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| Iris germainca (Lily family), Phlox pilosa (Polemoniaceae family), Aquilegia canadensis (Ranunculaceae family) and Lunaria annua (Mustard family) | | |
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Hello and welcome to Clay and Limestone's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day celebration. Many of my favorite plants are blooming today, like Phlox pilosa, the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox, my favorite sweet grape scented iris and the perfect red and yellow of native columbine. (A Wildflower Celebration)
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| Phlox pilosa is blooming all over the garden |
Phlox pilosa is so perfect it needs its own closeup! This denizen of the Garden of Benign Neglect has been spreading through other parts of the garden with abandon. This is a good thing, because the drought, over jealous sharing and a few nasty rodents have taken a toll on it. I can see light at the end of the tunnel and it's pink!
It's been an odd year and plants that normally are blooming in late April and May are blooming now and plants that should be blooming now are already past their prime. The very best news is that the critters are back~Pollen eating beetles and a small skipper are happy with the Ox-eye daisy that's found it's way to Clay and Limestone.
Then there's this absolutely delightful late blooming narcissus that held out past the 80F degree days in March to start blooming this past week. It's a small cup narcissus~Possibly 'Actaea' or another one whose name I have misplaced! You'll have to forgive the out of focus beauty, the winds were gusting like crazy this weekend and this is the best shot I have! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
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| Physocarpus opulifolius/Ninebark~Rosaceae family |
Ninebark has been fantastic this spring...What a delightful shrub with great foliage color when the flowers fade away. Later, this month, I'll share 'Little Devil' a miniature of the cultivar 'Diablo' that is perfect for smaller gardens and/or tucks into a border beautifully.
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| Salvia lyrata/Lyreleaf sage~(Lamiaceae family) |
Lyreleaf sage is blooming in the lawnette~This is a perfect evergreen plant to replace lawn grasses~Sometimes it repeat blooms if you mow/deadhead the flower. I am always shocked when I see neighbors trying to get rid of this wildflower~Call me folks, I'll be glad to come dig it up!
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| Ornamental Kale (Mustard family) |
I can't imagine not having kale in my garden from fall through the spring. It brightens up the winter garden, but, really sparkles when it flowers in the spring to make a delicious combo with Iris germanica.
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| Euonymus americanus/hearts-bustin'-with-love~ Celastraceae family |
Hearts-bustin'-with-love is blooming~it's not a showy flower and is quite small, but, later when the seed head bursts open you'll fall in love.
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| Astranthium integrifolium/Entireleaf Western Daisy~Asteraceae family |
Western Daisy will bloom all summer and is happy in the lawn or in a garden bed. This little cutie pie is an annual and native. If you want more you must let it go to seed. I know you can do, trust me, even if Mr I has been known to mow it down before it's gone to seed.
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| Monarda bradburiana/Eastern bergamot~Lamiaceae family |
I had to go to Chicago to discover this Tennessee beauty that can take dry conditions! It's a major planting at the Lurie Garden and although, not as showy as some of the other monardas...it has its charms.
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| Hypoxis hirsuta/Yellow Stargrass (Lily family) |
Yellow Stargrass is absolutely charming and it will bloom on and off all summer....It's a small plant and you can tuck it here and there.
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| Baptisia X 'Starlight Prairie Blues'~(Fabaceae Family) |
I love baptisia~all of them, but, please don't tell the species that I told you that this hybrid is my favorite! (A Fab Fabiaceae)
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Penstemon smallii 'Violet Dusk' in the background (Scrophulariaceae family
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Although, my garden isn't as floriferous as it has been in past years~It's not looking bad! As the spring heats up the Penstemons will burst into bloom and the Hummers will be feeding like crazy. Maybe this year, I'll catch a photo!
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| One of the seedlings of Penstemon 'Dark Towers' or 'Husker Red' |
Have a wonderful day.
xxoogail
PS Now, please pop over to May Dreams Gardens,
where our delightful hostess, Carol, has set up the Mr Linky magic
carpet ride to more Bloom Day posts than you can imagine. You're in for a treat~it's Spring (and Autumn in the Southern Hemphisphere) and gardens are dressed in their finest.
Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at
Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.
