Friday, July 15, 2011

GBBD: Daylilies and Other Delights


Woohoo! It's time for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and this July edition is the one I've been waiting for all year.  It's the height of the summer season, and my garden is obliging with a multitude of blooms right now.  I'm always happy to show visitors around this time of year (as long as you don't notice the weeds), but I know you have lots of other places to visit, too, so I'll try to keep the narrative to a minimum and let the flowers speak for themselves.


I know I've been going on and on about purple coneflowers for the past few weeks, but I can't help myself.  They are my favorite flower, and their pretty pink faces always make me smile.  I have them everywhere here, including at the back of the butterfly garden along with fading monarda and a barely visible Joe Pye Weed that must be eight feet tall.



Next to coneflowers, my other love is daylilies. I seem to be drawn to peaches and corals, like this 'Prairie Sunrise,' a one-of-a-kind hybrid that I named myself.


Another one-of-kind is  'Dragonfly Corner,' a division kindly passed along to me by best friend Beckie.



'Tangerine Orange Ruffles' is really the color of orange sherbet.


Not all the daylilies here, though, are in the peach or yellow color spectrum.  Passalongs from my aunt, 'Nettie's Ruby' is at the forefront of the lily bed. Obviously, I don't worry too much about color coordination when it comes to lilies.


Purple is represented, too, by 'Little Grapette,' a shorter cultivar that works well in front of its taller relatives.


While color and shape of bloom entice me to certain varieties, I'm also drawn in by the names of plants. 'Prairie Blue Eyes' was a natural to be added to my garden:)



As was 'Canterbury Tales.'   I've shown this lily several times in the past few weeks, but I had to include it again because it just keeps putting out the blooms.  Chaucer never got the chance to finish all his tales, but this daylily seems determined to add a new "tale" every day.


The yellow edged and throated lily on the right was chosen purely for its name--'Romeo Lies Bleeding'--whereas the delicate beauty on the left was chosen for her appearance and because she was another unnamed hybrid.  My choice for a name? 'Juliet,' of course!  I'm happy to say that these star-crossed lovers are happy and living peacefully in their first full year in my garden


Trying for more diversity, several new Oriental lilies were added to the garden this spring.  This is the first of what I hope will be many blooms to come--'Stargazer.'


My garden isn't just about coneflowers and daylilies, however, although it may seem that way.  An errant Rudbeckia, variety unknown, found its way into the lily bed.  The yellow spider lily on the right still commands attention, but other daylilies behind are somewhat obscured--there's that need for crowd control again.  The Rudbeckia will be allowed to stay . . . for now.


Drumstick alliums bob and sway in the front and center.


My first hybrid coneflower, Echinacea 'Big Sky Sundown,' was a gift last year from Tena, Lisa of Greenbow's sister. I'm happy to see it covered with blooms this year.


No need to adjust your monitor--this is a partial view of the lily bed through the growing switchgrass, Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah,' ready to take over center stage as the lilies fade.


Nearby, in Roco's garden the geranium 'Rozanne' nestles at the feet of super-performer Leucanthemum 'Becky.'  This photo is for Sissy --our faithful companions are never forgotten.


The Knockout roses are starting to put out new blooms again in spite 
of the recent onslaught of Japanese beetles.


The shade garden is primarily a sea of green at this time in the season, except for Hydrangea macrophylla 'Let's Dance in the Moonlight.'  The 'Endless Summer' mopheads are looking healthy and full, but blooms are very few.  They seem to be in a two-year cycle--one year lots of healthy foliage and the next more blooms. 


Hosta blooms are also providing a contrast to all the green.


Other new blooms can be found in the arbor garden.  I've been waiting until later to do a post on this new area because it's still so young, but we can take a peek at a few of the plants, all of which are first-timers here, including this 'David' phlox.


The last of the delphiniums 'Connecticut Yankee' is the tallest and strongest of the three I planted.  No need to stake this one.

Sweetpeas, though, have outgrown their support.  
Sorry about Sophie in the corner of the photo--she likes touring the garden, too:)
Liatris has been a resounding success.

