Amazon Lily
Well it’s getting cold for this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day. Coldest temps of the winter expected this week. So I thought I would start with the Amazon Lily pictured above. This plant is about 30 years old and has never been repotted. It flowers twice a year with these orchid like flowers and survives with minimal care. We put it outside once the frost has passed us by and it will flower again in July. Highly recommended.
On the outside of the house right now the camellias are still the special flowers. This one sits in the northeast corner of the house and survives even being outside the deer fence.
Camellia Sasanqua October Magic Orchid
Another special camellia is ‘Yume’ which has become pretty reliable.
Camellia ‘Yume’
Of course if you stopped by for a visit right now I would take you out to see the first daffodils. Rinjveld’s Early Sensation may turn out to be too early as the flowers may get blasted this week.
Daffodil ‘Rinjveld’s Early Sensation’
Otherwise what we have are a number of snowdrops, one of which has seeded itself into the lawn.
Galanthus elwesii
Out in the woods we do have a distinctive foetidus hellebore coming into flower.
Helleborus foetidus
Lastly I should share the heather which looks like it is going to flower all winter long.
Krarmer’s Rote Heather (Erica x darleyensis)
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day December 2023
Camellia ‘Yume’
Once again our best December flowers for GBBD are the camellias. The one above was purchased at Camellia Forest Nursery which is probably the best source for camellias in the whole country. It took a few years to get to flowering but now has probably a dozen buds on it for this year.
Its older cousin is the red camellia sasanqua which has a record number of flowers this year.
Camellia sasanqua red
Camellia sasanqua red
Even the camellia ‘survivor’, which flowered earlier than the others, still has a few flowers left on.
Camellia ‘Survivor’
Elsewhere around the yard there are still a few things that have withstood the 25 degree temperatures that we’ve seen so far. In particular the Japanese Quince is loaded with early blossoms.
Japanese Quince
And the heather has more flowers than I’ve ever seen on it.
Krarmer’s Rote Heather (Erica x darleyensis)
Krarmer’s Rote Heather (Erica x darleyensis)
One little surprise in alpine bed is a cute little polygala
Polygala chamaebuxus
When you actually go inside the greenhouse there are some very lovely flowers in process.
Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)
Oxalis luteola
And some oranges just about ready to harvest
Satsuma dwarf Owari
One item from the greenhouse that has made it into the house is very striking Nerine from Far Reaches
Nerine ‘Pink Triumph’
I should mention too that when I went out to the woods yesterday I found the dark black berries from the Blackhaw Viburnum hanging in the tree.
Blackhaw Viburnum
A reminder of the flowers that will come in the springtime.
I should also mention that I spent early yesterday morning ordering seeds from the North American Rock Garden Society Seed Exchange. It’s a wonderful opportunity to acquire unusual seed from all over the world.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day November 2023
Camellia ‘Survivor’
Just a few things to share for this bloom day. As always the Camellias are the most startling representatives of our late Fall gardens. I’ve never figured out why more people in Maryland don’t grow the Camellia Sasanqua but for us it multiple weeks of pleasure. The white one shown above is the first to bloom and probably the hardiest on our property. It comes from Camellia Forest in North Carolina. But right behind it is our red Fall Camellia which I brought back from California many, many years ago on my lap in a cross-country flight.
Red Camellia sasanqua
The rest of the yard has pretty much succumbed to touches of frost. Still no really hard frost so a couple of roses are still in bloom.
Crocus Rose
And a few spots of Daphne can be seen too.
Daphne
The last flowers in the vegetable garden are some lovely little calendulas.
Calendula
And it’s hard not to notice the berries when you walk about the yard.
American Holly
Otherwise it’s diving into the greenhouse where I’ve made space for other plants by taking out the 10 foot high pomegranate and some other potted plants that had rooted themselves in greenhouse floor (not allowing that anymore). This leaves space for big pots like this Plectranthus.
Plectrantrus
I think we will also harvest some mandarins this year off of the potted citrus.
Mandarin Orange
Some of my favorite greenhouse plants are the various Nerine species. They bloom over a long period with various flowers that resemble more reasonably sized amaryllis. The one in flower at the moment is Nerine undulata.
