to let me know? I let the no-ads option expire about a month ago, and I’m trying to decide if it’s worth the expense to renew it. It definitely would be worth it if the ads bother any of you!
Happy GBBD! Your garden is looking spectacularly colourful! Thanks to one of your photos, I have now managed to identify a mystery plant in my garden.
Glad to have been of help, Mara. Thanks for visiting today!
-Nan
Hi Nancy,
I have Orienpet Satisfaction on my blog right now and it is over five feet tall. My only complaint is that it fades in the heat of the day. Conca d’Or is one of my favorites, about four feet tall and lasts quite a long time without fading. The one that holds up the best for me is Orienpet Lavon. I do love those lilies to create a little drama in the garden.
Eileen
I haven’t tried ‘Lavon’ yet, but I just looked it up and am tempted to order it this fall. I think some of mine have been decreasing due to the competition from the other plants…but then, some of them don’t seem to mind it.
-Nan
Beautiful as always Nan, although I like your late summer garden best. :) Do you by the tender Coreopsis each year, or do you have some overwintering strategy?
Love the Eryngium gigantea!
(I think my adblocker caught all of the ads, as I didn’t see any)
Hi Alan! My strategy for the tender coreopsis is to treat them as annuals and buy new ones each year. That eryngium is very happy this year; maybe I’ll add it to the seed offering this fall. Thanks for letting me know about the ads (or rather, the lack thereof).
-Nan
Nancy,
Thanks for the wonderful writing and terrific photos. I always enjoy what you share with us.
No ads came through – hope they don’t catch on that you have dropped that option.
BTW – those of us who went on the HPS trip to Belgium saw some spectacular gardens. I’ve never thought of Belgium as the hotspot of the garden world, but have to say it was one of the best trip ever. Knowledgeable gardeners and truly wonderful private gardens especially. They are very keen on many plants/forms that most of us either have no luck with or haven’t seen (one gardener said that being only 2 hours from Germany and also close to the Netherlands, they have access to the latest breeder offerings). I’ll forward to you a few photos of plants that our group found especially intriguing.
B
Thanks so much for visiting today, Barbara, and for sharing the photos of your travels. I almost included a photo of Orlaya in today’s post, but I have it in a nursery bed and the setting isn’t especially photogenic. It’s loaded with blooms, so if nothing happens to it, I should have plenty of seeds to share this fall.
-Nan
Lovely, as always. Enjoyed the tour of vignettes, blooms and foliage. I was sure my eucomis is ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ but seeing your ‘Oakhurst’ I now wonder if mine was mislabeled.
Thanks, Freda. I’ve not been able to see a difference in plants labeled ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ and ‘Oakhurst’. I’d been told (can’t remember by whom) that ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ is seed grown and ‘Oakhurst’ is vegetatively propagated, but I haven’t been able to confirm that.
-Nan
I am a fan of Lilies. Daylilies are useful in the garden. Everything looks just lovely.
It’s hard not to appreciate the flowers that can shine during the sultry weather so usual this time of year, isn’t it? Happy Bloom Day to you, Nell Jean!
-Nan
I’ve grown emilia before too, which I remember as a darker orange. That strain is lovely. And that ‘Milk Chocolate’ daylily always tempts me to change my no-daylilies rule. Fantastic July garden, Nan — even eucalyptus! (Didn’t notice any ads.)
You’re right, Denise: the species is much darker, more of an orangey red. I like it a lot, but I think I like the pure orange of this one even better. It belongs in my fall seed offering, for sure. I too love that daylily. Every picture I take shows it as a different color: anywhere from a deep brick red to a light milky coffee, depending on how much sun it gets and how hot the weather is.
-Nan
Beautiful photos of beautiful plants. Thanks for sharing your garden with us! Have always loved lilies and the colors you’ve highlighted are DELICIOUS! Thanks for the other plants too–you must have quite the spread down there! Take care!
Anne
Thank *you* for stopping by today, Anne. I hope you and your garden are enjoying an equally flower-filled summer!
-Nan
You’ve reinforced my belief that I need to add more lilies in my garden. Thanks for the tips on your best performers and thanks, as always, for sharing your beautiful garden!
I used to not be crazy about lilies, Kris, but these new hybrids have changed my mind. Fortunately, we don’t seem to have lily leaf beetles here (yet, at least). I understand that they can put a big damper on the delights of these beauties.
