Orange Surprise (GBBD June 2008)

Welcome to my garden bloom tour for June 2008. This post is in coordination with Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day at the "May Dreams Gardens" blog where you can find many other gardens in bloom. This orange flower has a presence this month, but I might say some of the buds steal the show as well.
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The Blooms:

I wasn't sure what to expect a few days ago when I noticed this plant tucked in the back of a wildflower bed. It's the first bloom in the bed and really stands out. Update: I think this is Siberian Wallflower ("Cheiranthus allionii").


My seed grown violas 'Johnny Jump Up' are just starting to bloom. Isn't it cute?

Viola cornuta (Violaceae)

Now is finally the time for chives and alliums. The bees should be flying in soon.



Allium (ornamental) & Allium schoenoprasum

How about these small white and pink flowers...they're radishes. The beneficial bugs love them and maybe they can keep the pests busy too.



The alyssium I planted have been blooming for a few weeks.


It's a common weed, but it is blooming.


A I mentioned earlier this month, the peas are in bloom. In fact, some can be harvested from the snap variety right now - I will let them get a bit bigger before picking though.


The nursery violas are continuing to flower.


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The Buds:

Some plants are quite ready to show this month, but they're getting ready.

Some asiatic lilies here and to the south of the house are forming buds.


The wildflower will be the second plant to bloom in that plot. Onions from last year are forming buds.

Spurred Snapdragon (Linaria maroccana) & Onion

A kind of red clover is starting to get a hint of color. This other flower bud has an interesting look.

Red clover & ?Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)?

Not sure what these two are, but they're in the "wildflower" plot too.

?Catchfly (Silene armeria)? Dairy Pink (Vaccaria pyramidata) & Sweet William (Dianthus)

Here you can get an idea of some "Tiger" lilies that have buds - I'm sure they're a few weeks away or more.


Well, you made it to the end of the tour. It has been a cool spring and lately wet. This has left a number of plants behind this year, but has been good for the cool season crops. Some more bloom day information...

Skipped (flowered and done between last bloom day and this):

• Flowering shrubs

Continuing (flowering since at least last bloom day):

• Dandelion
• Viola (purchased)
• Strawberries

Buds (of note and not pictured):

• Shasta Daisy

Thursday Rain

We got 1.4 inches of rain in a storm Thursday evening and Friday night. It came down pretty good for a few minutes but was otherwise kind of nice - especially for the garden. During a break I took some wet photos of the garden and also a few this morning.

The strawberry plants where a bit of a muse for a while...


In the morning the circle-like patterns of the rain caught my attention.


The whole world in a rain drop.


Blooms from the chives and the allium bulb in the front of the house are just popping out. The nasturtium leaves gather the water right on the lobe tips. I like the flat leaf profile and the contrast of the red edge. I had the chance to do the classic water dropped tulip picture. Also, the hosta funnels are coming unfurled.


Lots of these guy-gals getting some air.


The garden spot by our strawberry patch.


A "bird bath" and view of the back corner. The rain seems to saturate a lot of the colors in the clouded light.


Closer view of the back corner next to the fence. A couple of butterfly stepping stones and some other pairings of plants.


The raspberry canes busy stretching their roots - I hope.


I had some tomato seedlings left that I decided to plant with the cauliflower and onion barrel. We put some flowers in the top of one of the hanging tomato buckets.


Here's the southern foundation bed and a plant from the east side. I like the leaves on this one (will have to check my records for the name), but they tend to droop down. (Update: Those are Ligularia leaves.)


The vegetable beds (click for details). Earlier I said we had "wild progress" in growth, and I guess that is only going to keep accelerating for the next few weeks. The short peas are starting to twine together and the climbers are - well - climbing.


It's that time we now can get some regular harvests of swiss chard and spinach.


Also some radishes and lettuce. Look at the sparkly salad in the water.

Wild Progress

Some warmer May days and we have "wild" progress in the garden. Above is a violet from the yard - one of those "weeds". The garden has been taking off with our warm May days although there are still some threats of frost in the future. Maybe Memorial Day I will put out tomatoes.

Here are a couple of shots of plants returning to my wildflower garden.


In the farthest corner of the yard the ferns are just starting to unfurl. Spring flowering shrubs are beginning to bud and will bloom soon.


In the shadier area the sedum and asiatic lilies are returning.


Here is the cool season vegetables (lettuce and snap peas) on the 18th. I think the cool nights are actually helping...they have grown bounds in the last two days.


More peas and lettuce. I put a flag here to ward off birds. The other pea beds have netting over them because I'm pretty sure the birds were picking on the pea seedlings and cutting leaves off. Whatever the cause, the netting solved the problem.


Kohlrabi and radishes are now getting true leaves and will be ready soon.


More buds on the chives. I enjoyed a baked potato the other day with some chives...didn't realize how good that was.


Thanks for saying "hi" and stopping by. I think the last two weeks of May should be quite exciting. Crops shooting up, planting and transplanting tender plants, getting ready for air conditioning season.