Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Bloom Day - June 2021

I did a quick scan of the last six years of June Bloom Day posts and confirmed my guess that I'd featured either Agapanthus or Achillea 'Moonshine' as the headliner in every case.  So I'm going to break from tradition and start off with some of the other stars of my June garden this time but, don't worry, I'll get to those old dependables eventually.

Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' is covered in peachy-pink blooms.  The hum of bees is audible from feet away.

The pale yellow flowers of Crassula pubescens radicans are tiny but they make up for that in sheer numbers.  The yellow flowers and red stems also provide a perfect accent to the 'Blue Glow' Agaves growing in this area.

Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman' is immediately noticeable for both its bright blue flowers and its pungent scent

Salvia canariensis var candidissima is rubbing elbows here with Salvia leucantha x clevelandii 'Pozo Blue'

Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga Lily), a New Zealand native, is a reliable June bloomer

Cistus crispus 'Sunset' took a few years to settle in but now puts a good show.  The pale pink flowers shown in the upper right are those of Cistus x skanbergii, sited to the left of 'Sunset' 

Last year I grew Ammi majus 'Dara' from plugs but this year I grew its cousin, Daucus carota 'Dara', from seeds.  The latter is more robust but their flowers appear identical to me.

Gaura lindheimeri comes back every year.  It self-seeds but it hasn't gone crazy (yet).

Globularia x indubia (aka globe daisy) isn't commonly found in garden centers but it's a good investment if you come across it

It's daylily season here and Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem' is the most vigorous of mine

Other Hemerocallis include, top row: 'Cordon Rouge' and 'Sammy Russell'
Middle row: 'Double Impact' and 'For Pete's Sake'
Bottom row: 'Indian Giver', 'Plum Perfect', and 'Russian Rhapsody'

The Magnolia grandiflora in the front garden is loaded with blooms that are virtually impossible to photograph.  I made several attempts with a telephoto lens before I was able to capture these photos.

At this time of year, Pandorea jasminoides and Trachelospermum jasminoides mingle comfortably on the arbor separating the cutting garden from the dry garden

Tagetes lemmonii blooms more heavily in fall but the smattering of bright yellow color is welcome at any time of year

 

To give the old standbys their due, here are the usual June headliners:

Achillea 'Moonshine' got an early start this year and it looks as though its blooms are already fading but I'll try cutting it back hard within the next few weeks to see if I can get a second flush

I've got Agapanthus (most unidentified cultivars inherited with the garden) in at least eight different areas but I dug up and divided the largest groups in two areas last year, replanting only some of the bulbs.  They'll bulk up again in time but I expect fewer bloom stalks this year.

And, speaking of old standbys, here are my year-round bloomers:

Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'

Grevillea 'Superb', fronted by Cuphea 'Vermillionaire'

I also have this happy mish-mash of flowers:

The combination here is Erigonum nudum 'Ella Nelson's Yellow', Tanacetum niveum, and Nierembergia 'Purple Robe' 

There were a few surprises this month:

This photo of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Marianne Charlton' was actually taken at the end of May but I couldn't resist sharing it.  It's in a pot and dropped numerous buds before producing this single bloom.  I think it either needs a much larger pot or to be planted in the ground.

I stuck a pot containing Echinopsis oxygona in a shady spot along the house when the mimosa tree was cut down late last year and never moved it into a sunnier spot so I wasn't expecting it to bloom but it has

Lilies don't generally grow well in my climate/soil but this one, received 4-5 years ago as a gift with purchase, blooms every year.  I've no idea as to its identity.

Both of the plants shown here seem to be late in blooming this year.  On the left is the first bloom of a noID ruffled cultivar of Leucanthemum x superbum I've had since 2013.  On the right are flowers of what I now think is Prunus ilicifolia, part of a laurel hedge that came with the garden.


While my garden offers a broad array of flowers, the volume in some categories is lower than in prior years, which can probably be attributed to the exceptionally dry winter and spring we had.  I've also noted that some plants that have bloomed in June (or even earlier) in prior years have failed to show up yet.  As this summer is expected to be hotter than usual, I don't expect things will improve until later this year, when hopefully Mother Nature will throw us a bone and deliver more in the way of rainfall than she gave us this year.