-Nan
Hi Nan:
I started the seeds of Patrinia that you sent me and wanted to share them with a friend until she sent me an article from Cornell stating that it was a host plant for Daylily Rust. Since I have quite a few day lilies and other lilies, I am wondering if I should plant it now. Do you know anything about this?
Paula
Hi Paula. Yes, I’ve been hearing about that for years, but so far, I haven’t seen first-hand reports of garden problems with the two plants growing near each other, and I haven’t noticed any signs or symptoms in my own garden in the last 10 or so years. Daylily rust is already so common that I imagine there is much more chance of infected daylilies spreading the disease to other daylilies. If you are worried about it, though, then certainly, destroy the patrinia seedlings.
-Nan
Nan I don’t know what is going on with your Satisfaction tree lily.
Of the five tree lilies I grow it is my favourite and the tallest. This year it came in around 5 feet 8 inches and had close to 10 massive blooms.
I got mine around the same time you did and they have grown more every year. If some of yours are leveling off though maybe its time for you to move them ?
It might just be hit or miss though! Two of mine are ‘tree’ size the other three are regular size.
They all have the same conditions too. Buried very deep, tons and tons of bone meal, full sun, good drainage, and regular watering. Here I was thinking ‘Satisfaction’ was just a better variety than the others. Go figure.
An excellent example of why one shouldn’t depend on just one person’s experience, Jesse! It’s been so interesting to compare these hybrids all growing within about 15 feet of each other. But even with most of the variables the same, there are still plenty of possible reasons for the variability here, and for why mine are different from yours. I’m very glad that you shared your success with ‘Satisfaction’. I’ve heard good things about it from others, too, so maybe I’ll give it another try.
-Nan
Nan, I know when I click through to your site I’ll be saying, “Oh my!” Over and over. And I did. That you can grow lilies at all is fantastic – mine have fallen to the dominance of the lily leaf beetle, despite all the squishing I can muster. (BTW, I see no ads except for books, which I assume you intend to be there.)
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re dealing with those beetles, Helen. I understand that they can be devastating. I imagine that our time will come soon enough, so I’ll enjoy the lilies while I can and move on to something else when I have to. Thanks for letting me know about the no-ads, too. (Yes, I do want the book links; I just meant ads that WordPress puts on the site.)
-Nan
Your garden is always so lovely, I especially like the staging of plants together, it gives me ideas. Lilies have not been good performers for me, though one made wonderful clumps with lots of blooms a few years, then mysteriously disappeared. Trumpet lilies have been reliable. But daylilies do great here, and make large clumps. I’m trying to grow a couple of Eryngiums from seed, leavenworthii which is still small, and alpinum which has not come up in spite of being chilled, etc. Your Mrs. Willmott’s looks fantastic. I grew Emilia but was disappointed it did not return the next year. I’m always looking for plants that will self-sow.
Best of luck to you with your seed projects, Hannah. I’m envious that you have E. leavenworthii. I grew it for a year or two but haven’t been able to get it to germinate for the last few years. The species Emilia self-sowed here for a season or two then disappeared. I’ll be sure to collect seed of ‘Irish Poet’ for sowing next spring (and for sharing this fall, too).
-Nan
I had a chance to buy the variegated peppermint this spring and now I wish I had. How do you manage the invasive qualities since it is obvious you don’t keep it isolated? I always look forward to your posts.
I’ve learned to keep it in a container, Amy. Sometimes I let it take over the whole pot; other times, I divide it in spring and replant just one piece so there is room for a companion or two.
-Nan
Everything looks fabulous as usual! Limon Blush is one of my favorite coleus (if it’s possible to have a favorite). Red lily leaf beetle has forced me to deep six most of the lilies and I miss them. Fortunately there is no shortage of them in July Bloom Day posts.
Happy GBBD! I will look forward to your end of the month combination post.
Oh, Sue – sorry to hear that you have those beetles too. That ‘Limon Blush’ coleus is really something, isn’t it? It seems to be one of those that changes continually depending on the light and temperature.
-Nan
The lilies are so beautiful, especially “Robina”. I remember seeing that one last year and thinking I’ve got have it. Everything in your garden is spectacular. What a treat for the eyes!
I wish I could share the fragrance of those lilies too, Phillip: yet another treat for the senses. Happy Bloom Day to you!
