Lycoris radiata
A total surprise for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day is this lovely Lycoris. It started blooming last week and I almost missed it because it’s been terribly dry and not very rewarding to check out the growing things. In general it’s been more a case of survival with less than a 1/4 inch of rain in September and only just now getting a few drops.
We can still count on the annual zinnias, marigolds, and cosmos, but we’re definitely on the light side for flowers right now.
The Nasturtium in Beth’s raised bed have been putting on quite a show.
Very happy Nasturtium
A couple of the perennials that reliably show up, even with drought are shown below.
Japanese anemone ‘Whirlwind’
Tricyrtis ‘Sinonome’
And a first time plant for us that may or not be perennial is the Cestrum.
Cestrum x ‘Orange Peel’
This flowers all during the growing season in our area. And it just keeps getting bigger.
There are also some lovely flowers still hanging on the Hydrangea by the back porch.
Hydrangea ‘Limelight’
One of the troughs that I inherited from a member of the Potomac Valley Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society has a delectable little Sedum growing in it.
Sedum cauticola (?)
I noticed in the alpine bed several flowers on one of the Daphnes, and that seems quite out of season.
Daphne collina x cneorum
Also in the alpine bed the Sculletaria continues to flower, as it has all year long.
Scutellaria resinosa
In the greenhouse itself, there is a marvelous little gloxinia-looking plant from Bolivia.
Seemannia nematanthodes
The color on this little beauty is really remarkable.
And just outside the greenhouse is a little Zephyranthes that has jumped ship into the alpine bed.
Zephyranthes sp. escapee
Speaking of escapees the grass in the orchard has all of a sudden become Japanese stiltgrass. This is an almost total takeover in one year. It’s quite beautiful, but definitely invasive.
Japanese stiltgrass
I did mow it after taking pictures. Ideally one does this before it sets seeds for next year.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day September 2019
Eastern Swallowtail (Dark Form) on Zinnia
It’s appropriate to feature a zinnia for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post because they are all over the place — in vegetable garden, by the driveway, and in the orchard. It’s hard to disagree with a flower that comes from seed so easily and lasts all season long. In fact zinnias were the first flower we planted when we got inspired to start gardening fifty years ago. We read a book by Jeanne Darlington (Grow Your Own) that led us to scratch a little garden plot next to our student housing. There have been a lot more flowers since …
Typically we have Dahlias and Glads in the vegetable garden just for picking.
Dahlia ‘Bodacious’
And son Josh planted a lot of wildflowers around the property this spring.
California Poppy reblooming
Including especially zinnias and sage in the orchard, but also this particularly pretty variety of basil.
Basil in flower
My eye tends to get distracted by the perennials, especially those that are giving a bonus rebloom.
Daphne x susannae ‘Tage Lundell’
Delosperma congestum ‘Gold Nugget’
There is also a nice little patch of Colchicum in with the wildflowers in the backyard.
Colchicum ‘Byzantium’
As you walk down the driveway it’s hard not to notice the Viburnum with it’s berries hanging out into the drive.
Viburnum wrightii
In the greenhouse I found the Scilla maderensis budding up a few days ago.
Scilla maderensis
And now the flowers are opening up.
Scilla maderensis opening up
This is also the oxalis time of the year.
Oxalis bowiei
One after another, the Oxalis break into bloom from early September into February.
I’ve also found myself reading up about Zephyranthes and their close relatives Habranthus. These are both part of the Amaryllis family and they are spectacularly easy to grow. They are often called rain lilies because the rapid appearance of the flowers in late summer. I’ve had the yellow forms (like Zephyranthes smalli and Z. jonesi, or Habranthus texensis) for a number of years, but what I’m discovering is that the pink and red forms of the family are really special.
This little Habranthus has white flowers that are tinged pink on the outside.
Habranthus magnoi
And these two Zephyranthes are both of the pink persuasion mixed with white.
