Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - June 2009

For those of you that aren't aware of it, today, June 15th, is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. GBBD occurs the 15th of each month. Yes, that means year round. So to enjoy a lot of photos of blooms, after looking at mine of course tee hee, you can go to Carol's May Dreams Garden and check on Mr Linky to see all manner of blooms from all around the world. To participate just make a post on the 15th and add your site to Mr Linky. We would love to see your photos.

In my garden there is all kinds of things blooming now. June is a lovely month for my garden especially when we have a spring as wet as this one has been. Every plant is responding to the moist conditions.

The Goose neck loosestrife is beginning its show of white. Some poeple don't like its aggressive way of roaming around a flower bed but I don't mind it. If it gets to acting invasive I give it a good ripping out and it behaves for awhile. The Daylilies are beginning their show. This small yellow one is pretty even on the back of its bloom where there is a blush of red.

I forget this ones name but it is a rebloomer. So I really appreciate its second bloom time in the fall.

I know this stand of small yellow blooms reminds you of Stella but it is Song Sparrow. I was smitten with its name. What was I thinking?? It does work hard and sometimes rebloom though so I forgive it for resembling Stella. I mean how could I resist a birds name?

This yellow daisy like bloomer is tall. I forget its name but it puts on a nice show at this time.

The Hydrangeas are my favorite bush blooming now. I have some lace caps. They are supposed to be blue but I forgive them their pinkness.

This climbing hydrangea is supposed to be an agressive grower. Ha...it has its very own cedar arch to grow over but all it does is pout these last 5 years. At least now it is blooming. Maybe next it will start climbing.Niko Bue tries its best to give me some blue. I has great big blooms but the blue barely squeezes into view. This Oak Leaf Hydrangea blooms up a storm each summer. I so appreciate its blooms and then during winter it has the most beautiful bark. Definitely a hydrangea everyone should have.This little patio pink hydrangea lives up to its name. It is a small thing and makes the most beautiful deep pink blooms. I have three Spiderworts blooming. Kate has my favorite leaves.

The carpet rose sure churns out the blooms. I imagine the rose conoseurs cringe when they see it but it is so carefree, fragrant and blooms up a storm all summer. I just love it. If you click on this one to enlarge you can see the residen crab spider hoping for a big fat bumble bee to come along for breakfast.

I have several stands of Astilbe. This red one is the prettiest right now.

This tall Phlox is a blue variety. It is so pretty and has varigated foliage.

June would be quite boring without the vist of royalty. The Queen of the Prairie is visiting now. I always look forward to her visit.

I have a couple of tall lilies blooming now.

This one is in with daisies and Jackmanni clematis. A nice combo. The Scarlet Bee Balm is blooming.

Ligularia 'the Rocket' is beginning to open. It is quite the sight when these all get fired up.

I hope you enjoyed the blooms. I have several Hostas abloom. I think will wait until another time to show them. There is so much to see... Have fun.

Saving the Best Memento for Last

In my last post I showed a picture of the plants and pots I purchased as mementos of the Spring Fling. I am sure you noticed at the left edge of the photo a plant not exactly potted up. No, that was a healthy division of the Hosta 'Kossa Regal' that I received from Mr McGregors Daughter whom I now know as Barbara.

This all began after a wild dash for the train when we, Frances, Gail, Tena and I, headed out to Barbara's house to join some others for a tour and dinner to kick off the Spring Fling. Barbara's dear husband came to the station to give us a ride to their home. Since we caught the last express train out to Barbara's house we were some of the last to arrive. Shortly after we arrived Barbara conducted a mini tour of Squirrelhaven. There was so much to see.I was a little disappointed that we had such a short time to try to take in all of her lovely garden.

In the deepest shade of her garden grew a huge tall hosta named 'Krossa Regal'. I was so enamored of it in Barbara's garden as it stood up to be noticed and looked so healthy. I mentioned this to Barbara and she said I could have a piece of it. I thought it was forgotten in the mad dash to the restaurant where we had a delightful dinner. So many ladies, so much talk.

Then we departed from the restaurant with Rose, Beckie for the ride back to town, which I want to thank Rose and Beckie for the comfortable ride back to town. But no, Barbara didn't forget. The next event that we attended she came waltzing into the crowd with a huge hunk of the 'Krossa Regal' for me. In my minds eye I could see her dashing for the train hefting along this huge hunk of hosta brushing by passengers. I am sure the train passengers had a good story to tell about the little lady with the huge plant galloping onto the train, hosta flying as the train was about to pull away.

As you can see I also got this precious hosta into the ground as I was potting up all the purchased plants. This pass along plant from Barbara is the true memento of the Spring Fling. It illustrates how kind and generous is the spirit of all the participants. I can't thank you enough Barbara.

Spring Fling Wrap Up

Chicago Gardeners sure did put on a great Spring Fling this year. The people that attended were the very best. Everyone was so lively and friendly.

