Thursday, June 16, 2011

Summer Color for GBBD


There is lots of summer flowers for both Garden Bloggers Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens.

Commuter daylily, Purple Coneflower, rugosa with hips, and Monarda 'Raspberry Wine'


'Beautiful Edgings', with its delicate shadings of pink and yellow on cream.




Mockingbirds are nesting in the Foxi Pavement rose bush.


It's good for the nestlings that the heat wave has broken. I was watering the seedling Baptisias last week I looked in on the nest and all three babies were panting and leaning over the edge of the nest like wilted flowers. Thankfully mama showed up just then and got back on the nest to shield them from the hot sun that was shining through the branches. When I looked back in on them later one still had its head out and was gaping. "I'm hungry!"


A delicious-looking flower with a delicious-sounding name: Raspberry Wine.


Especially good with a side of (daylily) Buttered Popcorn.


A favorite of both bees and hummingbirds, Brazilian blue sage, accompanied by four o' clocks and Buddleia 'Potter's Purple'.


I started with solid yellow and fuchsia pink four o' clocks, and now there is a broken color blend of yellow and pink on the same flower

and a solid color blend of coral pink.


Indigofera is finally something in addition to Carolina Rose that grows well at the back of the big bed. It will send out its dainty sprigs of pink pea-like flowers until frost.


In the bed next to the neighbor's pasture, the Knockout has been covered in flowers for many weeks, and the seedling Witch Hazel has gotten quite big. I wish the neighbor's guineas would come back and eat some more of the Japanese Beetles. I've missed them the past few days. A pair has been hanging out here a lot; a dark guinea and a pearl guinea.


I love the delicate swaying seedheads of Northern River Oats; so graceful.




I planted the Pickerelweed but the Lizard's Tail grew there by itself, and will soon be blooming in wide swaths along with the Pickerelweed.




The Prothonotary Warblers are not confining themselves to the slough by the creek this year! I heard the "squeaky wheel" song behind the horse shelter, and after walking back there and calling "pst, pst, pst" a few times ~ a siren call to a curious and fearless bird like the Prothonotary Warbler ~ I saw him. I hope to get a picture, but here is what these gorgeous little birds look like.


30 comments:

  1. Great gardens. Like your blog. Am following you now from the hop. Stop over and do the same when you have time. Thanks.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  2. wow, you have a lot of interesting flowers in bloom. I chuckled over the raspberry wine and buttered popcorn. :)

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  3. I just love your grounds..so natural! I think your last three photos is of something that randomly pops up around here, have some containerized.

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  4. Good morning Sweetbay ~ As usual I'm in awe of all that wondrous beauty you have surrounding you there. So much variety in foliage, shapes, colors, scents. Aaaahhh!

    Love that sweet little bird and I hope you are able to get some photos of them visiting your wonderful gardens.

    FlowerLady

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  5. The start of summer is looking great in your part of the world! I'm intrigued by that pretty indigofera plant and now need to learn more about it.

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  6. Oh my goodness!... what a beautiful garden and wildlife sanctuary you have... I am such a Nature lover, I would be in Heaven there... xoxo Julie Marie

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  7. I love the oats, so delicate and unassuming. I bet they look gorgeous when a breeze ripples them as well. Pretty, pretty! :)

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  8. Absolutely stunning...I'm so jealous of all your space...your plants look so healthy and lush! Don't you love 'Raspberry Wine', it has to be my favorite Monarda...and such a vigorous grower!

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  9. Ah the pickerel weed and lizards tail will look good together.

    I wish I had a marshy area to grow stuff like that. I fear it's even too free draining for the monarda here and I worry about mildew.

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  10. I always look forward to a visit to your blog, truly one of my favorites. I love that Raspberry Wine and Buttered Popcorn!

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  11. SweetBay,
    I always took that Squeaky Wheel to be a Black and White Warbler. Loved seeing all the monarda and pickerelweed, we have both in smaller numbers.

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  12. My Pickerel Weed is blooming as well, and I love that blue color. I keep mine in a pot in the pond, but it looks like yours has more freedom.