On that note, I'll close with color collages featuring what else is blooming here and there in my garden.


Top row: Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin', Arbutus 'Marina', and Distictus buccinatoria
Middle row: Hesperaloe parviflora, Lantana 'Irene', and a mix of orange and yellow Lantana
Bottom row: Leucospermum 'Brandi' and Rosa 'Medallion'

Top row: Alstromeria 'Inca Sundance' and noID Gazania
Middle row: Hymenolepsis parviflora and variegated Lantana 'Samantha'
Bottom row: Leucospermum 'Goldie' and Osteospermum 'Double Moonglow'

Top row: Agonis flexuosa, Alstroemeria 'Claire', and Centranthus 'Albus'
Middle row: Coriandrum sativum, Nandina domestica, and Nigella 'African Bride'
Bottom row: noID Pelargonium peltatum, Penstemon digitalis 'Onyx & Pearls', and Romneya coulteri

Top row: Artichoke, noID Brachyscome, and Buddleia davidii 'Buzz Purple'
Middle row: Gilia tricolor, Lavandula dentata, and Limonium perezii
Bottom row: Melaleuca thymifolia, Plectranthus neochilus, and Polygala fruticosa

Top row: Allium sphaerocephalon, Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', and Callistemon 'Hot Pink'
Middle row: Cosmos bipinnatus, Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', and noID Pelargonium
Bottom row: Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard', Rosa 'Pink Meidiland', and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink'

Top row: Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', Grevillea 'Ned Kelly', and Lobelia laxiflora
Middle row: Lotus berthelotii 'Amazon Sunset', Melinus nerviglumis, and Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy'
Bottom row: Pelargonium peltatum, Penstemon mexicali, and Xerochrysum bracteatum

For more Bloom Day posts, visit our host, Carol at May Dreams Gardens.


All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party


29 comments:

  1. Wow there is a lot going on in your garden right now. It's a weird year here too. With our fluctuating bouts of extreme heat followed by cold some things are taking their time while others are way ahead. Very dry here too which is alarming as June is our wet month and so far not much rain has fallen.

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    1. I hate to hear that other areas distant from mine are also experiencing rainfall problems, Elaine. I hope the taps are turned on soon in your area! For us, rainfall is mostly a winter event and we rarely get rain between mid-April and October. I'm just hoping that we'll get something closer to "normal" next winter - and that we somehow avoid widespread wildfires this summer and fall.

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  2. A stunning Bloomday entry as always Kris! That Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Marianne Charlton' has me thinking back to some of the really unusual hibiscus we saw during the DC Fling.

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    1. The Hibiscus came from a mail order grower in Connecticut but it was billed as suitable to zone 10 conditions. Of course, not all zone 10 conditions are similar (and by some current assessments, my USDA zone is now 11a). We may be too dry (except when the marine layer is going strong) and too windy for it. It has another bud at the moment but they tend to drop when it gets as dry as it is at present.

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  3. Wonderful daylilies! My Sunset rockroses look terrible. The nurseryman said to do a hard prune when they are done blooming, but I don't think they're going to bloom this year. I thought they might be old, but he said they aren't. They are 10. No Pink Sugar to taunt me with its colors today?

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    1. Other than a stray flower here or there, Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' is done for the season, Lisa. It tends to go into hiding when it gets really warm here. I've already cut many of the plants back. It'll be interesting to see if that gives me another flush when cooler weather returns in the late fall.

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  4. What an utterly gorgeous garden you have. Your gaura reminds me that I lost mine somewhere along the way. I need to get more.

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    1. Gaura borders on weedy here, Dorothy, but I don't find it too hard to manage.

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  5. Marianne is quite the looker. Your garden never fails to amaze.

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    1. I wish 'Marianne' was just a wee bit tougher, Lisa. Maybe a bigger pot and a more routine water and fertilization schedule will make her happier.

