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Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – June 2020

Giant starflower (Ornithogalum magnum)

June in the garden–does it get any better than this? It has recently been blissfully cool here, and the foliage and flowers are lush and lovely. Even narrowing the field just to the last 10 days or so, it was really tough to pick the highlights for this month’s Bloom Day. I’m keeping the text to a minimum to make scrolling through easier. Enjoy the tour!

Amsonia hubrichtii [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii)
Amsonia rigida [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Stiff bluestar (Amsonia rigida)
Amsonia 'Blue Ice' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Blue Ice’ bluestar (Amsonia) set against the foliage of golden meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria ‘Aurea’)
Allium christophii [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Star of Persia (Allium christophii)

Allium (Nectaroscordum) siculum [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Sicilian honey garlic (Allium [Nectaroscordum] siculum)
Below, a gallery of some beautiful baptisias: blue false indigo (B. australis) along with just a few of the colors in my ‘Hayefield Hybrids’ seed strain.

Baptisia australis
B. ‘Hayefield Hybrids’
B. ‘Hayefield Hybrids’
B. ‘Hayefield Hybrids’
B. ‘Hayefield Hybrids’
Iris Bearded Hybrid 'Edith Wolford' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Edith Wolford’ bearded iris
Iris sibirica 'Butter and Sugar' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Butter and Sugar’ Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)
Iris 'Lion King' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Lion King’ Dutch iris
Iris x robusta 'Gerald Darby' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Gerald Darby’ iris (Iris x robusta)–“robusta” indeed!
Iris 'Berlin Tiger' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Berlin Tiger’ iris (Iris pseudacorus hybrid)
Lupinus [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
“Ordinary” lupines (Lupinus), but the seed came to me as “lupines from Prince Edward Island”, so they are extra-special to me
Dianthus carthusianorum [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Carthusian pink (Dianthus carthusianorum)
Clematis addisonii [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Addison’s leatherflower (Clematis addisonii) – as far as I know. There are so many varying photos and descriptions of this species, it’s hard to be sure.
Clematis sp. [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
One of many leatherflower clematis crosses that pop up all over here
Clematis recta 'Lime Close' (Serious Black) [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Serious Black bush clematis (Clematis recta ‘Lime Close’)
Lonicera x heckrottii 'Gold Flame' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Gold Flame’ honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii) and golden mockorange (Philadelphus coronarius ‘Aureus’) – a fantastically fragrant combo
Lonicera sempervirens [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) – no need to fill the hummingbird feeder when this is in full flower
Rosa achburensis [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Rosa achburensis – an uncommon species with a short but abundant display
Rosa sericea ssp. omeiensis f. pteracantha [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Wingthorn rose (Rosa sericea ssp. omeiensis f. pteracantha) – with such striking young stems, this one doesn’t even need to bloom!
Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Black Barlow' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Black Barlow’ columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata)
Camassia leichtlinii 'Semiplena' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Double white Leichtlin’s camas (Camassia leichtlinii ‘Semiplena’)
Geranium maculatum 'Espresso' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Espresso’ wild cranesbill (Geranium maculatum)

Euphorbia palustris 'Zauberflote' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
This spurge travels under the name Euphorbia palustris ‘Zauberflote’, though it’s definitely not a selection of that species – go figure
Moving on from the early-summer classics, a selection of lesser-known favorites, oddities, and first-time bloomers…

