More Blooms in June -2011 - Purple Flowers

This the entrance to my home -

As you can see I love purple flowers

The Blue False Indigo Plant

False Indigo

My neighbor's little dog 'Spice' poses in the Peace Garden

Japanese Iris

Purple Columbine -Aquilegia

Bearded Iris

Japanese Iris line the pathway.

Blooms in June - 2011

Clematis (Nelly Moser)

Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’ is an heirloom hybrid gardened since 1897, & developed from Clematis lanuginosa , a Chinese species. The breeder was Marcel Moser of Versailles, France. He took his first bar-flowered hybrid, named for himself, & crossed 'Marcel Moser' with 'Belisaire,' and arrived at the name 'Nelly Moser.'

This perennial is easy to grow. If you open your hand as wide as you can stretch your fingers, you'll have before you the size of the flowers on a 'Nelly Moser' clematis.

I usually leave them outside on the vine but this year a stem broke off and I put it in a vase in the kitchen. As you can see when they did bloom they look really beautiful.

Cleome Spinosa

I plant very few annuals but I usually have a bed of Cleome Spinosa (Spider Flower)

Those above are just blooming but as the summer progresses they can get to 4ft tall and need no special attention.

They are propagated by seed. They love full sun but can thrive in half-shade also. Originated in Tropical America and were introduced into Britain in 1817.

They have a very strong odor and are sometimes referred to as the Gas Plant

Two winters ago I planted three Allium Grandiflora Lily bulbs. I had purchased the Allium at our local community co-op, Urban Roots. I was not sure what to expect but last Spring three came up and were small but beautiful.

This Spring they reproduced and multiplied in number. Six beautiful blooms came in bloom and they were very tall. Absolutely magnificent!

Now for the sad part of this story - they had been in bloom for only three days -

people were stopping by to admire them.

This morning when I went outside they were all missing. When I investigated I found them all on the ground scattered around in front of the house next door to me.

They had all been picked at the bottom of the stem but whoever did it threw them away. I can only guess that it may have been children - it was very disappointing to see them destroyed. I have not had an experience like this before but I have friends who have told me that people pick their garden flowers all the time without permission.

I miss them already :-(

More Blooms in June

Hello dear readers - I have finally returned to the Peace Garden Blog after a long winter.

In the Spring the flowers started peeping through the soil but we have had so much rain that most only lasted a couple of days and were gone. Due to the rain the weeds are thriving and I have not spent enough time tending to the garden.

So, I am taking time to post this blog and will start to write at least weekly.

Purple Columbine -

Aquilegia

Iris

Dogwood Tree

White Japanese Iris

Bleeding Heart

Bearded Iris

Purple Japanese Iris

Blooms in June

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Bearded Iris – Iris (hybrids)

Iris – the word alone conjures up visions of brilliant spring flowers.

This large genus of about 200 species is native in the North Temperate regions of the world.

Iris have orchid-like flowers. 9 to 12 buds are usually found growing on short side branches on each stem. Each blossom lasts about three days.

Principle Iris colors are lavender, blue, white, purple, rose-red, pink, brown or various combinations and blends of these colors.

The two major requirements for successfully growing all classes of bearded iris are full sun and good drainage.

It is important to dig and divide every three to four years under ordinary culture.

Purple Columbine or Granny's Bonnet (Aquilegia x hybrida)

Columbines are very hardy perennials, and they thrive throughout the United States. Their nodding flowers vary in size from one to three inches across, and blossoms range in color from delicate pastels to deep, vibrant colors such as purple, yellow, orange, and red. The foliage is lacy, and attractive even when the flowers are not in bloom.

Most columbine flowers have backward-projecting spurs that contain rich nectar that can only be reached by hummingbirds. They can tolerate full sun in the North and require no special attention from me. Another gardener gave me some cuttings last autumn and they have established themselves well - they are magnificent!

The Blue False Indigo Plant

The blue false indigo, Baptisia australis, has been one of the most reliable and beautiful herbaceous perennials of them all. The leaves are unique and handsome, the flowers are purplish blue with a touch of gray, and the seed pods, at maturity are jet black and can be used in flower arrangements.