All together they make a combination in one corner that I've been very happy with.



I've tried to resist the temptation to plant too close together in this area, satisfying my need for dense plantings by using annuals, especially in the front part of the garden.  There is still room for Tarzan to perch comfortably behind the 'Victoria Blue' and 'White' Salvia and next to a dwarf butterfly bush, 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip.'

Thanks for stopping by today, and I do hope I haven't kept you too long. There are many more gardens on the tour today--just drop by our hostess Carol's for directions for your next stop and enjoy!


33 comments:

  1. So beautiful...Your memorial garden has inspired me. So glad to see Sophie home and tending the garden!
    Tarzan is doing a great job, as well. The echinacea is stunning, isn't it? I am anxious to plant some ornamental grasses, but worried they will take over...thank you for thinking of me today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow Rose - looks fantastic! Your daylilies are gorgeous, as are all the rest of your blooms. Coneflowers are faves of mine too, though I've had little luck with the cultivars. One 'Magnus' and one 'White Swan' survive, but the rest of the coneflowers here are natives from a cheap packet of seeds.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Everything about your garden is just beautiful and your blooms are magnificent.
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your sweet peas look marvelous. Mine are so sparse, I've taken to cutting them for inside as soon as a new bloom starts to open. I used to grow Hemerocallis 'Prairie Blue Eyes' at my old garden. I never saw anything blue about it, but it is a nice daylily.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can relate to your goings on about the echinacea. I, too, love it! It makes me smile, stare, and watch all of the wildlife that finds it so attractive. Great photos, great garden! Happy GBBD!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Goodness, so many fabulous flowers Rose! I love your collection of daylilies, they are on my list for our next garden. I also love the yellow rudbekia, and of course the coneflowers... Happy GBBD - anybody would be delighted to visit your garden right now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Daylilies are beautiful! My favourite photo though is the one of the kitty. So sweet!
    Happy GBBD :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful!! We both have an abundance of daylilies and coneflowers. I got a double bloom coneflower this year and hope that is stays true and bushes out more every year.

    I agree with Christine in that I love the photo with Tarzan in it. What a sweetheart!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I keep telling myself no more daylilies but when I see those dark ones such as on this post I crave one. Sigh~~ Love that last picture too Rose. Such a sweet kitty set off in those beautiful flowers. Happy GBBD.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Rose,

    After yet another 'blip' I am finally back with you all.

    Such a lovely post Rose. I cannot believe how many blooms you have in your garden. You must be so very pleased with yourself.
    So much hard work but worth it, I am sure.

    I also love coneflowers but they do not do well here. I have given up on them, sigh.... They make such wonderful displays. Green 'envy' is one of my favouries. I have added to my day lily collection though and they seem to be doing well. I think I may increase them each year.

    I agree Rose, it is always good to remember our pets. I loved each and everyone of mine and think about them often. I have a mini cemetry in my copse and I find great comfort when I sit there some afternoons.

    Tku so much for the garden tour....always a pleasure.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your daylilies - and everything else - are just beautiful. That includes Tarzan, too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rose, Everything looks wonderful over there!! Are you rain-less these days? I think perhaps we may get rain tomorrow night. I'm going to hope so, because it's so dry right now. But, for some reason, everything still looks pretty good! :-) Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Everything about your garden is just beautiful and your blooms are magnificent..
    Thanks for sharing..

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful and you know what they all are! I am so impressed! You do inspire me you know, rose. I blame you for my attempts at gardening!

