What's Blooming? June 15, 2014

Welcome to our yard and garden, and Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.   Thought I'd give an overview of what's blooming in the garden today. Come along as we walk around the yard!

Just a quick stop at the front porch.

The annual petunias are still going strong, if a little leggy, on the front porch.

The birdcage planter I put together a month ago is going strong, spilling out all over the table just like I hoped it would.

Down by the sidewalk, the annual vinca is spreading nicely.

My favorite addition to the front yard is this Verbena 'Homestead Purple".  I love, love, love this plant, and am really looking forward to its big show next spring.  I planted them too late to get a big show this year, but they're giving nice little flowers here and there right now and should continue to do so all summer.

The magnolia tree still has a few blooms here and there, sweetly scented if you stand nearby.

The big surprise for me this year is the large number of dahlias that the previous owner of our home had planted - and now they're almost all blooming with beautiful blooms. I'm happy that almost all of them are pink or reddish pink - my favorite color in the garden!  Here are a few of them blooming right now.

I put in three Double Pink Knock Out roses this spring, and while the big flush of spring blooms is done, they still put out nice little flowers off an on, especially if I keep the bushes deadheaded.

Moving to the driveway flowerbed near the fence gate, things are finally really putting on a show, after two months of waiting patiently.     The septic tank manhole covers are right here, and so I'm trying to put in things that will somewhat hide the big concrete square on this side of the fence.     The bee balm is doing a nice job!

Lots of bees in the gardens lately, and the bee balm is earning is name.

This yarrow is blooming nicely, providing some soft white and pink against the dark pinks elsewhere.

A few more dahlias courtesy of the previous owners.   This yellow is a pretty buttery shade which I like a lot, and there are a few more pinks and reds.

I put in these delphiniums this year, never had them before. One is getting ready to bloom, but one got broken and is now bent over and curled up.  Wonder whether it will go ahead and bloom that way?

I tossed in these lantana on a spur of the moment purchase one day a few weeks ago.  Lantanas around here often act as perennials, so I'm hopeful that this one will.  Many lantanas are red or orange, but this one is one of my favorites with soft pink and yellow tones.

The blanket flower was put in by the previous owners, and has been blooming for over a month already.  It's very hardy and showy, even if it is deep red and almost orange, not my favorite palette but I'll happily take the non-stop blooms.

This Shasta Daisy 'Marconi' just opened its first bloom today.  We have three plants of this little cutie in here.  They're about 18" tall, compared to the 'Becky' in the back yard that's about 24-28"tall.    I'm looking forward to them spreading and being bigger clumps over time.  May pull them out in front of the bee balm though.

Moving to the back yard, we've got lots of impatiens that are nicely filling in and spreading in the foundation bed.   Impatiens was the very first annual I ever grew after we got married, and I've grown it I think every single summer since then - over 25 years worth of tradition!

These hydrangeas are new, and you can see which one gets the most sun and which gets the least... apparently they like a bit more sun than the one on the right is given.  Oh well, maybe it will perk up and do better as time goes on.  Love the large flower heads and the pink color, though if they turn blue I'll like that too.  I know I can control that, but I'm just gonna let them give me what they give me.  I'm lazy, but appreciative.  :-)

The 'Visions' satiable is putting out two tiny little flower stalks, even though it's main bloom season is gone.  I love these little after thoughts in the garden.

I'm loving this new 'Texas Apple Blossom' verbena, and appreciate its straggler blooms after the big flush was done a week or two ago.

I picked up three plants of Purple Coneflower, because every garden has to have some, right?

Here's Shasta Daisy 'Becky", looking nearly perfect in her first bloom of the season.   I love this plant, she makes me very happy.  :-)

The 'Black Adder' hummingbird mint has been attracting bees all week.   I only have one plant of this, but am hoping to divide it next year to expand it, I like its informal form in and the purple flower heads in the garden.

This purple penstemon (unnamed) is not very happy in my garden. One of the three plants just outright died, and the other two are giving fussy little blooms here and there.  It may not survive my lazy gardening habits.  Plants pretty much have to take care of themselves around here or they die of neglect.

Over in the vegetable garden area, I'm thrilled with my yellow crookneck squash plants.  Many happy little yellow blooms, and many busy pollinators coming and going.

Same with the zucchini plants.  There may be no prettier bloom in the garden. :-)

Unless it's the cucumber plant blossoms.  Loving this!!!!  (This is my first cucumber plant... does this look right?)

And on a somewhat anti-climactic note, here is a sweet bee visiting my lavender plants in the herb garden.  

I'm having a lot of fun with the plants I've put in here in our new yard in Raleigh.   I know it's just a suburban yard with nothing special, but each of these plants brings me so much satisfaction and makes me smile.  

How's your garden?  What's blooming in your yard?  Leave me a comment letting me know how to find your garden gate, I'd be happy to stop by!

______________________________

Linking to: 

May Dreams Gardens:  Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

How Sweet The Sound:  Pink Saturday

Between Naps on the Back Porch:  Metamorphosis Monday

The Dedicated House:  Make it Pretty Monday

A Delightsome Live:  A Return To Loveliness

StoneGable:  The Scoop