-Nan
Hi Nan. Love your garden posts. I noticed your gorgeous Poppies and have a question about them. They’re springing up everywhere in my garden at the moment, still small. Do you ‘weed’ some out to allow a fewer amount to have more space? Or do you let them fight it out amongst themselves? Would love to know your regimen. Jenny
Hi Jenny. Usually I just leave them alone. Where they’re crowded, they tend to be smaller but make a nice show over a period of a week or two. Some seedlings pop up as single plants in various places and are quite vigorous, but their flowers open and pass quickly, so they don’t make much of an impact. If all of yours are small, then yes, maybe you’d want to thin them out a bit. And when they set seed, maybe try scattering it in other spots so the seeds can come up in fresh places next year.
-Nan
Thanks so much for the advice. Much appreciated.
Good luck with them, Jennifer!
-Nan
Great post, Nan, and no ads visible for me, by the way. I’ve learned to ignore ads at the perimeter of blogs, so as long as not too intrusively placed, it wouldn’t be horrible if your blog included some.
PS – your seeds of Nigella ‘Cramer’s Plum’ are now both lovely white flowers and small plum purple pods beneath a leggy Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’, and sandwiched between Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ & Crambe maritime at my community park – a satisfying combination if I do say so myself.
That sounds like a great combo, Eric. I’m so glad to hear that the nigella is doing well for you. Stay cool!
-Nan
Fun! I grew a few lilies here too. I had one, ‘Royal Sunset’ that I posted a month ago I think. It’s an Easter Asiatic if I remember correctly. What a beauty it is. Thanks for all the bloom and foliage shots. Happy Bloom Day Nan.~~Dee
Oh MY! That one looks like a must-have, Dee. I’m definitely adding it to my bulb order (which is getting longer by the day). Thanks for enabling. By the way, your okras are loving the hot weather we’re having out here. Happy Bloom Day!
-Nan
I’m so glad about the okra. Mine is kinda stuck because we’ve had mostly cool weather. Today is 90 though. Time to weed the vegetable garden again and lay down some straw. Fairegarden also grows ‘Royal Sunset’ so it likes two places. I want that ‘Purple Prince’ in my garden. Do you have trouble with lily beetles? We don’t have them yet.
Hi there, Dee. Nope, no lily beetles here yet, as far as I know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they show up in the next few years. Then the lilies will go the way of the roses, and other things will take their place.
-Nan
Sometimes when a post is long, I tend to skim along the brightest blossoms and miss something important. Today I came back for a longer look and discovered the Eucalyptus I missed yesterday. Park’s seeds used to feature Eucalyptus seeds, years and years ago before I lived where they would thrive. I’m going to search them out. Thanks.
I’m glad you found that of interest, Nell Jean. I was just admiring the plant again this evening. It’s always neat to see a plant do something it’s not supposed to be able to do!
-Nan
I, too, have had good luck with ‘Satisfaction’. Mine is probably nearly 5′ tall, too, and had multiplied over the years. It get some shade growing under my apple tree. http://talking-to-plants.blogspot.com/2011/07/satisfaction.html
Wow, Rachelle – “good luck” is putting it mildly. Mine would probably do better with some shade.
-Nan
Nan, stunning as always, I seem to spend days just going through these images, drinking them in! I love, love, love the Knautia backed by the dark-leaved Corylus…so rich and moody…and I totally love the strip of Veronicastrum running through the grasses…so simple and perfect!
Hey there, Scott! That Veronicastrum shot is one of my favorites too. It’s a very different style and palette than I have inside the fence, but sometimes simple is good. I hope you’re having a great gardening summer!
-Nan
A visual feast! Got any advice for a gardener who loves lilies but whose entire crop is devoured each year by something: bunnies? groundhogs? the Loch Ness monster? I plant them under netting and when they appear, remove the net and put circles of wire around the stems. I garden in town, so it’s not deer. Help!
I wish I knew what to tell you, Nancy. I wonder if it’s a person rather than a critter? I’d occasionally have flowers taken when I gardened in the center of town in Emmaus. Sometimes people would walk off with potted plants from my nursery if they showed up without an appointment and I didn’t answer their knock; other people would snip blooms from along the street or my driveway. Maybe you need a trail camera or security camera to find out what (or who) the pest really is so you can take appropriate measures? Sorry I can’t be more help!
