Bloom Day July 2017

Echinopsis seedling just before 6:00 am.  The light was amazing.

I'll focus mostly on what only blooms in July, or what is blooming for the first time, to reduce the length of the post.  Fierce heat or not, many plants are still blooming, or trying to.

Eremophila glabra 'Fire And Ice';  "fire" the flower, "ice" the foliage. 
Eryngium planum 'The Hobbit'.  The flowers are not yet open, but they may be gone by next bloom day.  Not a plant for my climate--lack of winter chill makes them an iffy return--but it's okay if they are annuals, because they were very inexpensive and because they are cool. 
Eustoma aka Lisianthus grandiflora.  Gorgeous flowers. 
A May purchase, Oncidium flexuosum is an Orchid that can live contentedly outdoors here, given considerable shade in the summer and considerable sun in the winter.  Tiny flowers the size of your thumbnail, but of a yellow so intense you can see them from a considerable distance. 
Consider the beauty:
 Orlaya grandiflora.  I saw this in a tour garden and it looked wonderful--like lace doilies scattered everywhere.  Saw it for sale in a four-inch pot about a month ago, and grabbed, even though planting an annual in June is an iffy thing here.  An annual from the Greek islands, hopefully it will reseed, so I have it again next year in Spring.   If not, I'll buy some seeds this winter. 

 Plain, mundane tiger-lilies,  Lilium lanceolatum(?), invasive and aggressive in other parts of the country, but not here:  too dry.  One or two come back faithfully every year without making a pest of themselves.  They have behaved for over a decade, so I'm comfortable leaving them. 

The Zephyranthes candida don't bloom much here, but the flowers are a dainty delight whenever they appear.  
 Callistemon 'Slim' looks like red fireworks.  The hummingbirds have discovered them.  
California native, Red Buckwheat,  Eriogonum grand rubescens.  After having killed this beauty a couple of times, it seems in this garden to needs morning sun/afternoon shade, and some summer water.  This is a seedling plant that appeared;  an offspring of one the sun baked to death. Small native butterflies flock to it, an excellent reason to grow it besides its good looks. 
The Daylilys, stars of May and June, are weary by July, but from now until Thanksgiving or so, there will be steady, light bloom.
July means Dahlias take over the starring role.  The flowers stand up to heat quite well.
Rose 'Precious Dream', which struggled for a decade.  When I realized it had been struggling for a decade, several applications of fertilizer finally got it established. 
It forgave me!
Rose 'Gemini',  a very fine rose in Southern California.  It endured a bad spring here being completely engulfed by Salvia 'Amistad'.  'Amistad' given a hard prune, 'Gemini' revived.  
Quick!  Bloom before 'Amistad' engulfs you again!  
   The flowering year begins here at Winter's end--the first flush of roses, and the Leucospermum show begins in mid to late March and peaks the second or third week of April.  At Peak Rose the Clematis join in.  Just as the roses fade, the Daylily show begins.  The Daylilys are joined by the second flush of roses in late May to early June, along with the last large Aloe show.  

June is a mix of all sorts of things, none dominant, but Echeverias are a highlight.  July is Dahlia time.  Where there are not Dahlias, tough, heat-happy Gaillardias, Echinopsis, Bougainvillea, and Salvias brighten the garden as the Roses mostly rest in hot July and August, getting their second wind in early September.  

Autumn brings the year's most beautiful roses, and then the Aloes, and Grevilleas of Autumn and winter. 
 I neglect to mention Proteas, Hellebores, Hippeastrums, Iris, Leucadendrons, Lavenders, Lagerstroemias, Metrosideros, Sweet Peas, many different daisies (Shasta, Blackfoot, South African), the citrus blossoms and their heavenly scent, year-round Geranium 'Rozanne'...here, Happy Bloom Day is almost every day.  How lucky is that? 

  Happy Bloom Day.  