A native of the south central and eastern United States, this plant will grow in zones 3 – 9 However, it prefers fill sun and moist, rich soil. The blue false indigo plant features indigo colored flowers that in form resemble the lupine and annual sweet pea, but are not fragrant.

Additionally, the plants attract bumblebees and the seeds will feed the birds in winter. The Baptisia is deep rooted, long lived, slow growing, and will never invade the garden. The foliage is remarkably pest free and disease resistant.

Plant it all by itself in the garden so its special appeal can best be appreciated.

I have this one planted in the center of the lawn in the front garden. Passersby often stop to admire it and ask me what is it's name.

Chives

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are the smallest species of the onion family.

The Ancient Chinese have used chives for thousands of years, and it is reported that Marco Polo brought them to Europe from China.

An herb is a plant whose leaves, seeds, or flowers are used for flavoring food or in medicine. Referred to in the plural, as chives. Culinary uses for chives involve shredding its leaves (straws) for use as condiment for fish, potatoes and soups. It has insect-repelling properties, which can be used, in gardens to control pests.

The mauve colored flowers are also edible.

Chives are hardy perennials, they prefer sun and well-drained soil and require little attention.

A fellow garden lover gave these to me. I have several clumps of them around the garden & I love them because they provide attractive color and require no care whatsoever. You can’t get any better than that!

Clematis

I have had good results with the Nelly Moser Clematis. It is a flowering vine that can reach as much as 12 feet in length, with off-shoots from the main vine reaching out 3-4 feet. Best displayed on a trellis, arbor, or other climbing fixture, the blooms start in late May and can continue all summer long. Clematis are easy to grow, fast growing, and suitable to USDA hardiness zones 4a to 8b.

Water weekly unless there’s a soaking rain.



If you are fearful or are uncertain about pruning, you can skip it. The purpose of pruning is to neaten up the plant and to encourage new growth. In time, even an unpruned clematis will fill out. This plant is beautiful.

My garden is on a small city lot (28' wide). The main colors in the garden are purple,lavender, yellow, pink and white. The flowers that you see above are the first to bloom this year and it is interesting that they are all in shades of lavender to purple, which has a very pleasing effect.

I brought the iris and false indigo with me from my garden in Massachusetts.

The Cycle of the Blue False Indigo Plant

The Blue False Indigo Plant

This is to document the growth of this plant. The photo above shows how it appears early in June.

The blue false indigo, Baptisia australis, has been one of the most reliable and beautiful herbaceous perennials of them all. The leaves are unique and handsome, the flowers are purplish blue with a touch of gray.

This photo shows the early blooms starting on the branches. This flower is one of my favorites in the garden.

I first saw it in the garden of a woman in a village in Massachusetts. She was showing us around her English style cottage garden when I spied the Blue Indigo plant. She was offering some of her plants for sale and I asked her if I could have this one. She refused, saying that she loved it so.

The woman finally agreed to let me have the plant. This was at least 15 years ago and I have been taking it with me whenever I move. So it is now in the center of my front garden in Western New York and has weathered the harsh winter very well.

Here it is in full bloom

The plants attract bumblebees. The Baptisia is deep rooted, long lived, slow growing, and will never invade the garden. The foliage is remarkably pest free and disease resistant.

Now we are blooming in the month of July and the plant is still doing very well.

Plant it all by itself in the garden so its special appeal can best be appreciated. Isn't it beautiful?

I have this one planted in the center of the lawn in the front garden. Passersby often stop to admire it and ask me what is it's name.

In early August the seed pods are starting to turn into these wonderful light green velvety pods.

A native of the south central and eastern United States, this plant will grow in zones 3 – 9 However, it prefers full sun and moist, rich soil.

The blue false indigo plant features indigo colored flowers that in form resemble the lupine and annual sweet pea, but are not fragrant.

At maturity the seed pods become jet black and can be used in flower arrangements.

The seeds will feed the birds in winter and the seeds can also be planted for new blooms.

So there you have the cycle of life of the Blue Indigo. They are beautiful at each cycle of growth.

