Sunday, August 16, 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - August '09

"Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime......"

Beautiful blue skies at last!

Finally, we've had some real summer weather...and we only had to wait until the middle of August! Good old NY summers :)
Of course, the heat and humidity just about did us in as we're not acclimated to hot temperatures after so much cool, damp weather.
We were promised sunny skies today, with no rain at all, but around noon a thunderstorm blew in and gave us a good shower. So much for trusting the weather forecasters!

The plants are loving the warm sunshine, and reacting with vigorous growth. This is the New Rock Garden, filling the space where the old maple tree stump was removed last fall. I'll tell you more about how it came to be in another post. The blooming plants include snapdragons, marigolds, ageratum, zinnias, pansies, orange cosmos and 2 argyranthemums (Marguerite Daisies).

The front gardens are alive with color.

There's White Temptation Daylily sitting pretty amid the bright colors of Gloriosa daisies, Phlox, Monarda, red Yarrow and other lovelies. Posted by Picasa

The Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii) has just begun to bloom, and so has the Tiger Lily.

I think its bright orange will look better in the Lily Garden. so it's on the list of things to be moved.

Speaking of the Lily Garden, there's hubby, hard at work with the weedwacker on this hot, humid day. The rain shower was actually a welcome relief.

(Alice, you were asking where he was....so there you are: this photo is especially for you...and yes, he's hard at work) :)

A few Daylilies are still blooming here.

Over in the Fence Garden I've just noticed that a rust and gold Gloriosa has sewn itself by the corner post, close to where that pretty one was last year.

The Coneflowers and Phlox are making a beautiful display. This is where I was weeding yesterday. Posted by Picasa



These 2 little friends are sharing the bounty.

The Tiger Swallowtail found the Phlox tasty....

...and also enjoyed the Monarda (Bee Balm).


...as did this chubby bumblebee. Posted by Picasa

Looking up toward the barn, the Golden Glow can be see blooming in all its glory, with a patch of Gloriosas beneath. I underexposed to get that gorgeous blue of the sky, so the Side Porch Garden is shadowed.

But here it is, in a better light. The geranium is blooming brightly, and the some of the pansies in the container below are surviving the slugs. Posted by Picasa

Clematis Jackmanii is still putting out a few blooms, and the hydrangeas have produced beautiful big flower heads this summer.

"Summerwine" Daylily is still producing blooms...

and Joan Senior has been one of the most prolific daylilies this year. What a delight she's been! Wait...do you see Phoebe peeking out from beneath the leaves? Posted by Picasa

The Pink Garden is looking pretty with blue Dwarf Campanula, self sown Allysum and Snapdragons, among others.

...self sown Alyssum and Snapdragons.

Park Princess Dahlia has been blooming for a couple of weeks.

The patio outside the back door is crowded with containers again, even though I vowed not to plant so many. And there are more on the front porch. Posted by Picasa
I haven't named all the blooms, or shown them all, but this is a good sample.

That's it for this Bloom Day dear blog friends.

Don't forget to visit
Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see the blooms other gardeners around the world are offering for August.

Happy Bloom Day everyone!

41 comments:

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...[Reply]

Happy Bloom Day! Turning the stump area into a rock garden is a great idea, and using a container in the middle gives it just the right bit of height. While I agree that the color of the Tiger Lily doesn't go with its companion, I still love that shot of it towering into the beautiful sky, soaring above the moutains (hills?). Your gardens are so full of beauty and their setting is wonderful.

Linda said...[Reply]

I'm glad you finally got some summer weather Kerri - although I could have shipped you up lots of heat and sunshine with plenty to spare.
It all looks so lovely. I especially love the pink garden. With the terrible drought here, it is hard to get anything to survive. So it is a pleasure to walk through your gardens. Thank you Kerri.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...[Reply]

Wow! It is just gorgeous there! All that open green space and all those overflowing flower beds. I wish I could see it all in person.
Hope you get some more summer weather,

Lisa at Greenbow said...[Reply]

When I see those big open spaces with all your blooming plants I want to dance through... Just gorgeous. I love those tall lilies. They are a must have for me next year.

Cathy S. said...[Reply]

Your garden is looking beautiful Kerri, Happy GBBD! and it sure has been hot just for the last 2 weeks, I can't complain because we really did not have too many hot days this summer.

-Cathy

em said...[Reply]

kerri, spectacular sky in the first shot! love all the flowers... hm, i'm not growing any rudbeckia... your gloriosas look enviable! yes, it's very hot here, we are all just lazing around (we don't have ac, except in the bedrooms.) glad though that summer is finally here! again, it's amazing the amount of blooms you have on this bloomsday.

Needled Mom said...[Reply]

The skies are stunning, Kerri. I am so glad that you finally got a bit of summer weather - at least for the flowers!