Nerine undulata
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day October 2023
Amarine tubergenii ‘Zwanenberg’
Well, it’s been a lovely Fall week for catching up with GBBD and many tasks in the garden. Finally the outside ground is somewhat moist and there is a lot of green around garden, woods, and pasture. Nonetheless as my eye explored the garden yesterday it was the Nerines that stood out to me. I think it was two years ago that I first acquired the Amarine tubergenii from Quackin’ Grass Nursery. They have a brilliant pink that stands out from other plants. They stem from a cross between Nerine bowdenii and Amaryllis belladonna and while they are in principle hardy in zone 7 the only time I tried the plant didn’t return so I keep them in the greenhouse for now.
A 2nd Amarine
At the same time a much smaller Nerine is blooming in the greenhouse.
Nerine zinkowski hyb.
This was a hybrid seedling distributed by the Pacific Bulb Society. A lot of flower for a small pot.
Of course I could share the many annuals still in bloom around here. The zinnias are blooming like crazy and the Dahlias are maybe the best they’ve ever been.
Dahlia ‘Mai Tai’
Some of the perennial returnees from last year are notable like this Monkshood
Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’
And there are many that just continue in flower week after week.
Last of the Colchicums
Cyclamen hederifolium
Tibouchina urvilleana
Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’
Four o’Clock
I did add another plant to the garden today, a little Mahonia that came via Issima Nursery in Rhode Island. This is a seedling from Mahonia eurybracteata and we shall see how hardy it is.
Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Soft Caress’ seedling
It’s worth noting that it’s not only flowers that are showy at this time of year. The berries can be quite splendid.
Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
And as I closed the gate tonight I couldn’t help but notice the Red Jade Crabapple
Red Jade Crabapple
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day September 2023
Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)
Well this has been a terrible summer for us. We have a few flowers for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, but we have lost so many plants to drought. The Princess Flower has survived because it is on the porch getting regular water.
Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)
But we don’t have anything like the usual flowering at this time of year. Probably the most striking flowers right now are the dahlias which also have gotten fairly regular watering.
Dahlia ‘Mai Tai’
Dahlia ‘Helen Richmond’
The sedum is pretty hardy and has returned with its usual flowering for September.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
And the colchicum at coming out the ground as scheduled.
Colchicum bivonae
Colchicum ‘Giant’
The very reliable cestrum is still in flower.
Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’
And walking about the yard yesterday, I found a few cyclamen with fall flowers.
Cyclamen hederifolium
In the greenhouse a pot of the non-hardy cyclamen was also in bloom.
Cyclamen graecum
Beside it are several pots of sinninglia species (that are happy to spread to neighboring pots)
Sinninglia sp.
It is worth mentioning that the dry weather has been very good for our figs and it’s become a lunchtime habit for me.
Steady stream of Figs
Also very noteworthy is a lovely little bukiniczia with great foliage in the alpine bed. It came from seed this year and should be able to flower next year.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day August 2023
Crepe Myrtle
Well it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day again and I would like to begin by celebrating the crepe myrtles that provide a summer flower show. As you can see from the above image the red one has been with us for a very long time. It’s well over the garage roof. The bark is wonderful and the individual flowers are lovely one and all.
Individual Crepe Myrtle flowers
We also have a white one down in the pasture and it seems to be growing nicely.
Crepe Myrtle white
Flowers that we see every day are the Princess Flowers on the back porch.
Princess flower (Tibouchina urvilleana)
Both we and the hummingbirds look forward to our daily dose.
The Hydrangeas are also prolific and and an everyday summer flower show.
Hydrangea ‘Limelight’
Looking around the yard you have appreciate just how dry it has been here.
Dry ground
We are currently at 75% of the normal rainfall and that has left us with many dead plants from my spring planting. Yes we run hoses but there are many places on 7 acres that are not accessible the hoses. I have a set of watering cans but that only covers the time when I’m actually here.
Watering Cans
Despite all that, and with help of hoses, we do have some more flowers to share. As always the Allium millenium are reliable summer color.
Allium millenium
And I noticed (after one of the few thunderstorms that we’ve had) the Cyclamen hederifolium are starting to bloom.
Cyclamen hederifolium
As we wander out to the garden it is clear that the annuals provide a spot of color.
Annuals in the veg garden
And nearby the sunflowers are on display
Sunflower
More Sunflowers
The vegetable garden is also where we find a steady supply of gladiolias
Gladiolus ‘Princess Margaret Rose’
And despite the drought we have a good supply of vegetable and fruit. I notice that the raspberries are starting their fall crop.
Fall Raspberry crop
And we been bringing in peaches and pears.
