Bloom Day June 2022

 

Blooms of June.  Above is Lavender 'Provence'.

 Unlike continuously flowering L. stoechas, which is mostly what volunteers around the garden...

... 'Provence' flowers once a year.  The flowers are lanky and slim in comparison to squatter, sturdier L. stoechas. The growth habit of 'Provence' is low and wide, a silvery green cushion of fragrance.  

One special moment for 'Provence' is when the sunlight hits it from the south, at a brief time in mid-morning.  The tuteur behind it is in shadow, but the lavender is lit:

 Highlights of June bloom are typically the second flush of roses, Agapanthus, and the start of Dahlia time. 

Here we go with 'Hollyhill Spider Woman':

More open.  Not sure I like it. 

Maybe?

This winter I purchased three new-to-me Dahlia cultivars, plus two I've grown in the past.  I pulled and discarded almost all the old ones.  I'm baffled as to which one of the new ones this next is.  It doesn't fit the description of any of the newly purchased cultivars.  Not that it isn't beautiful. 

'Marble Ball' without the marbling?  

 The other 'Marble Ball' plants are not yet open, so I've nothing to compare it with yet. 

 Next, is 'Creme de Cassis'.  I bought two clumps of it a couple of years ago and neither grew, so ordered two more clumps this winter.  One was small and one was tiny and looked dead.  Both appeared to have grown.  Flowers are very pretty.  Here's the first flower opening:

 As the flowers open,  Creme de Cassis keeps its deep purply center.  The opening petals are a creamy pale lavender.

Rose 'Burgundy Iceberg' has red-burgundy petals with a pale reverse and a bit of a white center, while the Dahlia has pale lavender petals with a red-purple reverse, and a dark center.  They make an interesting pairing:

'Dracula Dark Angel' has near-black foliage and dark red flowers.   I ordered early last year because all the dark-foliage kind sell out quickly. 

 'Cafe au Lait' and 'Catching Fire' I've grown in the past, not altogether successfully.  Trying again.  They will flower soon.   An older clump kept is doing its odd color thing.  On purchase, a red-speckled yellow flower:

But in the same clump, some are almost pure yellow:

While some are pure red!

One important Dahlia-growing tip I got this winter is that when left in the ground over winter, they must be moved at least every three years.  Otherwise they decline badly--which is what happened to the clumps I got rid of.  Now I know.  It's fun to have new ones, though.   

Distinctly June here are Agapanthus.  They were just getting started last month.  'Indigo Frost' was first.  More are opening now.

'Queen Mum': 

 'Queen Mum' has just a barely-there touch of blue at the base of each individual flower:

'Black Pantha':

'Prunetucky Summer':

Another June highlight is the second flush of roses.   Our May-Gray/June-Gloom gives them less sun (though still plenty) so their colors are richer.   Endless sunny days tend to bleach both flowers and foliage. 

'Rouge Royale'

 

'South Africa', own-root and new this year, is growing well.  Own-roots tend to be slower to establish than grafted ones.  (I did pull the weed after I took the photo.) 

'Beloved', with Trachelium caeruleum in the background: 

'The Endeavour' has particularly deep coloration: 
As the second rose flush commences, the big springtime Daylily bloom ebbs.  The late bloomers are in their prime, however: 

Like roses, they hold their color best during May-Gray and June-Gloom.

 I was more attentive to the Fuchsias this winter and early spring.  It's not their climate here, with insufficient ocean influence more than five miles inland.  The immediate coast is their sweet spot, but given care, they look decent.  

'Old Berkeley':

Name unknown:

Name unknown:

 Very happy with this fringy-shaggy Leucanthemum x. 

The Eucomis is blooming!  The Eucomis is blooming!  Hoped for, but not expected.  The emerging flower stem can be seen at the center of the plant: 

The Ageratum from a six-pack are doing well and most importantly, the rabbits ignore them. 

Hydrangea.  

Lobelia volunteering here and there.  Love that glorious blue. 

'Pink Frost' Hellebore continuing to flower.  

Hey, if you're happy, I'm happy:

Gladiolas are still around. 

So is aggressive but breathtaking Salvia 'Black and Blue'.  I got some going in a pot, where I can now enjoy it without it taking over.  This is a remnant of the original I've never been able to get rid of: 

Crassula rogersii:

Rhodanthemum 'Casablanca' flowers on, but it's about done for the summer. 

Geranium 'Rozanne'  I have growing all over.  It looks fetching with Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' and Salvia.  It looks fetching with everything, really.  The $#^#$^&% rabbits have mown several to the ground.  Grrr!!

Another Cuphea, C. purpurea 'Firecracker', planted last spring.  I wasn't sure it would live over winter, but it did fine.  A hummingbird was at it, but zipped off before I could snap the photo:

Well, that's it.  Oh, one more very unexpected good surprise, a Tillandsia.  So happy it was satisfied enough with the growing conditions provided it was able to flower.  Species unknown: 

Author Carol J. Michel is the originator of Bloom Day.