Thermopsis villosa [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Carolina lupine (Thermopsis villosa) – started from seed last summer and already flowering in a holding bed
Tradescantia ohiensis [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) – thriving out in the meadow
Silene virginica [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Fire pink (Silene virginica)
Pimpinella major 'Rosea' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Pink burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella major ‘Rosea’) – though mind you, it is neither a burnet (Sanguisorba) nor a saxifrage (Saxifraga)
Orlaya grandiflora [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
White lace flower (Orlaya grandiflora)
Omphalodes linifolia [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Venus’ navelwort (Omphalodes linifolia) – how’s *that* for a common name?
NOID [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Ok, smart people: Can anyone help me with an ID on this annual? I bought the seeds as Phacelia congesta, but it’s clearly not that. I’ve really enjoyed it and would love to be properly introduced. Edit: Thank you, Helene, for identifying it for me: Phacelia divaricata!
NOID [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
A closer look at divaricate phacelia (Phacelia divaricata)
Allium x proliferum [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Walking onion (Allium x proliferum) – also known as Egyptian tree onion or top-setting onion. Talk about a plant with personality!
Allium x proliferum [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Walking onion (Allium x proliferum) – isn’t that delightfully quirky?
Gillenia trifoliata [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Bowman’s root (Gillenia trifoliata)
Nasturtium officinale [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) – growing in a pot from seed started this spring
Linaria aeruginea 'Neon Flash' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Neon Flash’ toadflax (Linaria aeruginea) – usually annual, but these overwintered
Iodanthus pinnatifidus [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Purple rocket (Iodanthus pinnatifidus) – a new native for me this year
Cytisus 'Lena' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Lena’ broom (Cytisus) – an eye-popping addition to the usual early-summer palette of pinks and blues
Asimina triloba [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Baby pawpaws (Asimina triloba)–hand-pollinating was worthwhile
Collomia grandiflora [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Large-flowered collomia (Collomia grandiflora) – a charming cool-season annual; look at the blue pollen!
Dracunculus vulgaris [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris) in bud – June 2nd
Dracunculus vulgaris [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris) – June 5 (opening day)
Dracunculus vulgaris [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris) – June 6 (on the way out)
Vincetoxicum acuminatum [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Cruel plant (apparently Vincetoxicum acuminatum, though I will always think of it by the name I received it with: Cynanchum ascyrifolium)
Tweedia (Oxypetalum) solanoides [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Pink-flowered tweedia (Tweedia [Oxypetalum] solandoides)
Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Snake gourd (Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina)
Thysanocarpus radians [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Ribbed fringepod (Thysanocarpus radians)
Briza media 'Limouzi' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
‘Limouzi’ quaking grass (Briza media) in bloom
Triticum dicoccon 'Black Winter Emmer' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Black winter emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccon) in bloom

Verbascum phoeniceum 'Violetta' [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]
Purple mullein (Verbascum phoeniceum ‘Violetta’)
If you’ve made it this far, thanks! If I may impose upon your attention for one more minute…you might have noticed something new here: Hayefield seeds for sale. With new Etsy fees making sales of small items practically pointless there, I’ve finally set up an area on this site where I can list fresh seeds as I get them collected and cleaned. I plan to do a separate announcement post in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, if you’re interested in fresh seeds of some of my favorite spring bloomers, please feel free to take a look: Hayefield Seeds. Setting this all up has pushed the limits of my website abilities, so if you find any mistakes, have problems navigating, or have any suggestions for seeds or features you’d like to see, I’d be happy to hear from you.

Would you like to receive updates on new seeds in my Hayefield shop? Sign up for my seed newsletter below. I promise these messages will be much shorter than my blog posts.



Posted on by — 19 Comments

19 thoughts on “Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – June 2020”

  1. Jan Wirth

    Enjoyed another beautiful post. Thank you, Nancy.

    Thank *you*, Jan. Happy Bloom Day!
    -Nan

  2. Helene

    Hi Nancy
    I am so happy that your are back and I have enjoyed every post ever since even though I haven’t written. The flower that you are probably looking for could be Phacelia divaricata instead of Ph. congesta.
    Keep on going!
    Helene, Switzerland

    That’s it! Thank you so much, Helene, for checking in and for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate it.
    -Nan

  3. Carol

    What a wonderful way to start the day! My dog and I always stroll around the garden to see what new bloomers have appeared. Thanks for making it possible for us to stroll around yours.

    Hey there, Carol. I don’t imagine the virtual tour was much fun for your furry companion, but I’m glad that you enjoyed it.
    -Nan

  4. opelski

    Thank you for labeling the wonderful plants, Nan. I have 5 of your Large Flowered Collomi in full bud- after 2 years. The plants are beautiful and I will send a photo when in bloom and update you on other seed happenings. I love the purple mullein! Also, is your Gold Flame on a support or is it roaming on it’s own? I look forward to all of your posts. What a busy resourceful person you are and bring so much knowledge to others.

