It's My Blooming Blogaversary

Geranium 'Gerwat' (Rozanne), Lobelia 'Monet Moment,' and Phlox paniculata 'Laura' in there somewhere

Has it really been three years? Where did the time go? It's certainly whizzing by faster than ever. While I still have as much to say, I don't have nearly enough time in which to say it. Back when I started blogging, I was posting nearly everyday, sometimes twice a day. Now I'm lucky if I post twice a week (not counting my Tuesday posts for Wildlife Garden).

I've been thinking about the phrase "capable of repetition, yet evading review" (an exception to the mootness doctrine in American law) as it applies to the garden this Bloom Day. The Lycoris squamigera, Astilbe pumila, Hosta 'Striptease' and a single Nasturtium bloomed and faded between July's Bloom Day and today. The summer has been a particularly brutal one on the garden and the gardener, with way too many days in the 90sF/30sC, long stretches with no rain, and then when the rain comes, it's usually a deluge. Add in high humidity and tons of mosquitoes and I'm reading to start singing Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends." This has to be the lamest summertime bloom day offering yet here. Some of the plants blooming last year and the year before are long gone, and some are still in bud. I'd quit now if I were you.

For you brave (or simply persistent) souls, here are the blooms. I could have titled this post "TGFP" or Thank God for Phloxes, as they are carrying the garden now.

Eupatorium 'Phantom,' Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower), Phlox paniculata 'David,' and red Phlox paniculata 'Starfire'

I moved Phlox paniculata 'David's Lavender' out of the nanoprairie, because it clashed with the red of 'Starfire' (see above). I'm thinking about putting it back and moving 'Starfire' elsewhere.

The southeast corner border is still going strong, with Phlox paniculata 'Nicky,' Geranium 'Blogold' (Blue Sunrise), yellow Violas, and groundcover Geranium 'Bob's Blunder.' At the far right, Hosta 'June' still has a few blooms, as does 'Halycon,' but the show's nearly over. The 'Merlot' lettuce has buds. I leave it after it bolts, as it's such a great foliage plant.

Phlox maculata is reblooming with Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

the blooms of Platycodon grandiflorus (balloon flower) are above them, but not visible in that shot.

Here's a new combination with which I'm rather pleased:

Phlox paniculata 'Red Super' and Lobelia 'Sparkle DeVine' and a chartreuse Hosta in the background.

The Lobelias have nearly as strong a presence as the Phloxes.

This is the native Lobelia syphilitica in the woodland garden. It's growing near the Toad lilies (Tricyrtis)

(here 'Tojen'), which are all in bloom.

All the Campanulas are still in bloom, although most of them are sputtering.

This C. persicifolia 'Grandiflora Alba' under the Physocarpus 'Monlo' (Diablo), clearly is not.

As if to make up for other plants' shortcomings, Hemerocallis 'Apollodorus' is reblooming.

I don't recall it reblooming before. I guess it likes where I moved it.

Random shots:

Penstemon 'Pike's Peak Purple' and sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)


the one and only Zinnia bloom and the first of the new flush of Dianthus 'Cranberry Ice'


honeysuckle


Sedum 'Purple Emperor'


Callirhoe involucrata with Sedum 'Bertram Anderson'

Out in the front lawn, the wild petunia (Ruellia humilis) is blooming.

I told VIS he could mow them down, but he cut around them because he thinks they're cute. (Which they are.) Nearby in the new sculpture bed,

Phuopsis is blooming again, the grasses Panicum 'Ruby Ribbons,' and Schizachyrium 'Carousel' are in bloom, while the annual Petunia does is dark magenta thing.

Asters and ex-Asters, the harbingers of autumn, have started doing their thing.

ex-Aster divaricatus (Eurybia divaricata)

Finally, it wouldn't be August without the sweet-scented blooms of the so-called August Lily, Hosta plantaginea.

It scents the whole garden. Happy Bloom Day!

Many thanks to Carol, of May Dreams Gardens, for once again hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Also blooming but not pictured"
Allium cernuum
Aster species
Astilbe 'Visions'
Campanula 'Samantha'
Campanula 'Sarastro'
Campanula persicifolia 'Blue Eyed Blonde'
Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Blue'
Clematis 'Betty Corning'
Clematis 'Evisix' (Petit Faucon)
Clematis 'Henryi'
Clematis 'Mdme Julia Correvon'
Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'
Geranium nodosum 'Svelte Lilac'
Heuchera 'Raspberry Ice'
Hibiscus syriaca 'Red Heart'
Hydrangea ' Bailmer' (Endless Summer)
Lavender 'Hidcote'
Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina'

Rose 'Carefree Beauty'

Sedum 'Matrona'
Tricyrtis 'Gilt Edge'
Tricyrtis 'Gilty Pleasure'