    ReplyDelete
  15. What lush happy plants you have in your garden. You are the first gardener I know who's growing Little Grapette, I love the fact that one can always squeeze in a few minis here and there.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your garden is in its glory right now Rose with all those fabulous blooms! I'm partial to Coneflowers & Daylilies myself since they are such great summer flowers. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Rose you have some beautiful blooms in your garden now. Girl I love Coneflowers too. They just hold their color for so long. I really like your Big Sky Sundown echinacea.I like how the petals are rolled up.You have some beautiful lilies going on there too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sorry I have not commented for a while Rose. Major family commitments seem to have left me with less time for blog visiting of late. I really enjoyed your July flowers. I have only just got into day lilies and after reading your post another couple may well go down on the must have list :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think your Prairie Sunrise is the coolest daylily I've ever seen. Such a mixture of colors. The kitty is too cute and looks most content.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your garden looks wonderful. I love your daylilies! I wish we could grow sweet peas here but they burn up in our summers. Love the cool lavenders and purple sweet peas you have. The combination of delphs, liatris, phlox and daisies is very lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Gorgeous, as usual! I also love daylilies --each year I can't resist getting another variety when the catalogs come out. And they've been easy to grow with my black walnut trees, which has made me love them more. Mine should be blooming soon!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your gardens are full of beautiful blooms.
    I also honor my pets.
    ear Tarzan looks as if he is watching a butterfly....
    Tangerine Orange Ruffles is a gorgeous Day Lily. The water on the petals looks refreshing. I like orange flowers and orange sherbet. I think I will go get a glass of iced tea....
    Thank you for the garden tour.
    Sherry

    ReplyDelete
  23. Rose your garden is really spectacular. I love all of those day lilies and you've just helped me id one of mine as Praire Blue Eyes. You've so many great english cottage garden flowers - they seem to enjoy the climate in your particular area.

    ReplyDelete
  24. your garden is similar to mine. except for the daylillies. Nice garden, well done.

    ReplyDelete
  25. We have a lot of the same summer-blooming plants! I've always like Purple Coneflowers, but this seems to be an especially good year--for mine, at least. And your Daylilies--wow! I love Prairie Sunrise and Dragonfly Corner! Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thanks, everyone, for visiting. As usual, instead of replying individually to all your comments, I'm trying to visit all your posts instead this Bloom Day.

    Sissy, I have some suggestions for grasses if you're interested.

    Cheryl, Glad you're back! I wish the lilies had been in bloom when you visited last fall.

    Liz, I'm glad I've inspired you--I hope you learn from all my mistakes, too:)

    Rosie, I'm glad you commented on the English cottage garden flowers--that's the look I've been trying to achieve for years!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I absolutely love your lilies!!! They rock and the colours are so beautiful! Your garden is so lovely, but I must say that Tarzan steals the show! Don't cats look like they've been planted sometimes? I think so, when I see one sitting quietly in a garden amongst the flowers. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I've been admiring some coneflowers in NFREC's demo garden. They seem to take the heat and humidity very well here. I'm still trying to find a spot in the new yard that stays sunny most of the day. Your garden and kitty are looking fat and sassy this summer. I sure do miss Illinois, at least this time of year.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I hope you're not tired of reading the word "Beautiful!", Rose - how glorious your garden looks! And how happy your plants look. If my 'Prairie Blue Eyes' had feet, and if it knew the life yours lives, it would be heading toward Illinois right now.

    My favorite photo is the second to last, with the liatris, delphinium, phlox, daisies and sweetpeas so sweetly combined. Is that a Hyacinth Bean climbing in the center? More delights to come!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

    ReplyDelete
  30. W2W, you wouldn't miss Illinois right now--it's hotter and more humid than Florida!

    Annie, You have a keen eye--that is a hyacinth bean climbing the trellis. I've told my grandkids, including the youngest named Jack, that it's a magic beanstalk:)

    ReplyDelete
  31. I was just thinking about how I should plant hardy day lilies and daisies along my driveway instead of struggling to reseed the grass after a winter of snow plowing. Your gorgeous lilies are inspiring. Lovely delphiniums! Mine didn’t come up again this year, sigh. Happy GBBD!

    ReplyDelete
  32. What a beautiful July garden you have!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Rose, Your garden is filled with beautiful plants. I look at the coneflowers and see them standing tall and straight and wish I had your full sun! Happiest of summers to you. Hoping it cools down soon. gail

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you, so please leave a comment. I'll try to reply here, but I'll definitely return the visit.