I could go on and on about the Spring Fling gushing just as this fountain does at the Chicago Botanic Garden. But I will try not to do that. The weather was just perfect for us as you can see by the sky shown here. The most quite time I believe was when we were in Rick Bayless garden. Maybe it was the presentation that took so long. This just goes to show how nice everyone was paying atttention when they would like to have been looking around. Carolyn Gail's garden was the sweetest little garden. I was pleasantly surprised to find we could all fit into her garden but it was so full of delightful plants and things that you didn't notice the size. With lovely roses as this one she said was thought to be from the confederate era. What ever era it sprang from it sure is a beauty. The bonus of touring her home was certainly appreciated. It is as welcoming as Carolyn herself.

The public garden in Wrigleyville was an eye-opener for me. I have read about these types of community gardens in magazines for years but had never been inside one. It is amazing the amount of veggies and fruits that they can produce here to help their community.

Lincoln Park showed us some sculptures. Of course it had much more to offer but I am trying to show a few different items seen and not yet posted about.

Below is the booty that I made it home with. After seeing all of the inspiring gardens with their containers and displays I just had to have a little something to remember the trip. So I opted for a nice big red container and a smaller one.

One of the other bonuses we received at the SF was a pair of Ethel Gloves. Ethel and I got out into the garden andI gave them a try out even though they are a bit small. Ethel and I got all planted.

I filled the large pot then...

the small planter. Of course I bought a few too many plants for the new planters so the overflow plants went into a concrete planter I already had. I am pleased that the Supertunia given to us by Proven Winners worked right into the color scheme of the chosen plants.

I just can't thank the Chicago Gardeners for enough for all their hard work. It sure made for a pleasant Spring Fling.

Casa de Pantalla Year Two

The past few mornings have been absolutely perfect for sitting out in the Casa de Pantalla for my morning tea. This morning was no different. There was a breeze and the dappled sunlight enhnaced my reminese of the Spring Fling. I wish that all of you garden bloggers that came and those that couldn't attend could sit out here with me to enjoy the morning. Here, let me bring you into my Casa. We can stroll past the hydrangea walk, past the bird feeders...

to the Casa.

When you enter the Casa hopefully your eye will be stopped by the table with the ivy topiary and candleabra. The white plastic fence is rather eye jarring.

This brings to mind that all is not perfect in the Casa.

When you are sitting here, although you have 8 sides to look out into the garden...

the dreaded support bar obscures the view.

If you stand up...

and look out...

above the bars...

you get a better view of the flower beds...

around and near the Casa. Although I love the Casa as it is an inexpensive way to have a cozy screened retreat in the garden, when I get the $$ together to build a proper gazebo I will not have to look around center supports to admire the garden bug free.

So remember if you build a screened porch or gazebo, place your supports below eye level of sitting position. I hope you all are able to enjoy the weekend with blooming plants, singing birds and peace.

Secrets Revealed

While most everyone from the Spring Fling that visited the Chicago Botanic Garden was thrilled and excited when finding this hillside of poppies...I was enamoured by this display of Baby Blue Eyes, Nemophila menziesii. I have always been a sucker for blue eyes and when I came around the corner and these Blue Eyes were winking subtly I could hardly take my eyes off of them.Even as I walked on the calm mesmerising sea of blue called. This is one blue eye I will have to try to work into the garden even though it is an annual.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is so large and chocked full of gardens to be admired I couldn't resist the lure of the Railroad Garden. You see, I have always wanted a railroad garden. Not many people have known this about me. Now you know.

I don't know what it is about them that I like so much. Maybe it is a perfect life style displayed...

Or familiar places that can be brought right into your garden...
Or the minature plants used to landscape the scenes...Hearing voices from the past...Or the marvelous display of the trains themselves. Tiny versions of various trains whizzing around the tracks...

like the garden fairies that wander the garden. Only... you can keep an eye on these sprites as they roam the garden wheter they are low or...

riding high as my spirit was while viewing the many trains.

This would be a great way a gardener could combine the past with the future and arrive at the best of places...in the garden.

Spring Fling

Yes, I was out of the garden again this past weekend. However the nature I saw was more tame. I got to see some of the most beautifully displayed gardens I've seen in some time. The Chicago Botanic Garden was one of the most beautiful botanic gardens I have seen. I will do a post about it. I will have lots to post about over time. It was a great experience.

The Lurie garden downtown Chicago was full of color drawing you through the garden.
Of course the best thing about the Spring Fling was meeting the writers behind the blogs. Here I have Frances, Tena (my Sister), Gail and I at the Cloud Gate in Millinium Park. An appropriate place to start the weekend because I felt like my head was in the clouds with all these marvelous places and beautiful people I got to see and get to know.

I want to thank the Chicago Gardeners that got together and organized this event. They did a marvelous job.