Now it is the month of September and the season's cycle is coming to an end.

How wonderful it has been to watch Nature's gift to us.

Day Lily, Sweet William, Clematis - June Blooms

Day Lily

Here we are on the last day of June. We recently made the transition from Spring to Summer and Mother Nature continues to bless us with her beautiful flowers. 

Just two days ago the Day Lillies came into bloom, right on time. This year the lillies are at least 6 - 7 feet tall. When I tried to take a photo I found it difficult to take a photo from above :-)

Daylily is the common name of the species Hemerocallis 
The name Hemerocallis comes from the Greek words (hēmera) "day" and (kalos) "beautiful". These perennial flowers of most species open at sunrise and wither at sunset, possibly replaced by another one on the same stem the next day.

Originally native from Europe to China, Korea, and Japan, they are popular worldwide. There are over 60,000 registered cultivars.

Daylilies occur as a clump including leaves, the crown, and the roots. Once established, it is difficult to remove runner daylilies from the yard. I originally had them planted in various locations around the garden but they multiply so quickly that I am currently transplanting them to their very own border along the entire length of the house where they can do whatever they will without choking out other perennials around them. They require no special attention and are glorious when they are in full bloom.

Daylilies can be grown in USDA plant hardiness zones 1 through 11, making them some of the most adaptable landscape plants.

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)

Name from Greek dios, divine, and anthos, flower, referring to its fragrance

Origin from Europe - introduced into Britain in 1573. Blooms late spring-summer and loves full sun. Propagation by seed. Once established will replace itself with self-sown plants.

Clematis (Nelly Moser)

Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’ is an heirloom hybrid gardened since 1897, & developed from Clematis lanuginosa , a Chinese species. The breeder was Marcel Moser of Versailles, France. He took his first bar-flowered hybrid, named for himself, & crossed 'Marcel Moser' with 'Belisaire,' and arrived at the name 'Nelly Moser.'

This perennial is easy to grow. If you open your hand as wide as you can stretch your fingers, you'll have before you the size of the flowers on a 'Nelly Moser' clematis. This perennial blooms from May to late June, with a second, less profuse bloom in mid-August.( However, in colder climates this cold-hardy vine won't necessarily have the second bloom period.)

These photos show the Clematis at the end of June. the petals have fallen and 

this beautiful seeds  remains.

It thrives in a sunny spot but will still bear colorful flowers and keep their delicate color longer in the shade. When planted in full sun, the flower color fades quickly. The light mauve-pink petals have deep rose-pink central bars.

Prune only if needed, as it blooms on the previous year's canes. 
Propagation: Root softwood cuttings in spring, semi-ripe cuttings in early summer.

When it goes to silvery seed, the tufts are nearly as attractive as the flowers as 

you can see in these photos

Pentstemon - (Beard -Tongue)

This wonderfully ornamental flower has about 250 species. 

Related to the foxglove - many have fringed 'beards' - hence the common name.

 

It it loves the sun  and well drained soil - is about 2 feet high and is beautiful. 

It has been blooming for a month now.

Thrives in zones 4 - 10.

photos by peacesojourner

Coreopsis, Shasta Daisies, Lupine - June Blooms - 2009

Early Sunrise Coreopsis (Tickseed)

Easy to grow perennial grows 1 - 2' high and does well in the full sunshine. Zones 4 - 10.

They grew originally in Southern United States and were introduced into Europe in 1826. They bloom in early summer. They  propagate from seed or by division every two to four years in the spring.

Shasta Daisies (Chrysanthemum Maximum)

These flowers originated in the Pyranees. 

They do well in full sun and are extremely sturdy.

They require hardly any attention and never fail to please.  They grow about 3' high and bloom during the summer months. Good for cut flowers and borders. 

Lupine (Lupinus) 'Gallery White'

I have tried to plant Lupines in the past but seldom have any success. This year I purchased three very small plants and planted them in the front garden. I am hoping that the constant sun will improve the longevity of these Lupines. 

They bloom in late spring to early summer in full sun. Grow 18-20" tall in

 USDA Zones 4 - 10.

They attract hummingbirds.

photos by peacesojourner