Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, June, 2017

Not a lot blooming here right now, but I am willing to share what I have happening.  First we were drowning in rain, and now we are frying in the heat.  Oh well.  Enjoy the blooms.  And if you want to see more flowers, hop on over to MayDreamsGardens.blogspot.com.  Thanks to Carol for hosting.

Here are two pics of the same clematis 'Bonanza'.  Interesting how the light changes the colors.

 I had two lovely clematis years ago that got a fungus and both died.  Imagine my surprise when I noticed a young seedling coming up where the other two were growing.  I am debating digging it up or just leaving it grow up from under a juniper.  What would you do?

This is peony Karl Rosenfield.  It was just exquisite this year.  While going through my old plant labels I found that I used to have two red peonies.  One died at some point and I think it is from moles and voles digging around under ground and destroying the root system.  UPDATE:  The label for this peony say Karl Rosenfield, yet I have often wondered if it was mislabeled.  It appears to look more like Koningin Wilhelmina.  Any peony experts want to weigh in on this?  I have seen plants obviously with the wrong tag at the nursery and attribute this to someone just putting a fallen tag into the nearest pot.

This is a Blaze climbing rose.  Now that I have my fence, it has been able to grow without deer destroying it and this year it is putting on quite the show.  Unfortunately, my other Blaze climber had all of the leaves eaten by the $!*!$$#!&#* rabbits.

This is Bonica, an old shrub rose.  It has so much deer repellent on it I am surprised it hasn't fallen to the ground.  Every year they eat all the blooms - it is in the front yard - but this year I put one of those whirly-gig things in front of it.  If the wind is blowing, it would take their head off.

These other roses are all of the Knock-out variety.

Coral

Red

Pink

Last spring when I was in the Netherlands, I saw this fantastic large astilbe.  I found this 'Mighty Red Quinn' at the garden center and had to have it.  It's blooms are just starting to open.

This is an addition to the new planting area I made.  It is a butterfly bush called 'Prince Charming.'  Finally, after all these years, I have found him.  And all he needs is sun and water.  What a deal!

I have many varieties of coral bells and I do not grow them for their flowers, but these old fashioned ones were quite nice this year.  

Empress Wu hosta is sending up the flower shoots.  Last year the deer ate these too, not that it might not still happen.  One leaf is 12" x 14"  and the plant stands about three feet tall without the flowers.

This is Anthony Waterer spirea which I planted over 30 years ago.   Last year I gave them a major haircut and now they look much better.

This is Little Princess spirea and the bees were loving it.  Since I am highly allergic, I did not get too close.

This is the Kousa dogwood which is fading, but I had to post a picture of how lovely it was in full bloom.

This is Lady's Mantle and not only has it really taken off this year, I have five new plants that are also coming along.  A yoga buddy gave me a few small plants a few years ago.

Lamb's ears.  I used to have these  about 30 years ago or more.  Then they disappeared.  Last year two plants suddenly appeared.  BTW, see that mini-hosta on the left?  It is not a mini but it is what happens when voles destroy the root system of a large hosta.  

Sedum selskianum, the first to bloom and it must be loving this weather even if I am not.

Speedwell 'Waterperry Blue'.  I planted three of these as ground cover.  I am hoping that the day will come when ground covers cover all the open areas and I can forget the mulching.  

Last but not least, my new tree.  It is a crabapple called 'Royal Raindrops'.  Having purchased Prince Charming, I needed something royal to go along with it.  Actually, my two old crabapples are not faring too well and this one will replace one of them if it dies.

It has a lovely dark-red cut leaf resembling a maple.  I hope to be here many years watching it grow.

And there you have it.  The real show is yet to come so here is a pic of green, soon to be in technicolor.

You can hop like a bunny over to here to see more blooms.  What's in your garden?