-Nan
Amazing + inspiring combinations as always!
A word about ads for readers out there – there is a great plug-in for Firefox called AdBlock Plus that blocks all internet ads. I never see anything when on my computer and am actually shocked at how busy so many pages are when I use someone else’s computer. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/
Thanks for visiting, Megan. I use AdBlock Plus myself, so I wouldn’t see the ads even if they were here. And you’re right: it’s surprising to see how many are out there when I switch computers!
-Nan
A wonderful array of blooms and foliage as usual. Does poppy ‘Lauren’s Grape’ come true from seed? And might it be possible to make it part of your annual seed “exchange”? It’s such a nice purple! I agree with you about lillium ‘Freya’. It has a lot of presence just being in bud. Sometimes I think I enjoy the budding stage of some plants more than the bloom– such a breathless promise of things to come. I really like the shot of the culver’s root in the grasses too. Very restful. What is a rosary vine? Tropical? I love it! Sources? Thanks for the marvelous Bloom Day!
Hi Kate! The poppy usually does come true, though when I shared some with a friend last year, the seedlings varied a bit in color. All of mine were purple this year, however. I think most of the seeds have dropped but I’ll see if I can catch some for you. The rosary vine is usually grown as a houseplant. I bought mine locally, but you can get it from Logee’s: Rosary vine.
-Nan
Beautiful lilies! If you do have a no day lily rule for your garden, try Autumn Minaret. I gave all my day lilies away because the ones I grew had the most rattiest foliage after bloom. Then I received Autumn Minaret to try. The scapes are five feet tall and blooms late when you need it. I have it on the west side of my yard and the evening sun makes the very tall yellow blooms glow. Place a finch feeder beside it in the fall and you have a great perch. The downside is winter is coming. Thanks.
Thank *you* for the recommendation, Greg. I’m always looking for great late bloomers, and ‘Autumn Minaret’ sounds like a winner!
-Nan
If you want, I can send you some starts this fall.
Thank you so much for the offer, Greg! I’d be happy to send you something in exchange, or at least pay for the postage.
-Nan
Thank you especially for the pics of the lilies. I have some spectacular five-foot + lilies blooming right now with no special attention or care, and of course it was making me think I need more of that, but I’m not familiar with varieties. Lovely pics.
Isn’t that always the way? You find a plant that really likes you and then you can’t just buy more because you forget its name! Maybe you could separate your bulbs and start a new patch in another spot?
-Nan
where do you buy Freya band D lilies lists a Ms. Freya –but it is red. A google search left me not knowing where I could purchase it.
Sorry about that, Liz; I didn’t even think to check to make sure it was still available, since I planted it only 3 years ago. I bought it from Van Engelen, but I see it is not in their current catalog. You probably found that it is listed on the Eden Brothers site (Longiflorum-Asiatic Lily Bulbs ‘Freya’) but is currently sold out. Some bulb places list lilies in their spring-planting catalogs as well, so I’ll keep an eye out for it and email you directly if I see it for sale.
-Nan
Love your gardens! Love your photography!
I believe your prolific, noid, purple nodding clematis is ‘Roguchi”, it looks just like mine.
Thanks so much, Brenda! You’re right about the similarity, but these grew from seed ages ago. I wish I hadn’t lost the labels when I moved here. I’m pretty sure they were a particular species, but I think there’s a good bit of variability and I keep getting confused. Whatever they are, I adore them!
-Nan
What a treasure trove of July blooms, Nan! I don’t know how you keep up with it all, but you do a fantastic job. Your garden is as gorgeous as ever and I’ve enjoyed seeing it again after so many months. The lilies are glorious and your photos are wonderful, as usual.
Great to hear from you, Kerri, and thank you! I hope all is well with you and yours. Take care!
-Nan
Hey Nan,
that Teucrium viscidum Lemon & Lime has a wild variegation. Is this from seed??
Great pics as always, I hope to have a super cool variegated annual to
share with you this fall. Will let ya know. Rick
Hi Rick! I started with a plant and don’t know if it will come true from seed. I think I’ve already cut it back, but if I can collect any seed, I’ll send some along this fall. I can’t wait to hear with new oddities you’re trying this year. I’ve really been enjoying the treasures you shared with me so far.
-Nan