Six on Saturday: Feels like summer

We made it through our heatwave--six days in the 90s (32C). Luckily it wasn't quite as hot or as long as expected. And we got nearly an inch of rain one day so I just had to water some of my new seedlings. Not much gardening was done beyond that.

Today is a slightly cooler 87F (30C) and is supposed to be overcast later, so I'm hoping to get in some much-needed weeding. Here is a peek at some of the new things blooming in my garden for Six on Saturday, hosted by Garden Ruminations. 

My hydrangea macrophylla 'Linsey Ann (L.A. Dreamin' hydrangea) just started to bloom a few days ago. This is its third season in my garden and while I miss the bright blue it was when I bought it, it's still pretty. It's perfectly at home in this pot on the deck, safe from nibbling deer (so far!), receiving morning sun and afternoon shade. I overwinter it in our unheated garage and am always amazed it turns from display of dead-looking sticks back to this.

This 'Firefly Fuschia' yarrow I planted last year is living up to its name. I planted it in the fall and the color was much more muted then, but I like this version too. 

This unknown version of monarda is blooming, probably a month after the wild bergamot in the back bloomed.

The common milkweed is blooming. I need to remember to grow more of this next year.

Much of the species coneflower (echinacea purpurea) received the Chelsea chop courtesy of the deer, but is starting to bloom now. Coneflower spreads like a weed in my garden, not that I mind.

Unlike me, this elephant ear loves the heat. I've had these two for years and am still amazed they spend all winter in a cardboard box in the basement, then do this.

That's it from my garden this week. Visit Garden Ruminations to see what else is in bloom from gardens around the globe.

Six on Saturday: June 21 edition

I was finally able to get out in the garden today after a few days forced hiatus thanks to a nasty case of vertigo. It was therapeutic to see what's blooming and and take some pics to share for Six on Saturday, hosted by Jim at Garden Ruminations. This is the first day of an expected 9-day heatwave in our region. Today was the coolest day we'll have at 90F/32C, but at least we've had plenty of rain going into it. 

The Shasta daisies 'Alaska' are still blooming their heads off. They always strike me as such happy flowers and this is the healthiest they've looked in years.

I'm also completely enamored with the breadseed poppies (papaver somniferum) and so are the bees. I love the variety of this heirloom mix. Double poppies rarely pop up, so I had to feature this beauty.

This is my first time growing clary sage (Salvia sclarea v. turkestanica) and the deer are leaving them alone which is a nice bonus. Supposedly they smell like grapefruit, but I haven't experienced that.

The deer have been munching all of my drift rose blooms, but this one survives for now.

I haven't bought many plants this season, but couldn't resist getting these two Midnight Masquerade Penstemon last week when they were on sale at my local garden center. I love the dark foilage and they filled this hole nicely.

I was surprised to see this lily today. It must have hitched a ride with some free bearded irises I was given. I'm going to let it finish blooming and then will dig it up and pass it on as lilies are extremely poisonous to cats. I don't want to risk it since our cats enjoy "supervised visits in the wild" from time to time.

That's my six for today, don't forget to visit Garden Ruminations for more or to share your own.

June Blooms

It officially feels like summer in my central Ohio zone 6b garden. Some things are still behind, but it's heating  up and so far we're still getting enough rain to keep the garden looking fresh. It's been in the high 70s and 80s for the last week and by next weekend we're expecting to be in the 90s. The hot temps are a little too warm for me, but that's summer in Ohio.

This week I'm most excited about my favorite poppy, the breadseed poppies (papaver somniferum). These are from a heirloom mix I purchased from Select Seeds last year. I  saved and direct-sowed thos seeds in early spring and this is the result. I just love the variety and go outside each morning to see what new variations have bloomed.

This is the first dahlia to bloom this year. While pretty, it's certainly not Penhill Dark Monarch as advertised. That's the risk of buying from a big box store I guess.

And this yellow dahlia is a surprise as I thought I'd pulled the yellow dahlias last year (they don't quite fit my color scheme). But here is one I missed that survived winter. The bees will love is, so it'll stay for the season and I'll reevaluate it this fall.

'Alaska' Shasta daisies

I have a bunch of lavender and wouldn't be without it. I like to dry a bit each year to display as dried flowers in winter. And the bees love it.

bellflowers

My first-ever clary sage (Salvia sclarea v. turkestanica); bloom and it's so unique. I grew this biennial from seed last year via winter sowing and this is the first one to bloom. It has also been completely deer resistant so I plan to grow more in the future.

The lamb's ear is also blooming. It's not my favorite look, but the price was right on these (free) and the  bees have been enjoying it.

Also in bloom are salvia farinacea, pansies purchased in March (well worth it), a few coneflowers and foxglove beardtongue.

That's it for this month in my garden; visit May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming elsewhere.

Six on Saturday

I've wanted to participate in Six on Saturday, hosted by Jim at Garden Ruminations, for some time to showcase things not in bloom for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and today I finally managed it.

Let's see what's in bloom today in my small central Ohio city garden, shall we?