The colors are just gorgeous. I love the new rock bed area. The back pots are so hard to resist, I'm sure. With a limited growing season, you certainly know how to take full advantage of it. Everything is beautiful. Your hard work definitely shows.

Alice said...[Reply]

No wonder I haven't seem him in such a long time...you've had him out there 'whacking weeds' and mowing all that lovely grass all summer long! You're doing a great job, Ross.

Kerri, do you know which gardens I love best? The porch gardens. They are always so pretty, but seeing them against the house that You and Ross live in, makes the whole picture so special.

I love the other gardens, too, especially in a vista of such spendid green, although I know it took a wet summer to produce such colour (in mid August). Oh, how I would love a wet summer....or Spring, Winter and Autumn...lol.

I was just thinking about how you keep moving your perennials around the garden. Do you even wonder where you've put them, and then get a surprise when they flower somewhere unexpectedly?

Would love to see some more of your containers in flower. They are always an inspiration.

May the summer days continue and you and Ross (and Pheobe) enjoy them to the full.

F Cameron said...[Reply]

Your garden looks so fresh and bright to me. Your kitty is so cute hiding out in the garden with the daylilies. I have 'Joan Senior' and think she's a good one, too.

Sorry that I'm late to visit your blog. Yesterday, we had a party for my husband's mother. 90 years old. We had a good time. I've been having to draw garden plans to submit to our HOA so that I can extend a garden bed to take care of water runoff. Takes so much time to draw.

Cameron

Tabor said...[Reply]

Another great set of photos. The only edge we have here is the hot weather has made my coleus four feet tall and my lantana has become a spreading ground cover.

Pat said...[Reply]

The start of your post had me singing...
Love the combo of Gloriosa daisies, Phlox and Monarda.
Phlox is on my "thinking about" list.
Also love that blue in the last pic.

Roses and Lilacs said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri, I can't believe how much late summer color you have. It even looks like you still have pansies in one bed. Love the gloriosa daisies. I just planted Joan Sr this summer. I'm glad to see she does so well at your place. I was a little worried since she is an evergreen.

Wonderful photos.
Marnie

Curmudgeon said...[Reply]

Oh Kerri! Your gardens are spectacular! Absolutely can't decide what I like best ;-) Here we FINALLY got some rain last week but this week we're climbing back up up up heading towards 90. We will definitely get hot pepeprs this year. LOL!

sweetbay said...[Reply]

Those NY summers look glorious, especially when the sun comes out! Your gardens have so much color, which I love... I especially like the rudbeckia+fence picture -- just glorious. Beautiful butterfly and bee captures too. And all of those containers by the back door are amazing.

Marlene Depler said...[Reply]

Makes me want to come for a stroll around your yard! Beautiful!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...[Reply]

The weather has done wonders for your flowers and they're so beautiful.

We just this week are having our first summer weather too. It's hot, but not humid and I like the lack of humidity in the air. We have had everyday rain showers almost all year and it's looking like a jungle here. The weeds love it, but my flowers haven't done so well this year. No climatis blooms this year at all, and hardly any vine growth either...no roses, no flowers, not much of anything bloomed.

So coming over here to see all of your pretty flowers is a breath of fresh air and a feast to my eyes.

Shady Gardener said...[Reply]

Keri, I cannot believe how long it's been since I've visited you. Your blog looks different...

Your gardens are Beautiful. I absolutely love the Fence Garden photo with the rust and gold Gloriosa! My biggest "blush of color" is fading, so it's wonderful to see what you have going over there! (Yours is much more extensive!) :-)

Oh! I forgot to mention: I'm thinking you didn't click on the butterfly photo over at my place... ;-)

Dee/reddirtramblings said...[Reply]

It is so refreshing to see your beautiful garden at its peak now. Mine is past it, and I'm getting a bit sad for fall. Back to school always makes me that way a little bit. Kerri, it's just lovely. Thank you and Happy Bloom Day.~~Dee

Annie said...[Reply]

Beautiful photos

Teresa said...[Reply]

Kerri your flowers are awesome. I love that photo of the gloriosa. that is a really pretty picture. I am having that same weather and it feels good to be in summertime weather although the heat is a bit heavy. The flowers like it though. Enjoy the rest of August!

joco said...[Reply]

Dear Kerri,

It is the general opinion that anyone who can do a proper GBBD post in August, is a proper gardener. So there. You're one of the very few! I had nothing worth showing.

Thanks for your letter on bindweed. So glad you alerted me to bloomday. Am spending the afternoon with yours, virtually. What a sky! And is that your end of the phone line that our messages flow through?

An awful lot of grass, so neatly cut. Puts us with only a couple of acres to look after, to shame.

Plants always seem to know best where to self-sow, even though not always convenient to us. Those Gloriosas look glorious where they put themselves. even though their needlework skills aren't very convincing :-)
BTW. is a weed-whacker what we call a strimmer? A fast moving sharp blade I mean.

