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 :-(