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  6. Kris I would have to write a multi part commentary to address all of your gorgeous plants .. I am overwhelmed how beautiful every thing looks especially the framing of such wonderful scenery by your stunning plants .. I mean that !
    I yearn to grow Daucus carota Dara because I have always loved Queen Anne's Lace and thought the latter was even more beautiful. That Hibiscus flower is stunning , the smaller echinopsis oxygona is a little gem, I didn't realize it was called an Easter Cactus. The grouping of colours was eye candy.
    Excellent post. I so have enjoyed it, I'll have to come back and read it again !

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    1. Thanks CGJ! I bet Daucus carota 'Dara' would do well for you. The Hibiscus is a tropical plant I'm struggling to grow and it might like your climate even less than mine.

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  7. I always love seeing your Bloom Day posts, Kris. I think the plantings around Grevillea 'Superb', fronted by Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' is a lovely combination of color and texture, an eye pleaser.
    Just this past weekend I found some Leucanthemum x superbum similar to yours and bought them. (I've been coveting yours for years!) The cultivar name is 'Crazy Daisy.'
    Do you save Nigella 'African Bride' seed from year to year? Any chance I could beg a seed head's worth from you? :)
    Love your dazzling collages, a kaleidoscope of color!

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    1. I saw 'Crazy Daisy' in a catalog once and thought it looked a lot like mine, which was sold only with the species name. I haven't saved Nigella seed in the past but I'll attempt to collect some 'African Bride' for you, Eliza. I understand that I need to allow the seedpods to ripen before harvesting.

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    2. Yes, I let my regular nigella pods dry to the point of cracking slightly before harvesting. I appreciate your saving me some!

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  8. No shortage of blooms at your house Kris! I especially like the photo of Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' with the Grevillea 'Superb'. We have a heat wave on the way here with the worst of it on Thursday.So dry !

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    1. We maxed out at 93F here today, which isn't bad based on the forecasts I'd heard. It looks as though our cloud cover may be back tomorrow and may provide some relief at other points during the week. My friends closer to the beach that get the westerly ocean breezes said it was very pleasant today. I hope we dodge the worst of the heat and you do too!

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  9. Your garden is wonderful and such great views! I loved seeing some familiar blooms amongst the exotics too.

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    1. Thanks! I lean heavily on Mediterranean plants for my garden as coastal southern California offers those same climatic conditions.

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  10. Glorious. I was also taken in by the Grevillea 'Superb' and Cuphea photo--shows your mastery of design.

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    1. I'm glad to see Grevillea 'Superb' getting some well-deserved attention, Susie. In my climate, it's an invaluable plant to have.

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  11. Amazing you have the time to photograph so many beauties, let alone have the time to grow them all!

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    1. I spread my paparazzi efforts over several days prior to bloom Day, HB ;)

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  12. OMG! I'm embarrassed by the sparseness of my GBBD post. I tried to pare it down so I'd have time to post. You are amazing! And, as always, your garden is amazing, too! That second photo down, with the agaves and the other succulents took my breath away. Lovely, lovely, all around!

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    1. If anyone should be embarrassed by a Bloom Day post, it should be me, Beth. I always seem to go overboard, even when I'm trying to throw more of my photos into catch-all collages and I know I'm bordering on obnoxious.

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  13. Agaves are a favorite of mine - wish I could grow the big ones here. That hibiscus is incredible!!! They are supposed to have full sun, but my dayliliy colors bleach out in the bright strong sun - maybe some shade helps? Never seen nigella like African Bride - I bet they could make a statement if planted in mass - my nigella get lost in the landscape. - -Ray

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    1. I've found that some daylilies do fine in partial shade but my star daylily, 'Spanish Harlem', holds its own in full sun so what's best is anyone's guess. In my garden, most of the daylilies finish up before summer gets really intense.

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  14. The Marianne Charlton hibiscus is a stunner! One of my newly planted hibiscus - that I was so looking forward to - was uprooted when our neighbour had some work done last year - so sad! And ok...so I read your comment to Beth and I must disagree - you are inspiring us to plant more, more, more - how can that be a bad thing??!

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