I miss having such exotic butterflies around. Little meadow browns are all very well, but I would love to see one of those Swallowtails fly past. I want to enlarge every photo. So much to see and enjoy. I am writing the comment as the pictures unfold. How's about a cuppa now:-) Beam me up, Scottie. I want to sit out there for a bit. I wish...

That white clapboard makes such a gorgeous backdrop for your backdoor garden. One picture wouldn't come through: the frontdoor garden. I'm curious now.

I may not have a bloomday post up this month, but have done a Deutzia post for the GGW photo contest. It is up here . Nothing compared to this glorious tableau for August you have shown us. What a lot of work. Enjoy your visitors ( and the clean house ;-)

Anonymous said...[Reply]

I absolutely love the view of your front porch, with all the colorful flowers there. I love to see every color of flower at once, and it's a look I like to follow in my garden too. I'll have to check Wild Birds Unlimited for that ant guard, bet they have one!

The Giraffe Head Tree said...[Reply]

Late to the party, but love all your photos! Of all your flower photos my hands-down favorite is the rust & gold gloriosa - wow!!! Even then, that brilliant sky with clouds rivals the flowers beneath it - wow!

*Ulrike* said...[Reply]

It is such a joy to see all of your flowers! A lot of yours are blooming now where most of mine are finished. Next year I will see what color my daylilies are that I planted from pots (been in pots for 5 years!!). My grandmother gave Joan Senior to me this year, and it looks to be a lovely one. I am glad that you know the names of all of yours since I'll be back for referrals!!

EAL said...[Reply]

I think NY summers officially do NOT start until August now. But I was glad to have all the rain--great for some perennials I am establishing.

Love all your barn flowers.

Val said...[Reply]

Your patio area is lovely! But it proves that your summers are hotter than the UK - I had to go to France to see a swallowtail butterflie :o(

Rock rose said...[Reply]

Everything looks so wonderfully fresh and summery in your garden. I love the rust gloriosa- do you know which one it is?

LostRoses said...[Reply]

Kerri, I love how you always take long shots of your garden, it gives us such a good idea of the overall picture, and it's a beautiful one!

Midlife Mom said...[Reply]

Your flowers are just lovely! We have had a summer like yours, we finally have gotten some sunny warm weather after much rain and clouds. My flowers are doing great but the veggie garden not so much. It just didn't like all that rain and drizzle. I've got a post one post back of some of my flowers if you want to stop by.
You live is such a beautiful area, it is like something out of a nice book! Take care!

Urban Green said...[Reply]

Kerri, your hanging baskets are beautiful. There is so much that you can do with it...

http://theurbanbalcony.blogspot.com/

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...[Reply]

Dear Kerri, your summer garden is glorious. The orange tiger Lily looks splendid against the blue sky.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri - I just found your blog and have read back through it and have really enjoyed my time in your gardening world. Your gardens are beautiful and I especially enjoyed all the daylilies. I have become addicted to them over the past few years. After looking at your my 'to buy' list just grew. I'm looking forward to following your garden as it progresses through the season.

Elzie said...[Reply]

Beautiful garden pictures as always. Sorry I've been a lazy visitor lately. Hopefully it can be better from now on.
Hope you have a nice day.
Love Elzie

Beth said...[Reply]

There's that beautiful rust colored gloriosa that I love! Mine are lovely but not that color. Thanks again for sharing the seeds. I have enjoyed them this summer and will transplant a few of my plants at my daughter's school too. Your seeds will have a long and prolific life in North Dakota!

Sunita Mohan said...[Reply]

Kerri, visiting your site always makes me feel like I've been feasting non-stop for a week! What a gorgeous surfeit of beautiful blooms. No wonder all those butterflies and bees look so contented! :) :) :)
Your hydrangeas are looking lovely. And what a beautiful patio! I would love to sit there and day-dream. Problem is I may never get up again ;)

Anonymous said...[Reply]

So many beautiful things have! And up there on that mountain, you have a view of that stunning sky to show off your garden.

Karla Kotelett said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri, I'm new in bloggers world and I'm a pig, a pink pig. A german pig.
I like your garden and your cats very much. You make allways such wonderful photografs from your garden and all the animals.

Karla

Pam said...[Reply]

A feast for the eyes.

I can't get coneflowers to grow more than one year - and look at your great clump. Sigh. Still, I won't grudge you them!

Megan the Plumber said...[Reply]

Wow, thanks for th epost, very interesting. Beautiful flowers

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...[Reply]

A beautiful post about your glorious summer days. Take it easy dear Kerri.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

I have followed your blog for a long while
I save some of your beautiful pictures and use for my desk top
thank you for sharing beautifl country with me
Mary Ann
Augusta Ga