After Mid-day.

Bloom Day 2016.
It's been a while since I've posted as social media seems to take all the spare time these days. I'm somewhat nostalgic writing this blog post as writing them used to consume quite a bit of spare time, nevertheless I always enjoyed completing a post and interacting with other bloggers.
As always the 15th of the month means Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, a meme created by Carol at May Dream Gardens where fellow gardeners display their blooms every month.
Also I have a question, what photo editing software are any of you using as Picasa is gone? I wasn't able to edit any of these photos.

Echinacea purperea

It was nice to see a few Monarch butterflies and bees as I was out taking shots this late afternoon.

Eutochium maculatum - Gateway Joe Pye Weed

A few wide angle shots.

Above looking west from middle of property front entrance.

Rudebeckia, Echinacea, and Miscanthus 'Morning Light" entrance garden.

Looking East from the driveway. Amsonia , Etrochium, Baptisia, and Panicum Dallas Blues.

This would be a short list of things blooming today but I must move on. So happy bloom day.

Sunday Morning Bliss

Echinacea purpurea, Schizachyrium scoparium 'the Blues', Helianthus maximiliani, Clamagrostis acutifolia 'Karl Foerster' and Rhus typhina 'Balitiger'.

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail', Eupatorium purpurea, and Rudbeckia hirta.

Nepeta 'Walkers Low', Ruellia humilis, Salvia azurea, Symphyotrichum ericoides, and Salvia farinacea.

Bloom Day Post - July 2013

 Echinacea pururea - Purple Coneflower

I'm sure there will be plenty of these posted on this months bloom day post. I purposely allowed these seedlings to multiple to create this large grouping. Some designers would call this a "block" planting, which I suppose it is. This too shall change.

The pollinators do love it.

Let's not forget my newest favorite, Dalea purpurea-Purple Prairie Clover.

Visiting grandaughter, loving the blooms.

And my pal, Sid. Loves the feel of the Yarrow.

Happy July Blooms everyone. You can join everyone at the monthly bloom meme, May Dream Gardens. Thanks Carol.

Bloom Day June 2013

After a cool spring with normal rainfall coming at needed times, this June has been spectacular for the health of the garden. I'm sure this week of extended temperatures and warm harvest winds will take a toll on the the looks of the garden. But lets be positive shan't we. Wow, loved this spring.
As always Carol with May Dream Gardens is hosting this monthly bloom day meme.

 Broad view of hell strip along street. Achillea 'Coronation Gold', Salvia farinacea, Echinacea purpurea, Delphinium carolinianum, Veronia altissima, and Nepeta 'Walkers Low'.

 Corner Hell Stip with Nasella tenuisima, Ascelpias tuberosa, Festuca, Echinacea pupurea, Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster', Alchillea m.'Terra Cotta', and Gallardia.

And of course one of my favorites every year Verbascum thapsus, common Mullien.

Bloom Day September 12

Yes it's that time of the month again, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day where garden bloggers from around the world share photos of their blooms. Carol of May Dream Gardens sponsors this event every month. Image above Echinacea purpurea-Purple Coneflower with Painted Lady-Vanessa virginiensis butterfly.

A well traveled and scarred Monarch enjoys a meal from a Agastache 'Blue Fortune'.

An Eastern Black Swallowtail-Papilio ployxenes feeding on a Bronze Fennel Plant-Foeniculum vulgare.

Clearwing Hummingbird moth-Hemaris thysbe- feeding on Nepeta faassenii- Catmint 'Walkers Low'

Monarch feeding on Asclepias incarnata-Swamp Milkweed.

Datura - Moon Flower. What photographer hasn't caputered this frame?

Front bed landscape. Dried blooms of Achillea millifolium, Echinacea purpurea, Artemisia 'Powis Castle" and Salvia farinacea. Happy Bloom Day, You'all!

The Garden Has the Flop's

Achillea 'Coronation Gold'

Yes that's right. Some of my plants in the garden have the flop's. No it isn't a new disease or varietal weakness (that I know of). Some experts would say the plants are mature and need divided. However, these plants were only planted in the last two years. It is possible the plants have excess growth from over fertilization from compost. However, that has never been a problem before. Maybe it's global warming. I should contact Al Gore, he seems to be an expert on these things.

 Nepeta 'Walkers Low'

Salvia nemorosa 'Coradonna'

I'm scratching my head trying to figure this one out and what my solution is to allow these plants to reach their full potential this summer. My current conclusion is it's varietal weakness and too much nitrogen,  then followed with early warm weather in late march and cooler temps in April. On the Coronation Gold yarrows I'm going to deadhead after bloom on one of three plants and compare. I would hate to loose the spent blooms during the winter.

