Blooms of Mid-July, Part 2
Following up on the last post, here’s a run down of the blooms in the rest of the garden: the Left Bank (the smaller part of the front garden that lies west of the driveway) and the shady back garden.
In the Left Bank, the ‘Summer Beauty’ Allium (A. tanguticum) is on the brink of blooming. In an example of serendipity, there’s some Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) mixed in among the Allium.
The Lamppost Bed on the parkway has lots of orange flowers: Helenium ‘Short’n’Sassy’, Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosum), as well as the Million Bells (Calibrachoa) and ‘Profusion’Zinnias in the container at the Left. And even though I thought all the ‘Arizona Sun’ Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata) had perished over the winter, there’s at least one plant that came back with its red and yellow blooms.
It’s not all hot colors, however, in this part of the garden. Wild Petunia (Ruellias humilis) has begun blooming with its lavender blue flowers.
And on the Left Bank, ‘Butterfly Blue’ Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa columbaria) has almost the exact same color.
There are a few ‘Chicago Apache’ Daylilies (Hemerocallis).
And the last of the Asiatic Lilies.
There is Borage (Borago officinalis) blooming in the Herb Bed.
Still love the blue flowers, but becoming less infatuated with this plant’s habit of springing up everywhere and then falling over.
‘White Sonata’ Cosmos (C. bipinnatus) and ‘Disco Red’ Marigolds (Tagetes patula) are also blooming in the Herb Bed.
There are also the first blooms of ‘Multi-Blue’ Clematis, which was planted just this spring.
‘Darlow’s Enigma’ roses are blooming on the arbor leading into the back garden. They seem especially fragrant this year, though the quantity of blooms is unimpressive.
I’m really enjoying the rose-purple flowers of Purple-Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus). I look forward to more plentiful flowers next year.
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervivum) continues to bloom sporadically.
The native widlflower Tall Larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum) is blooming now. It certainly is tall, but I’m feeling a little underwhelmed by the flowers.
On the other hand, I can’t complain about the quantity or size of the flowers put out by the ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea (H. arborescens). This is a naturally occurring cultivar discovered in southern Illinois.
Well, that’s it for the mid-July blooms report. I hope you’re all having an enjoyable summer.
gardeninacity 
What a range of flowering plants you have! As an armchair gardener at the moment (winter) I’m taking notes! Love the blossoms, especially the orange ones.
Me too! Sometimes I think about an all-orange garden. How come no one seems to have done that?
Well, you could be the trail blazer!
Yep, having a good summer. My Annabelle has finished blooming. I wish she lasted longer here. Those wild petunias are quite pretty. Happy Monday. I am looking forward to reading about your Minneapolis trip.
Mine is definitely fading. It’s so hot and dry things may not be lasting as long.
The new Clematis is a lovely colour, good choice.
Thanks! I like the deep blue ones.
I am in the same boat about borage. Mine is prickly, so if I don’t stake it early, it’s a flopper. Have you ever eaten one of the flowers? They really do taste just like a cucumber. It’s a weird experience!
I keep meaning to eat them, but I’m just not a flower eater. I didn’t know there was a prickly kind.
I love blue flowers as well Jason and your wild petunia is pretty. I also liked your rose and Rubus odoratus that grows in my garden everywhere, it’s a bit invasive.
The blue flowers I have now are the Scabiosa, the Wild Bergamot, and the Wild Petunia.
All lovely, but especially the allium in the first picture.
Yes, I love that summer Allium.
The garden is looking beautiful!
I like that blue clematis.
Thank you.
Very nice, Jason!
It’s fun seeing some of the same flowers in your garden – cosmos, French marigold – that I have here in Tennessee.
I grew borage for a while, but it petered out and I can’t say I minded much. The flowers were cute and they did attract bees, but the plants overall did have a tendency to get large and then collapse, as you said.
The combo of colors and species in the first two photos are truly awesome. Great job!!
Oh and a couple of questions on your Rubus odoratus – Do you have it in sun or shade? Has it spread over time for you? (I don’t know how long you’ve been growing it. I’ve heard it can sucker gradually over time into a nice patch – something that appeals to me.) And have you seen / eaten any of its berries?
My R. odoratus is in part shade. Hasn’t spread much, but it’s a young plant. No berries yet.
I meant to comment on your last post about your butterfly weed–wow! I also love it when the blooms are gone and turn into those neat-looking seed heads. All the orange blooms in your garden are so striking, but the different white and blue ones provide a cool touch–a welcome sight in this heat!
It’s funny, last year there were just about no seed pods on the milkweed. Too soon to tell about this year.
So much beauty to be admired…thanks for sharing. It’s hard to sustain a love affair with Borage once you catch on to its profligate ways.
Maybe we can just be friends – in other people’s gardens.
Annabelle looks very content. How beautiful. ‘Profusion’ Zinnias are a favorite but somehow I forgot to buy any this year.
Fortunately, ‘Annabelle’ can be happy even when neglected.
What a lovely selection of blooms! I did like that photo of the borage, I like the flowers too but as you say it can take over. That sure is a gorgeous hydrangea.xxx
Thanks!
I wish I had luck with butterfly weed in my garden. Planted six bareroot from prairie Moon and two have made it to about 6″ in height. fingers x’d! Love the blues and oranges in your garden. I have allium like yours, in bloom now. What is it called? Annabelle is a very useful shrub for hard to fill places.
Have you considered the Butterflyweed for Clay sold by Prairie Nursery in Wisconsin?http://www.prairienursery.com/store/native-plants/butterflyweed-for-clay-asclepias-tuberosa-var-clay#.V5PiyPmAOko
Have you considered the Butterflyweed for Clay sold by Prairie Nursery in Wisconsin?
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Jason, It’s always a treat to see the amazing variety of flowers you have in bloom at this time of year.
Thanks!