Zephyranthes miradorensis
Zephyranthes labuffarosea
This last one is especially large for a Zephyranthes. It was found in Mexico on a red mountain, therefore it’s name. Most of the Zephyranthes prefer a southern climate (say zone 8), but they are easy to overwinter in a pot. They make abundant seeds which will start popping up in other pots if you don’t pay attention. I’ve got a number of pots that I thought were tritoma or babiana or some other bulb, only to realize that they were actually Zephyranthes volunteering to use an empty pot.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day July 2019
Deep Red Daylily
Well the middle of July Bloom Day update is always highlighted by lilies, daylilies, and sunflowers. They are the strength of the season. We’ve just returned from a vacation and they are the first flowers I see.
Rich Golden Daylily
Light pink Lily
Lily ‘Stargazer’
Lily ‘Scheherazade’
Lily ‘Anastasia’
Anastasia is an Orienpet (cross between Oriental and Trumpet lilies) and it’s one of our favorites but it’s season is nearly done. Two week ago it was sprawling across the fence row.
Lily ‘Anastasia’ coming into bloom at the end of June
Nearby are the crocosmia that are a long-lasting flower for July.
Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’
Out in the vegetable garden the sunflowers are reaching for the sky.
First Big Sunflower
Hybrid Sunflower
Also from the vegetable garden are the gladiolas that are now part of the inside decor.
Harvesting glads from the garden
A really unusual flower for July comes from the greenhouse.
Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis
Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis detail
This is a South African flower that I obtained from the Pacific Bulb Society.
I had this plant growing for 5 years before I got the first flower, but it is delightful. During the 1-2 month dormant period it does a good imitation of a dead plant, so you have to have some patience.
Outside the world of flowers the redhaven peach is covered with peaches right now
Red-haven peaches
And the Kingbird is in command of the mulberry tree in the mornings.
Kingbird eating mulberries
That’s it for quick look at Ball Rd. What is blooming in your garden?
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day June 2019
Lily ‘Forever Susan’
In June the lilies begin to make their statement for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day. They are exploding around the yard and they provide excellent cutting flowers as well.
Lilium ‘Forever Susan’ inside the house
One of my favorites is in the monument bed
Lilium ‘Netty’s Pride’ group
Lilium ‘Netty’s Pride’
In addition to the lilies another regular for this season is a very extravagant japanese iris
Iris ensata ‘Flashing Koi’
The bletilla continue with their orchid-like flowers.
Bletilla ‘Brigantes’
And nearby is a new Roscoea that we got from Far Reaches this year.
Roscoea purpurea f. alba NAPE 239
We have several clematis that have been trailing on fences and trellis including this one that runs up the sambuccus.
Clematis ‘Krakowiak’
A very long-lasting flower is one of the gentians in the alpine bed.
Gentiana dahurica
Walking in the front yard you discover there are many white flowers on the grass and then you look up in the tree and see the source.
Stewartia japonica
There are many, many flower buds on the tree.
With all the rain that we continue to have it’s not surprising that the green leafy plants are doing well.
Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’
Arisaema farghesii
Arisaema candidissum
In the greenhouse there are multiple habranthus in bloom (they seed around abundantly).
Habranthus robustus
The habranthus are much bigger than their zephyranthus cousins.
We were in the orchard this week bagging apples (basically to ward off insects). The really odd thing is that we have a much smaller crop than normal because many of the trees flowered last fall in response to our tremendous rainfall. It turns out that one the few trees to have a few apples worth protecting is our Spitzenburg. I don’t know if you have tried Spitzenburg but it is one of the best apples ever. In our case this is the one survivor of a row of Spizenburgs and it is barely hanging on as a tree.
Spitzenburg trunk
Nonetheless the apples on it are looking very nice.
Apple ‘Spitzenburg’
This is usually a tree that is very hard hit by pests. So it’s very strange to see it outyielding much bigger stronger trees.