    My goodness, it took 2 years to flower for you? I bet it will be worth the wait, though. It’ll probably be so much happier in your cooler climate than it is here. And yes, the purple mullein is a new favorite. I hope to get lots of seed (not an unreasonable hope in reference to nearly any mullein). The ‘Goldflame’ honeysuckle technically isn’t on any support, but it is wedged between my porch steps and the mockorange, and it kind of leans on both. Have a good one, Judy!
    -Nan

  5. Sandy Bigatel

    Just loved it, especially the snake gourd and the ribbed fringe pod. Thank you, Nan, you have made my day. Sandy

    A very good morning to you, Sandy! It’s such a beautiful day here in our part of the world; hope you get to be out to enjoy it. And yes, the snake gourd flowers are amazingly intricate. With luck, I will be able to post pictures of the fruits later this summer.
    -Nan

  6. Donna G

    A very lovely spring indeed! I too love the Verbascum, I had one, gone now, but I enjoyed its bloom. I always wonder, viewing your posts, how you have the nerve to sink a shovel or spade in Anywhere-for fear of disturbing something not up yet, a volunteer, self seeded, or forgotten plant🤔

    Hi Donna! That IS getting to be a real problem…well, issue, anyway. As a solution, I had considered making a brand new garden area for all the potted seedlings I have coming along, but where to put it that something else might not already be growing? Even when I’m mowing paths in the meadow, I feel terrible about running over baby oak seedlings and other things that might be coming up….
    -Nan

  7. tonytomeo

    Is ‘Gold Flame’ honeysuckle fragrant? I have been disappointed with ours so far because it has not gotten established. Bloom is meager, and not notably fragrant. Because I did not select it, I do not know what to expect from it. Fortunately, the dragon arum is not as fragrant as I expected either.

    Hi Tony! Yes, mine has a wonderful rich fragrance. It’s not especially heavy-blooming, but it’s not really in an ideal spot, either. The dragon arum “fragrance”…well, that first day it was really brutal. I was very glad that the odor of death had largely dissipated by the following day.
    -Nan

  8. Esme Hedrick-Wong

    I always enjoy and learn SO much from your gardening posts. Thank you! It’s the first time I have seen a photo of a field of Ohio spiderwort. They are much more beautiful than I imagined. I’m hoping your field is open to deer? I read the deer don’t like Ohio spiderwort. I’m also hoping to find a variety of irises that the deer don’t eat. They were very happy eating Siberian iris. Your advice would be much appreciated.

    Good to hear from you, Esme. Yes, the spiderwort is growing in an area that’s heavily traveled by the deer, and it is thriving and multiplying. I’m trying some of the ‘Gerald Darby’ iris in the same general area, and the deer have left it alone so far, but that’s only 1 year of a test.
    -Nan

    1. Esme Hedrick-Wong

      Wonderful to hear from you Nan. Thank you for letting me know if your deer eat Ohio spiderwort and your deer experience with Gerald Darby iris. Excited to try and grow these two plants in the future. All the BEST for a wonderful gardening season.

      I wish you the very same, Esme.
      -Nan

  9. ginny talbert

    Lots of pretty blooms, Nan, as always! I’m excited about your seed website. You grow so many things I’d like to try out (like I need even one more plant!). Thanks for the walk in your garden!

    Thanks, Ginny! I am very excited to have the seeds here now. I have a lot of ideas of special things I can do for the newsletter subscribers, in particular. I have many exciting new plants coming along this year and look forward to sharing them.
    -Nan

  10. krispeterson100

    Your garden is a bonafide paradise, Nan! The only flower we share in common at this point is Orlaya grandiflora but I will be taking a look at your seed collection as there are so many things I’d like to take a stab at growing.

