Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom July

My columbine were done with their latest bloom (the fourth full bloom in about a year and a half), but then it sent up a small stem with a few flowers a couple of days ago. Luckily for me.

The California fuschia (Zauschneria californica) just started to bloom a few days ago. I think ours is later than normal for local gardens, but we just planted it in March or April and it's not on irrigation.

A close up and then St. John's Wort, a beautiful flower.

Linanthus grandiflora aka mountain phlox. Though california phlox seems a better name since it's not really a mountain flower.

And just above the Linanthus is a cosmos that has been holding sleeping bees regularly. We joked they were on a nectar high and couldn't make it back to the hive. You can also see a tiny worm in the pic.

And thanks again to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Bloom Day.

12 comments:

  1. Oh St. John's Wort -- beautiful... and annoying. I admire the beauty of its flowers as I'm ripping it out of my lawn, and other plants, and from between the cracks in my walkway. It is beautiful though! That California fuschia is striking!

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  2. Beautiful blooms, I think you must have meant Garden blogger's Bloom Day July not June.

    Happy GBBD!

    -Cathy

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  3. Thanks Cathy, you're right of course. The year is just speeding by. I just fixed it.

    And I've heard St. John's wort is invasive Liisa, so we planted it in a 7in wide strip between a driveway and the fence. And if it invades the neighbor's yard, whose weeds and grasses are invading ours I won't mind so much.

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  4. Love your blooms. I have a section of my yard with dappled shade with some full sun, that I need to convert to drought tolerant. You have convinced me to use some Zauschneria, Columbine & St John's Wort!

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  5. My California Fuschia is nowhere near blooming - here it's more towards September - maybe being more coastal makes the difference (hills near Santa Cruz). Thanks for the post - great to see your native plants in bloom!

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  6. My zauschnerias ('Catalina') are just starting to think about growing and probably won't be blooming for a few months--Congrats for having some early bloomers there. You might have an earlier variety than I do. And thanks for ponting out the tiny cosmos worm. I'd have missed it entirely if you hadn't mentioned it.

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  7. Happy bloom day! Well, I have 3 different Zauschnerias, and each starts blooming at a different time. The first just put out its first bloom, but the most vigorous won't start for another month.

    thanks for sharing!

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  8. The blooms are looking good. Those bees are having a party in that flower.

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  9. I love columbine, I feel as if I never know what I am going to get. I enjoyed your blooms -- rosemarie

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  10. Thanks for sharing your beautiful blossoms. The bees in the flower is cute. :) ~~Rhonda

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  11. I'm a St John's Wort lover too and have tried growing it from seed, but have always failed miserably :(
    Found you through Blotanical incidentally, and have left you a welcoming message there too.

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  12. We find sleeping bees all the time. Some will grumpily crawl to another part of the flower when they notice us looking at them, while others will seem to look at us, then tuck their heads back into the flower. They definitely look hungover!

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