Harvesting Pears (Crispie)
That’s it for now, I’ll go back to doing my rain dance…
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day July 2023
Orienpet Lilium ‘Scheherazade’
Well, for mid-summer it’s got to be all about the lilies for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.
Each time the wind begins to chime,
And end begins to near
A whisper of the softest sort
Flows gently to the ear
The scent and sight enough are great
Yet lilies live for more
The lilies whisper poetry
As none have heard before
— The Lilies Whisper Poetry by Deborah Amar
Orienpet Lilium ‘Scheherazade’
Lilies are definitely the most striking flower in the yard right now. They come in all shapes and sizes.
Orienpet Lily ‘Anastasia’
Lilium oriental ‘Muscadet’
Lilium oriental hybrid ‘Casa Blanca’
Lilium ‘Madame Butterfly’
Oriental Lily ‘Stargazer’
Orienpet Lily Conca d’Or
Of course, the lilies also work on the inside of the house.
Showy lilies on the mantle
However, there are other things happening on our hillside. I notice, for example that the Corydalis are doing there usual magic in the front yard where they just gently spread over any vacant space.
Corydalis lutea
Similarly, the echinacea are everywhere in the perennial beds.
Echinacea purpurea
I should also share the Cestrum which is just now flowering for the first time this year and they will go on like this for the next 5 months.
Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’
The Hydrangea are just now flowering for the first time this year as well and they will also have any extended flowering.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’
One of the real delights for us is the Bishop of Llandaff Dahlia which has once again survived a winter in the ground.
Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’
In the middle of the backyard there are some allium also showing up for the first time this year.
Allium ‘Millenium’
If we go back beside the greenhouse the alpine bed has some Daphne that are flowering once again this year.
Daphne collina x cneorum
Nearby in the troughs there is one with a little potentilla that flowers for a long time.
Potentilla hyparctica ‘Nana’
And in another trough a very tiny thyme that has taken over a good part of the trough.
Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’
I should also share the vegetable garden which has a number of flowers.
Vegetable Garden
Although flowers are not the main purpose there are many, many flowers every day in the vegetable garden.
Cucumbers
If you think of corn as a grass, it is the tallest grass we’ve ever grown in our garden this year.
Kandy Korn
We’re just hoping the raccoons don’t come exploring for the corn. I won’t go into the peaches, pears, and apples — more about those in the future. But the wildflowers in the pasture are quite striking right now.
Wildflowers in the pasture
We mowed them down once because of the poison ivy, but the flowers seem to be outgrowing the poison ivy at the moment. And finally, it has rained now and then for which I’m quite grateful.
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day June 2023
Stewartia malacodendron
Although it’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day I am leading off with a flower that finished blooming last month. It came into bloom at the end of May and I was so frightfully impressed that I have purchased yet another of these trees. I promise another posting on the Stewartias because they are well worth sharing.
Currently the Stewartia japonica which we’ve had for years is just now coming into bloom
Stewartia japonica
In the meantime the other striking flowers at the moment are the lilies. Just a few of them are showing right now but they are lovely
Yellow Lily in the Herb bed
Asiatic Lily ‘Forever Susan’
Lililum ‘Istanbul’
Lilium ‘Purple Marble’
There is also a very late and very large Azalea at the front of the house
Xtra Large White Azalea
The rest of flowering is more or less normal roses, penstemon, and annuals. One exception is the Evening Primrose out on the bank to the pasture.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa)
This wildflower came along on its own and appears anytime we don’t mow to close or too often on the pasture hillside.
We have been busy picking and eating fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries). Mostly it’s what we expect but for many of them they are bit on the small side given the extremely dry weather we’ve had (can we say drought?). The exception is the wild cherry tree at the entrance to our forest.
Wild Cherries in Blossom
This tree is just one of many wild cherry trees in our forest. Most of them seem to have come from bird-planted seedlings from the original orchard that we planted forty years ago. They all have reasonable taste and the birds love them.
WaxWing in the Cherry Tree
This gives some idea of the density.
But the really surprising thing is that one of the smaller trees with branches actually close to the ground has absolutely marvelous cherries and they grow without being sprayed. Just pick them.
Josh picking at the xtrasweet wild cherry
This is one of the bowls he brought in the other night.
Wild Cherries
Of course the other thing we get is as a bonus is all the birds visiting at this time of year.
Waxwings Sharing Mulberry
I’ve even seen the bluebird in the cherry tree, though he spends most of his time harvesting grubs in the grass.
A very blue bluebird
Life is good. Now if we could just get some rain…