    Hi Kris! How neat that we have the orlaya in common even though are gardens are so different, climate-wise. I don’t have much in the shop right now but am harvesting new things every day; just need time to get them listed.
    -Nan

  11. Allan Robinson

    Hi Nan, you do spoil us, with so many wonderful photos of your beautiful plants plus your notes on each one. Feeling a bit low today, ‘shielding’ so not able to go out far, your post made my day, so thank you.
    My Dragon Arum in full sun, has Just gone over, it was 24°C (73.4° F) when it was in full flower, so you can imagine lol

    My goodness, Allan, you’re up late. It’s good to hear from you, though. May you, your garden, and your companions all be safe and well. And believe me, I know just what you mean about the arum. I had to hold my breath each time I went out to photograph it and then stagger back to the house to recover.
    -Nan

  12. Lynda

    Beautiful as always. How exciting to see that Mulliein comes in purple. Is this a new variety? I am excited for your site based store too. I will look forward to seeing what comes up for sale as you progress. I have been enjoying growing from seed this year and have had much success with all my seed from you! Just out of curiosity, I have been looking for walking onion and would like to know if it will appear in your store. Thank you for all the fun I am having in my garden!

    Hi Linda! No, the mullein isn’t new; purple is the usual color for this species (V. phoeniceum). I’m so happy to hear that the seeds are doing well for you. Unfortunately, that onion doesn’t set seed (as far as I know); it is propagated by the bulbils that form atop the stalks. Have a wonderful summer with your seedlings!
    -Nan

  13. Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening

    Did the cynanchum get a name change? I got my original plant from Ellen Hornig and she’s usually pretty good about correctly naming plants.

    Every time I look, it seems to have different names! I’m just going to keep calling it Cynanchum ascyrifolium; it was hard enough getting that to stick in my brain. I have some news to share: the four seedlings I started from Gardens North seed years ago finally started flowering for the first time. I have them planted in the same nursery bed with your gift plant. Two seedpods formed on the first flower to open! One got eaten by something, and maybe the other will too. But, it bodes well that I will eventually be able to offer seeds.
    -Nan

  14. Nono

    Bonjour Nan, merci pour vos photos magnifiques, c’est un plaisir pour moi de les voir et revoir plusieurs fois dans la journée. J’ai reçu un jeune plant de dracunculus vulgaris, j’ai hâte de le voir fleurir. Cette année, pour la première fois, j’ai fait beaucoup de semis, dont la molène. Sa couleur sera une surprise. Les épines du rosier sericea sont très belles avec cette couleur rouge. Bonne journée et bon jardinage Nan.

    Hello Nono! I am happy that you enjoyed the photos. If I remember correctly, it took my Dracunculus vulgaris about 4 years to reach flowering size. And yes, the thorns of that rose really are beautiful, particularly when the sun shines through them. May you enjoy a lovely summer in your garden!
    -Nan

  15. Betsey

    I did not know you could grow watercress in a pot! Do you grow it like an emergent, partially submerged in water, or just in moist potting soil?

    I didn’t either! It’s an experiment for me. The instructions on the seed packet advised setting the pot in a larger container of water to about 1 inch below the top of the inner pot and changing the water every few days. Seems to be working!
    -Nan

    1. Betsey

      Many thanks! Something new to try next year.

  16. bittster

    I’m always so glad to see a post from you. Congratulations on the seed offerings on your website! You have quite a few talents, and of course when they include offering more seed varieties, that’s even better!
    How about centaurea atropurpurea? I never thought I’d want a knapweed, but there it is on my wish list!
    Do you mind if I share your snowdrop seed listing? It’s so hard to find viable seed and I’m sure someone will want to give them a go.
    All the best! Frank

    Thanks, Frank! I have the Centaurea atropurpurea seeds on order, so there’s a possibility. And yes please, feel free to share any listing with anyone you think might be interested. I’m not sure I will offer the snowdrop seeds again in future. It took a good bit of time to collect and clean them, and I’m a bit concerned about how well they will travel in summer heat. Still, it seemed worthwhile to give them a try at least once.
    -Nan

  17. Klaus K.

    Hi – i enjoy your posts especially because I always seem to discover new plants. By the way, is the native purple rocket (Iodanthus pinnatifidus) fragrant, and if so is it light or does it waft?

    Hello Klaus! The Iodanthus is described as being fragrant, but I sniffed it at various times of day throughout the bloom period and did not notice any scent.
    -Nan

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