This was an odd summer. We had 100 + scorchers and mild 72 degree mid day temps. We had very few bees this season but the butterflies have been abundant. This is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on a Butterfly Bush (Buddleia). These plants are butterfly magnets. They have varying fragrance strengths but they all smell like sweet sugary cotton candy (if that really has an odor).
Another Eastern Tiger on a mystery plant that just goes nuts every year in the back garden. We see it growing on the side of the road but ours reaches 10 feet or more. This one flopped over during a rain storm so I was able to get a good picture of the blooms.
This is a male Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) on a Butterfly Bush (Buddleia). The females have a larger vivid blue tail region. Max ate one of these last year. The wings were a little problematic for him.
A huge Caster Bean pod (Ricinus communis) on a 10 foot plant.
I believe this is a Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) on a Butterfly Bush. Its possible that its a standard Black but the orange/blue/white pattern on the tail makes me think Spicebush.
Bright Eyes Phlox with a Black Swallowtail butterfly. Despite being attacked by a groundhog it grew to about 5 feet and bloomed beautifully.
We planted a few Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) this spring and they have done very well. I didn't get a good picture of the purple variety but will keep an eye out for another bloom. Next year we will have several white calla lily planted behind it.
Peppermint Schnapps Hibiscus showing off in the summer heat. This is a very vigorous and prolific plant. I highly recommend it (at least for zone 7 gardens).
Good ol' Cleome. So easy to grow and they bloom all summer. They reseed profusely so we never worry about not having them.
I love classic Stargazers. The group this year is rather weak and the flowers very small. It's time to dig them up and rework this bed. It's just not as showy as I'd like.
The Salmon Stargazers are in the same predicament. Maybe the early heatwave zapped them. The Nippon Lily in the back has deformed and burnt blooms. Even though these images look nice the flowers are much smaller than years past.
Cleome growing in the mulch pile.
Hibiscus Peppermint Schnapps was a great buy. This is a two year old plant, about 6 feet tall with 20 or so buds ready to bloom. Japanese beetles love hibiscus so I was happy get this shot before they found it.
I'm sorry to announce the death of my amazing Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) bed. They took three years to mature into a perfect grouping. No sagging, no yellowing, strong stems. I was thrilled because I knew the fall blooms would be stellar. Well... our dog chased a groundhog into the bed and destroyed everything. It was devastating.
This is what they destroyed.
And this ...
The Cityline Hydrangea series (Hydrangea macrophylla Paris Rapa) is a nice dwarf variety. The color of Paris is so rich. Don't let them get dry. They need to be watered even in the shade.
Another shot of the giant Bright Eyes Phlox (Phlox paniculata). This phlox also has a couple of red Crocosmia in the mix. They make a good pairing.
White Chiffon Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a showy bloomer. The downside? Japanese beetles find them irresistible. This is one of the few that wasn't blemished with holes or beetle poop.
The Salmon Stargazer Lilies are starting to pop. They are very fragrant and mature to a nice orange accent. The heat wave hurt them this season.
This is the first year we planted Orange Tiger Lilies. Not bad for a 1st try. They grew to about 4 feet and produced a few nice blooms.
The Castor Bean is a curios plant. The oil is known to everyone but did you know they make Ricin poison gas from this plant? The leaves are large and striking and the seed pods can be quite large and colorful. This is a small early bloomer. In a month or so I'll post images of bight red pods at least a foot tall. Squirrels bury the seeds and they now sprout all over every spring. You would think the winter would kill them but they survive.
An early Cleome. The heat has forced them to bloom earlier than normal. They are also not as tall this season.
Purple Balloon Flower (Platycodon) is now in bloom. The heat doesn't seem to bother it to much. I love the color and star shaped flower.
One of two Echinacea that survived the groundhog feast this summer. I don't know why it hasn't been on the menu but I'm glad it's still here.
Lavender Phlox survived the feast and lived to tell about it. This is the tallest Phlox we have grown (about 5 feet). It was pushed over by the groundhog but it is being held up by roses.
Pink Phlox next to the Monarda that flopped over in the monsoon a few weeks back. I wish this plant wasn't so tasty to critters.
A nice combo of Phlox and Mardi Gras Rose with Monarda in the background. I wish the lawn was in better shape!
It has taken the Loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata) several years to bloom but it still isn't fully realized. I think it needs more sun.
Stokes Aster is doing well in the heat. We planted two this year to see how they will do.
This is a first year bed with two different Bee Balm varieties and Hyssop. The bees love both but usually the bumblebees swarm this combo. Not so this year.
Hyssop with a honey bee munching away. We have so few bees these days.
Crocosmia is an easy to grow perennial bulb that produces a tropical looking flower in a non-tropical locale. Give it plenty of sun or it won't be happy. It's cheap, winter hardy, loved by hummingbirds and has vibrant color. We will introduce the yellow and orange varieties next spring.
I know that Cherry trees get all the love in Spring but I believe you can make a strong case for Peach trees in peak bloom. The color is rich, lightly fragrant, and it lights up the garden while the deciduous forest in the background is still barren.
Forsythia is a striking Spring bloomer. We trimmed it back this season and it has filled in quite nicely. They can get a little scraggly so pruning the runners helps keep it looking full. This plant is in the olive family but produces no fruit.
We planted a Magnolia Betty three years ago and it just stood there, almost dormant. This year it woke up, bloomed nicely and is now producing new limbs to about 5 feet.
The Bridal Wreath Spiraea (Spiraea prunifolia) is another Spring beauty. Pictures don't do it justice. We have one that is 6 feet tall and about the same wide.
Daffodil Chromacolor has been a solid performer since we planted them a few years ago. This variety has even out performed the classic yellow Dutch Master. The blooms last for several weeks.
Yellow and Red Emperor Tulips and Dutch Master Daffodils. A classic combo. Orange Emperors are starting to bud in the right foreground.
Lucky Strike Tulips and Misty Glen Daffodils. Lucky's start out with yellow edges and mature to bright white. Like Red Emperor they glow in the sun. Lucky's are also very inexpensive in bulk. The bulb is small so you can really pack them in tight.
Clematis Nelly Moser showing off as usual. This is a striking flower in person. This year it climbed six feet up the fence so we hope the entire vine lights up next season.
I picked up two Declaration Lilac this season. The fragrance caught our nose at the garden center and I just couldn't leave without them. I planted two. One died within a month. I think moles tunneled through it's root system and killed it. This one survived and is doing well.
I decided last year to try Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) from seed. It's a biennial so I scattered the seeds last year and it bloomed this year. It did quite well, bloomed heavily and then started to look stringy and scraggly. They have a nice light scent and pollinators found them tasty.
This little oddity is called Shooting Star (Dodecatheon). I planted several a few years ago and basically wrote them off as a failed experiment. They are very small plants and easily overlooked. I planted these next to a Hydrangea and I guess they were a bit protected. One day while pulling weeds I noticed a bloom head. A few days later, this is what we saw.
Classic white Bearded Iris. The fragrance is clean with notes of citrus.
Miss Kim Lilac (Korean Lilac) has finally started to produce larger blooms. I moved two of these to the back of the garden to get more sun. I expect them to bloom heavily next year. The fragrance is nice but not as pungent as the classic variety.