Comments

  1. There is glorious display of colors and shapes in your Garden now! I find impossible to decide about which one is prettier, you have many plants I love: Roses, Dahlias, Calistemon, Tigerlily, Lisianthus.. a real garden of Eden! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Very lucky indeed - you have so many blooms and interesting plants.

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  3. 'Fire and Ice' needs to grow in my garden too. And I'm so impressive you've had tiger lilies for ten year -- good job!

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    1. I discovered today a tall lily stem hidden by the Abutilon and Hydrangea--with the flowers already finished! Grrr! Missed them!

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  4. You know I'm not much of a rose fan, but that last one is a looker!

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    1. Really? A rose? ;^)

      Nifty smoky orange color.

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  5. I've had Orlaya grandiflora on my list for a while -- love all horizontal-plate whites, and this one is a must for anyone growing for cut flowers. Chanticleer has exposed a lot of east-coast gardeners to its virtues, and from what I gather it's an enthusiastic self-sower. Though odds are probably better with more than one plant...

    The news that Salvia 'Amistad' is big and powerful enough to engulf a rose gives pause. Without the root system yours has from nearly year-round growing conditions, I'd imagine that wouldn't happen here, where it would have to be kept going with overwintered cuttings. It's my strongest craving among tender plants.

    Sending best hopes for only moderate heat this summer!

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    1. Thanks! Cut flowers, I'll have to try one and see how it does in a vase.

      Yes the 'Amistad' is huge. Maybe too huge. And now I'm getting suckers. Uh oh.

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  6. It's a vibrant Bloom Day indeed in your garden! I'm glad the Eustoma are working out for you. I haven't had your success with Eryngium 'Hobbit' and, as I think I've said before, my roses don't look as though they're even in the same genus as yours. How often do you feed yours? Mine are getting just one feeding early in the year and perhaps less water than they want. I've had little luck with buckwheat either but perhaps I'll try it again following your approach with afternoon shade.

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    1. The Eriogonum fasciculatum grows all over the neighborhood, wild, in full sun, no water. The E. grande rubescens is from a channel island so probably wants somewhat cooler conditions. My guess, anyway. I got a sulphur one to try, 'Kannah Creek', not sure how that is going to work it is from Colorado. It's growing, that is something.

      Roses, not often fertilized. Didn't feed them at all during the drought, 5 years. No use when trying to conserve water. I had some fertilizer this year I wanted to get rid of, so I threw it around, it was a rainy winter, after all.

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  7. Your Echinopsis are beautiful ! My roses are blooming well now and up next will be the summer prune which seems to reduce the summer shabbiness. At least for a while.

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    1. Here it is October shabbiness, I found a cut back around Labor Day gives a happier October. Your summer is hotter than mine, I think? 90sF?

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  8. July and August are my least favorite months in the garden here. Blooms (and gardeners) really struggle in the heat and humidity. It feels exactly like a sauna out there. But you have some wonderful July bloomers! I love your 'Fire and Ice,' and Callistemon 'Slim' does remind me of fireworks. Your dahlias are wonderful, and you even have roses blooming!

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    1. Heat and humidity together are the worst, aren't they? July and August feel bad here. December looks the worst as the roses are ready to be cut back and look bedraggled. Aloes make up for the roses in December though. So I shut my eyes to one part of the garden and enjoy another.

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  9. Lucky indeed......with living in an area where you can grow such a wide range of plants....but also your post programs one who is in tune with nature. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Nature is a wonderful teacher, if we are willing to listen.

      If only my singing was in tune, too. Happy Blooms!

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  10. Hi...love your post, as always. I also love hearing about the seasonal cycles of what blooms in your garden--as I'm still just figuring that stuff out (this is the first summer for my garden after planting in March). Beautiful pics; happy Bloom Day! -Holly

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    1. Gardeners are the nicest people! Thank you for your kind comment. Happy gardening--it's a wonderful adventure.

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  11. Goodness but that fire and ice is beautiful!

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    1. Seems to be a good plant--time will tell. Silver foliage, I love it.

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