By the front of the second pasture is a volunteer adam’s needle that is flowering by its lonesome.
Adam’s Needle (Yucca filamentosa)
And nearby are various meadow plantings of wildflowers that son Josh put in this year. They are prospering.
Wildflower mix
And of course the wildlife are enjoying Josh’s efforts.
Cosmos in wildfire mix
Worth noting in the first week of June
Stewartia malacodendron
Last year at Stonecrop’s alpine sale I purchased this small tree from Don Dembowski with the hope of someday seeing the beautiful flowers that websites described. I was amazed this year when several flowers appeared in its first year on our rocky hillside. This is multiple weeks ahead of it’s neighbor, Stewartia japonica. Not to take anything away from Stewartia japonica with its lovely bark and many flowers, but the S. malacondendron has much larger and absolutely gorgeous flowers.
Stewartia malacodendron flower
So far the deer have chosen to ignore this wonderful addition to our front yard. It seems happy within the shade of surrounding trees. Inspired by this success I’ve purchased Stewartia monadelpha as well and I’m looking for where to place what will eventually be a pretty large tree.
The remarkably consistent event on the first of June is the appearance of the Arisaema fargessi and Arisaema candidissum
Arisaema fargessi emerging
Each year I wonder if they have disappeared over the winter and each year they check the calendar and stick up their cone on June 1st (A. fargessi was a day early this year, but A. candidissum was right on schedule. Meanwhile many of their Arisaema brethren have been up and about for many weeks. The most striking at the moment is a new Arisaema ringens cultivar.
Arisaema ringens ‘Black Mamba’
The Arisaema ringens are big plants with leaves that extend over a couple of feet. Here is the normal A. ringens in its third year.
Arisaema ringens
This is also the time of year for the martagon lilies to share their elegance.
Lilium x martagon ‘Claude Shride’
This one looked particularly nice when we put it in the middle stones that had been painted at a garden party last week.
Martagon lily with stones
In the front yard right now we have white daphne that is covered with fragrant blossoms.
Daphne x transatalantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’
And an azalea with some of the largest azalea blossoms I have ever seen.
White azalea
A focal point of the center garden is a large spuria iris with striking purple blossoms.
Spuria Iris ‘Stella Irene’
And in the monument bed a very pretty bletilla is in full bloom.
Bletilla ‘Brigantes’
The greenhouse still has a few contributions as well. A pine woods lily that has appeared in other years at this time.
Alophia drummondi (Pine Woods Lily)
And a flower from Brazil that I don’t recalled having flowered before.
Neomarica candida
It’s very exotic, but you have to pay attention because the flower is only there for a day.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day May 2019
Aquilegia buergeriana v. oxysepala
The surprise for this month’ Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day (in a month that has been full of flowers) is this striking Aquilegia that is almost 4 feet tall. It is also volunteering in places where I didn’t plant it, but that’s all right for now.
Aquilegia buergeriana v. oxysepala
Aquilegia buergeriana v. oxysepala
I grew this several years ago from seed obtained from Growild in Scotland and I was immediately captured by the color combo. Nearby is a related plant grown from the same source.
Semiaquilegia adoxoides fl. pl. Alba
Of course we also have the old reliables.
Peony ‘Festiva Maxima’
Rhododendron ‘Chionoides’
Allium triumphant in the front bed
A striking addition to the front bed is this dark purple salvia from Plant Delights
Salvia ‘Amistad’
Recently I’ve been noticing that the extravagant foliage of the podyphyllums hides some lovely flowers. The p. delavayi has dark red flowers.
Podophyllum delavayi
But even prettier flowers are on the podophyllum pleianthum
Podophyllum pleianthum
Podophyllum pleianthum flowers
Back at the alpine bed the various dianthus are putting up a spectacular show right now.
Dianthus petraeus subsp. petraeus
Dianthus petraeus subsp. petraeus
And the saxifraga’s are illustrating their value in troughs.