And alas: my first monarch visit, a male.

April Bloom Day: 101, Tornado's, Flu and Landscaping

Corner Hell Strip- - (LtoR) Viola(front),Saponaria ocymoides(soapwort),Salvia 'Rapsody in Blue', and Aethionema schistosim (Persian stonecress).

What is the title suppose to mean you ask? Good question.
101: this is post number 101.
Tornado's: As many of you who live in the central plains know, this is tornado alley.
Flu: stomach flu.
Landscaping: I provide free landscaping services to my sons.
Story Line:
All last week my son has been communicating that he wanted to take me up on an offer to add a perennial bed to his new house in Edmond (near Oklahoma City). I responded with some regret as I knew that the rain had been dropping there all week. And as some of you many know the soil there is nasty red clay. It is so bad that Acme brick has a Edmond quarry near there manufacturing plant that they make brick out of. We're talking sorry soil! Anyways my plan was to add compost from the local municipal recycle plant into the bed. When I drove to the compost plant on Thursday it was closed due to weather! Weather! Come on. Well it probably turned out to be a mixed blessing. Therefore I went to plan B which was purchase compost in Edmond and take tiller and tools along to amend bed.
Friday night finally came around and off we go. As we were leaving we heard we were in a tornado watch. This warning was not a normal warning, as words were using such as total destruction, loss of life possible if not in a tornado shelter. Whoa, never heard that before. (Come to find out the the national weather bureau has stepped up theie warnings as many people were becoming complacence when tornado's never became real. They later replied that this saved lives this weekend as they knew the weather conditions were going to be severe. The tornado's in Kansas were called a month's worth of tornado's in one day.)
We arrived and my son and I immediately went to work removing the builders applied Bermuda sod with mesh netting. This allows the sod to stay together during application. We worked into the night under the street light shadows and completed step one. Not a easy task as the mesh was rolled into the clay soil and was difficult to remove. The wind was blowing 40 mph along with interspersing rain.
That night we were watching the storms on tv radar move through Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The tornado siren went off at 2;30 a.m. Freak out! Went to the inner closet until the storm had passed. Missed it as the funnel never touched ground. Needless to say it was hard to sleep.

The next day we went after bulk compost. None to be found. So we added two yards of amended topsoil and elevated the bed in berms to improve drainage.

Perennials (seedling volunteers from my garden) were placed for review. Rudbeckia hirta, fulgida, Salvia fairnancea, Salvia  guaranitica 'black and blue', Stipa tenuissima, Echinacea purpurea, Gallardia, Napeta 'walkers low', and Foeniculum vulgare (bronze fennel) were added. I finished planting them and then we added shredded hardwood mulch. Done. Then it rained and rained. Then I got the stomach flu. I had not regurgitated since college ( many, many moons ago). Up and down all night.
That night Wichita, Kansas was hit by multiple tornado's. Wichita is only 40 miles from our home. The warnings were well advised. Our home was spared any damage.

 As always the 15th of month is garden bloggers bloom day where bloggers meet and share their blooms at May Dream Gardens. Image above is Yucca rigida, Verbascum (common mullien), and Linum (blue flax).

 Saliva 'Rapsody in Blue' and Aethionema schistosim (Persian stonecress)

As always, have a great gardening season.

Chillin' GBBD

As I wander through the gardens (or is it wonder) to find a bloom for this January's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post my mind starts wondering (or is it wandering?).  Earth to Greg. It must me wandering. Winter has returned to more normalcy this past couple of weeks here in the Flint Hills of Kansas. I think the only difference this year is the lack of the wet stuff, mainly snow. I have enjoyed a few days to work on my new garden room project this winter. However, with my advancing age my stamina suddenly deteriorates at a rapid rate when the temperature drops below 40 degrees. So I haven't progressed as much as needed. Maybe some of you can understand that. And as always this "time" of the month involves sharing with gardeners from around the world your garden blooms (or your spent blooms as I have). Go and visit Carol at May Dream Gardens to link up and view other peoples gardens. Thanks Carol.

Johnny' Jumpin. My only true bloom in the garden. These plants actually made the cover of the local paper, the front page no less. Why you say. The news was that many people were commenting throughout the community that plants were "budding" and growing because of all the warmer temperatures.

Where would winter interest be without a little yarrow for tomorrow. Weak huh? I told you I was wondering or wandering?

Or is your little blue's riddle due?

Or is golden more holding to your needs?

 Or is silver more your style?

Somethings eating those Echinacea seeds.

Foreground lightning on Viburnum 'Blue Muffin'

Background lighting on same plant.

Echinancea seed head with Artemesia foliage.

And Spring is closer than you think......