1. My Sarah Bernhardt peony, which is one of the first things I planted in this garden (bareroot no less) was looking so good but two days of rains have beat it down to the ground. The blooms are so pretty, but so heavy I cannot manage to keep them upright. I finally bought a peony cage this year, and things looked promising, but it wasn't tall enough. If anyone has tips for staking long-stemmed peonies, I need them. 

The silver lining is, it's encourage me to cut bunches since a lot of the stems are damaged and they currently look better in a vase than drooping on the ground.

2. I've been enamored with native beardtongues since starting to plant them in 2023, especially this hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus). The blooms are dainty but beautiful. 

3. These are the only Rocky Mountain Penstemon blooms that survived a severe deer pruning. Their purple color almost glows it's so vibrant.

4. My foxgloves are on their way out but this pink one is one of my favorites and complements my baptisia australis that has been blooming since mid-May.

5. I have a few self-seeded columbine that popped up in areas that make them nearly impossible to photograph well. This is as good as I can get this year.

6.  Once upon a time, after much failure, I finally grew from seed and planted pink oriental poppies. Now I only have orange ones, which doesn't fit the color scheme for my garden, but they are pretty anyway so they stay.

May Bloom Day

Things are starting to wake up in my central Ohio zone 6b garden, helped by plenty of rain and mild temperatures.

Up first is blue false indigo (baptisia australis). I've had this lovely native plant for many years and always enjoy it's lovely purple blooms.

My purple bearded iris (unknown variety) are also blooming. Not only are they gorgeous, but so far they've been completely deer resistant, something that is becoming more critical in my garden these days. And bonus, all of my irises were a gift from two generous neighbors.

Fellow native Monarda bradburiana is also blooming. This one is growing through a cloche to keep it safe from the deer and menagerie of critters who reside in our back yard (bunnies, groundhog and racoons, oh my!). Did I mention I live in the middle of the city?

Various types of allium are blooming throughout the garden, like a display of purple fireworks. It's another beauty the deer leave alone.

I've had two Miss Kim Lilacs for at least 17 years and they were starting to look worse for the wear. Last year I nervously did a significant prune and am really pleased to see all the new growth at the bottom. This year I plan to prune the old growth even further.

The pansies I bought in late March are still blooming away thanks to the real summer heat not arriving yet, which is fine by me. Just another reminder for me that it's worth it to buy spring annuals; these have brought a lot of color and joy for the last two months.

Lastly, we have the rare Toby flower, who would like to be outside as much as possible, but alas is only permitted supervised visits. He too spends most of his outside time in the garden beds.

That's it for this month in my garden, but visit May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming elsewhere.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - April 2025

Hello and welcome to a new season in my central Ohio 6b garden! Early spring is primarily about bulbs around here. This bed should have had a lovely display of pink and purple tulips, but unfortunately the deer got all but this one. Even though I regularly sprayed repellent. Our deer are determined.

The daffodils are on their way out, but there are still some to enjoy. The duo above are two of my current favorites, Daffodil Salome and Narcissus Cheerfulness. And the one below is also very cheerful.

I love grape hyacinths. I used to have a lot more running through part of the lawn, but unfortunately they seem to have been suffocated when I created a new garden bed. Oops. I might have to plant some as I miss them.

I bought a flat of pansies in mid-March and have really been enjoying them. I used to avoid pansies since they are relatively short-lived here, but how many $15 bouquets last for a month? They've more than earned their place.

And I was inspired by Carol at May Dreams Gardens to include this shot of some of the many wild violets that run through my lawn. Thanks to my laziness in never using weed killer on my lawn they're prolific and now that I know their value (host plant for fritillaries) and the harm weed killer does, I'm grateful.

That's it for this month in my garden, but visit May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming elsewhere.

A crispy September Bloom Day

I'm excited to see these Sky Blue Asters (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense) finally blooming in it's second year.

Unfortunately it's crispy here as in dry, not the temperature. Our drought has worsened to an extreme drought. Luckily there aren't water restrictions in our city, but there are some restrictions and burn bans south of here, where the drought is even worse.

I am still watering, but not as much as I have been and only the newly planted and flowering annuals.

One of the newer plants is this 'Firefly Fuschia' Yarrow. I just love it.

I'm also loving the Shooting Stars dahlias grown from seeds from Floret Flower Farm. This pink beauty is my favorite.

This one is eye-catchingly moody.

This dahlia that I planted last year was labeled Penhill Watermelon, which it certainly isn't. Perhaps it's Penhill Dark Monarch? Regardless, I love it. This color is one I probably wouldn't have picked out but compliments my other dahlias nicely, especially Otto's Thrill. 

'Otto's Thrill' dahlia

The 'Apricotta' cosmos are blooming consistently despite the drought and pests.

The zinnias are still blooming like crazy and the 'Senorita' zinnias have been especially gorgeous this year. I'll definitely be saving seeds from this one.

Here is a nice moment in the front flower bed featuring a variety of zinnias, a peek of salvia farinacea and my volunteer tomato patch in the background.

This has probably been my best year ever for nasturtium and I have several varieties in bloom, but I think these are the prettiest.

I'm also really loving this serendipitous combination of Brown-Eyed Susans and purple basil.

That's about it for what is blooming in my garden in September, but you can visit May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming in other gardens around the globe.