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.
 |
| '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.
I haven't had much luck with poppies (even California poppies!) but I think I'll make another stab at growing them from seed next year. Your dahlia is well ahead of any of mine but I'm pleased at least the vast majority of my tubers have at least sprouted this year. We've had temperatures in the mid-80s here too this weekend - it's too early for that!
ReplyDeleteI've had pretty good luck with direct sowing these breadseed poppies, but have struggled with others. Only my two single dahlias are blooming so far, still some time to wait for the fuller ones.
DeleteThe breadseed poppies are wonderful! I've not grown that type. I ought to try.
ReplyDeleteYou should! They've done pretty well for me and I sometimes struggle to direct sow even things most people say direct sow easily for them. This year my issue was needing to thin them quite a bit (and I should have done more).
DeleteYour breadseed poppies intrigued me. I ended up in an Internet search and I think they would be too large for my small sunny plot. But they sure are pretty! Your experience with the dahlias from the big box store, alas, mirrors the one experience I had years back. We, also, are going to be in the 90's next week in the Southern Tier of New York.
ReplyDeleteI became smitten with breadseed poppies after seeing them on Gardener's World.
DeleteI had good luck for awhile with big box store dahlias, but my original Penhill Dark Monarch (a big brand from a local garden center) had some kind of gall so I had to pull it and I've failed twice when purchasing collarette dahlias. Guess I'm going to have to invest more if I want something specific!
We were kind of behind here in S. Wisconsin, too, but now the weather is really heating up and the blooms aren't lasting as long. :( Your Poppies are incredible! I haven't had much luck with them, but I don't have much sun here. I'll keep trying in the little spots of sun that I do have. I've had a little more luck with Dahlias, and I'll keep growing them. They're such great cut flowers!
ReplyDeleteI agree, dahlias are great, especially as cut flowers. While beautiful, the poppies don't last very long. I think my biggest patches are in part sun, because it's by the front of my north-facing house. They do come up much better on the bare patches of soil I have. I've also had luck with oriental poppies.
DeleteI've not tried the bread seed poppies, I wonder if they would grow in my clayey soil? All other poppies I've tried have died. Yours are gorgeous! I love Clary sage--the deer in my area have eaten some of the leaves and even flower buds, but it is mostly resistant--their aroma is very strong!
ReplyDeleteMy soil is full of clay too, so I think they'd work. They do seem to really like the bare patches I have (we removed some diseased boxwood and I still haven't figured out a permanent replacement), that's where my big clumps are.
Delete