Hairy Bloomers In The Garden Today

Black Eyed Susan~almost ready to burst open.
Monarda
Geranium Buds

{Please click on the pictures for a closer look at the hairs}.

I only recently realized how hairy some plants are, since getting up close and personal with the blooms. I am amazed at how intricate those little hair structures actually can be. The hairs serve a multi functional purpose, which includes protection from solar radiation and sunburn, protection from frost, protection from hungry herbivores, breaking airflow to prevent evaporation from the surface of the plant,and accessing much needed moisture from the air. Smart little bloomers:).

Wildflowers In My Garden

This year I let some of the unknown weeds in my garden grow, just to see what they actually were. To my pleasant surprise I discovered ~ wildflowers!
Lady Bells
Evening Primrose~Oenothera biennis
unknown~ yet to be identified
Red Clover~ Trifolium pratense
Creeping White Clover~Trifolium repens
Hop Clover~ Trifolium aureum
unknown~ yet to be identified
Daisy Fleabane~ Erigeron annus
?vetch
Queen Anne's Lace~ Daucus carota

My father had a passion for wildflowers. While he foraged in the woods looking for beautiful wildflowers to photograph, I spent time in my garden enthralled by my beautiful daylilies. Our passions were different, yet similar.

My last conversation with my dad, three months ago, was about his love for wildflowers. That day he taught me to look at these plants in a different way. He said that most people don't even see their beautiful faces and walk right over them on their journey.

Part of the legacy that my dad left me was the ability to be passionate about life. I now have yet another new passion to add to the rest:). Each summer day brings about a new opportunity to discover hidden beauty in the tiniest faces of wildflowers.

Astilbe Snowflakes

When viewed from above, astilbe has the semblance of soft pink feathery snowflakes.

Astilbe, also known as false spirea, is a perennial shade loving plant.I grow a number of varieties in shade and sun,and they seem to do well in both locations.


My favorite is this early, soft pink variety.

Some Astilbe have a scrumptous sweet fragrance, while others seem to have no fragrance at all. The light pink variety (name unknown) has such a strong smell that it wafts throughout the garden, and when I'm gardening near it I'm drawn to take a closer sniff.
Astilbe makes a wonderful addition to the perennial border, and will always have it's place in my garden.

Maiden Bloom

This is such an exciting time of year. First daylily seedling to bloom this year was this two year old seedling( seedling #1~top two photos), blooming for the first time ever today, and I was very pleasantly surprised! The cross is from pod parent Pure And Simple x pollen parent Spectral Elegance. The color of the flower reminded me of orange sherbet, and I could see it shining brightly from the other side of the yard. I feel like a new mother:). And the fun is just beginning! Its sibling( seedling #2~photo of bud) will bloom for the first time ever tomorrow:).

Jenny's Mother's Rose

Shared through friendship, this wonderful rose of sentimental value has been delivered to many gardens by my friend Jenny. Taken from her mother's rose bush planted over 50 years ago, Jenny has shared a little piece of her mother's joy with others,and helped to perpetuate the beauty of this little unknown rose. It may be easily identifiable to others, and if someone knows it's name, please let me know. For now it is known by all of her friends as Jenny's Mother's Rose:).

Robin's Egg Blue

Sadly abandoned, eight robin's nests were removed from our deck eaves today. Four held beautiful robin's eggs, and four were empty. Whatever caused the robin to leave the nests is unclear.There seems to have only been one robin involved in the nest building to begin with, and only one was observed sitting on a nest. We gave her lots of space, but perhaps not enough. Tonight we are robin's egg blue:(~a little corny but true.

Garden Whites

Highbush Cranberry
Campanula
Hosta with a lot of white coloration
Highbush Cranberry
Bridle Wreath Spirea in Landsdowne

I don't have a lot of whites in my garden, although I do appreciate the pure and simple look of white blooms. They tend to draw the eye like beacons of light, and offer a bright spot wherever they grow. Someday I may do an all white garden...so many plans, so many dreams:).

Hemerocallis~Oceans Eleven

Daylily Oceans Eleven, Petit 2004. Blue is a color that's difficult to achieve in daylilies ~ can you see it in the eye? Perhaps more of a purple, however in the right light it's definitely there. Please pardon the missing pollen:).

Weigela

The Weigela is in full bloom, with soft pink blossoms putting on a grand display. This bush is getting larger every year, and shows no signs of stopping. It must be well over 6 ft, and is impinging on some of my daylily seedlings. Never too late for a good trimming:).

Sunkissed Aquilegea

After a cold day in my Nova Scotian garden, I felt the need to post photos of sunkissed columbine flower taken several days ago when it was a little warmer:).I realized just how cool it actually was when my neighbor walked by with her dog wearing her winter coat and mitts!