Saxifraga x longifolia
In one of the more recent troughs i’ve now added a little horned rampion that came from one of last year’s seed exchanges.
Phyteuma sieberi (Horned Rampion)
Let me close by noting that son Josh has planted many allium in the orchard as potential deer deterrent and wonderful eye candy.
Allium around young peach tree
They are wonderful mixed in with all the meadow flowers we have growing right now.
Allium as accent in the meadow garden
Besides the buttercups and daisies that we get naturally Josh has added crimson clover to the mix.
Buttercups and clover
Crimson Clover
We are continuing to run a couple of weeks ahead of last year, with again a powerful amount of rain in the mix. Currently our rainfall is 60 % above normal and it has left the ground wet and fields green and lush.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day March 2019
Ferraria ferrariola in the greenhouse
Well, I guess it’s a typical March Bloom Day. The weather has oscillated from snowfall to 60 degrees of beautiful. The last snow we had was last week and it disappeared almost as fast as it came. With 70 degrees yesterday.
March 9 snow
Heather in the snow (Kramer’s Rote Heather)
But this week we are back to spring bulbs in abundance.
Winter Aconite in abundance
The Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) are spreading vigorously and my thought is take some of the seed that appears this year and help things along by spreading it other places.
The first Iris has popped up in the front yard beneath the Stewartia
First Iris
And the first Scilla are flowering in the woods.
Puschkinia scilloides
A very special Hellebore is preceeding its brethren with charming striped flowers.
Helleborus thibetanus
And the Adonis are still flowering in various parts of the yard. Especially nice is the orange variant, Adonis amurensis ‘Chichibu Beni’
Adonis amurensis ‘Chichibu Beni’
In the alpine bed the Draba is the first to appear
Draba hispanica growing in a piece of tufa rock
And beside it the first flowers are appearing on the Aubretia.
Aubretia
In the greenhouse, where I tend to think of it as South African spring, the exotic Ferrarias are capturing a lot interest at the moment.
Ferraria sp.
There a number of other unusual flowers at the moment that make nice indoor treats
Babiana purpurea
Geissorhiza inaequalis
Moraea vegetata
But for the indoors I have to give the most credit to the Clivias which have been spectacular this year.
Spectacular Yellow Clivia
Hall of Clivia at the front door
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day January 2019
Well a couple a snowfalls have put a definite damper on our flower show for this January Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day. The view out the back door gives a sense of our surroundings this mid-January day.
Backyard after fresh snowfall
Nonetheless there are couple of stalwarts that have seen fit to bloom despite the snow.
Pink Camellia
I have no idea the name of this camellia. I brought it back from California in my lap many years ago as one gallon $2.99 supermarket acquisition. I grew many years in the basement before I realized that the camellias were likely hardy enough to survive outside. For a winter like this one where we have yet to see temperatures below twenty degrees, this plant will flower from December onward. When it’s freezing cold the flowers will get browned off at the edges but usually we can grab a nice bud in the opening stage and enjoy it in the house before that happens.
And, of course, if they are not covered by snow, the snowdrops will persist in flowering well into spring.
Snowdrops
The other flowers for us are from the greenhouse.
Firelight Gold daffodil on block wall
Narcissus bulbocodium ‘Firelight Gold’
Notice the number of buds forming in this pot. I will definitely need to divide these after they go dormant.
Narcissus Roy Herold seedling
Beyond the greenhouse it’s also worth looking at flowers in preparation, for example the Edgeworthia
Edgeworthia buds
And some remarkably early Jeffersonia dubia
Jeffersonia dubia (early)
I amazed each year the early appearance of flowers on this single Jeffersonia dubia. It looks like it is predisposed to flower much sooner than Jeffersonia ought to be waking up.
I’ll close with a picture of the large pileated woodpecker that has been working on our big tulip poplar…
Pileated Woodpecker