I somehow lost track of Bloom Day this month. This was mostly to do with the fact that, after our recent heat wave, there are relatively few flowers to be found in my garden. And, with a few exceptions, those that are there are relatively undistinguished. However, in the interest of maintaining a record, here are the results of today's Bloom Day scavenger hunt:
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| I'm impressed by this Acanthus mollis (probably 'Summer Beauty'), which is still putting out new bloom spikes despite the heat and the exposure to scorching sun following the removal of a nearby tree in February |
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| The foliage of this Anemone japonica (no ID) is looking horrible but I do love the flowers |
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| I placed 3 Angelonia 'Angelmist Pink' in my dry garden, not expecting much, but they've done fine there despite the hot, dry conditions |
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| Argyranthemum frutescens 'Elsa White' isn't splashy but the blooms have kept up non-stop since I put in 3 4-inch pots in late February |
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| Billbergia nutans, brought from my former garden and largely ignored in this one, regularly surprises me with new blooms (Note: the quality of the photo doesn't do it justice) |
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| The first Camellia sasanqua (no ID) has appeared - maybe fall is on its way to SoCal after all |
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| Coreopsis 'Big Bang Redshift' is still blooming, although the flowers are smaller and, presumably in response to the recent heat, are showing less red |
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| This Cymbidium (no ID), rescued from my mother-in-law's garden before sale of her house, has delivered a bloom spike since its arrival in my garden |
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| Echinacea 'Sombrero Hot Coral' is more pink than coral now but it handled the heat well in a partially shaded spot in the back border |
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| I grow Lavandula multifida (fernleaf lavender) more for the foliage than the flowers but it's pumping out flowers right now |
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| Leucanthemum x superbum 'Snow Lady,' a short, non-flopping Shasta daisy, is producing a new round of blooms |
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| Lisianthus 'Echo Pink' continues to produce relatively short, sweet pink blooms |
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| Osteospermum ecklonis '3D Silver' is also producing new blooms since being cut back several weeks ago |
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| This low-growing Pentas lanceolata (no ID), relocated from my former garden, is brightening the border of my vegetable garden |
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| A flower has already appeared on one of the Phlomis fruticosa (Jerusalem sage) in my back border |
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| The Plectranthus ciliatus (no ID), brought in as a cutting from my former garden, is producing its first blooms of the season |
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| This Plectranthus ecklonii, purchased by mail order from Annie's and moved once, has beautiful blooms on a still immature plant |
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| Salvia mexicana is putting out a few blooms |
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| Salvia 'Mystic Spires" is still going strong |
Bloom Day is sponsored by Carol of
May Dreams Gardens. Please go to her webpage
here to see other gardeners' Bloom Day selections.