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  13. What a pretty little bird! I thought of you tonight as I took the dogs for a walk....lots of Ruby Crested Kinglets were out along the edge of the tall grasses. So cute.
    Love the Raspberry Wine monarda.

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  14. Hi Randy, I think the songs of the Black-and-White, Redstart and Prothonotary could all be described like squeaky wheels! lol The Black-and-Whites usually don't breed here (not in the coastal plain anyway), and the Redstart often sings 2 song types.

    Janet, I agree, the Ruby Crested Kinglets are so cute.

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  15. It's great to wander in a garden like yours... beautiful and such a different stlye from my own! Thanks for this most enjoyable tour! Larry

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  16. 'Beautiful Edgings' is indeed a gorgeous daylily--it's probably as close to a pure white one as you can get. The Pickerel weed is a new one to me, but I do like those purple spiky blooms.

    Glad to hear the wildlife is doing well in your garden, Sweetbay, but I'm not so happy to hear about the Japanese beetles--that means they will be visiting us soon, too:(

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  17. Dear Sweetbay,

    Your garden is a pollinators heaven! Wonderful layers of greens and I should love to see you capture that beautiful warbler! I have my fingers crossed for you. Your Indigofera is fabulous! Wow! Your garden is always so lush and the landscape enchanting. Have a lovely weekend.

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  18. The warblers are gorgeous ~ I hope you are able to get your own photo. I followed your link since I am not familiar with them. Such a vibrant color.
    The mockingbird nest doesn't look like it's too high off the ground unless the photo deceives me?? I hope they all fledge and at least get a chance at life.
    It does look like "waves" of green SB ~ almost an ocean in your garden! Very beautiful. My Monarda hasn't started yet but I don't have any of that gorgeous raspberry wine color. I'd like to tho! Do your four o'clocks come back every year or do you replant them? I always admire them around the web but haven't ever had them here.
    You have created a paradise for yourself there. I hope the heat stays away for a little while too so you can enjoy it better. Have a great weekend.

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  19. ps I have pickeralweed growing in my pond. I've overwintered it two years now. Of course it's a very small clump ~ not the expansive area you have.

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  20. Raspberry Wine is my favourite Monarda. I have never seen Pickerelweed. It is really pretty. I also like your shots of the Oat grass. Good luck with getting the Prothotary Warbler on film and have a great weekend.

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  21. Your gardens look fantastic - so lush and healthy!!! Pretty photos too...

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  22. Poor little birdies! It's hot everywhere it seems. Your garden is beautiful. I've never seen pickerel in bloom. Very pretty!

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  23. Kathleen ~ The nest is about 3/4s up the height of the rose. I saw the babies soon after they hatched and they fledged on Thursday. The dad was having a fit alarm calling all day. lol He even drove off Prissy. The fledgings have lots of good places to hide; so thick the cat doesn't even attempt to hunt them, so they have a good chance.

    The passalong 4 o'clocks that I have do come back every year, and seeds around too. It's only hardy to zone 7/8 though. Let me know if you're interested in seeds.

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  24. That monarda is a lovely hue, darker than most. I'm off to do some research on the indigofera as I've never come across it and it's got a lovely loose form.

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  25. Your garden is just bursting with color.
    I'm glad the baby birds got a little break from the heat.

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  26. Hi Sweetbay, color is everywhere in your gardens...and it is just beautiful. I hope you manage to capture a photo of the bird you've been hearing. I have never seen one of those up this way. Keep that camera handy--and good luck!

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  27. What a beautiful garden you have! Thanks so much for linking up to Cottage Flora Thursday's! xoxo, tracie

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  28. There is so much going on in your garden! I love the comparison of your bed to crests of waves on a green sea - so poetic but accurate too. Those stripy four o'clocks are really pretty, and so are your daylilies. It is great to see how fresh your garden looks despite summer's heat.

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  29. You have some beautiful flowers, especially that daylily 'Beautiful Edgings.' I've never seen it or heard of it before, just love it! You have such a lovely big stand of pickerelweed. I had some in a pond at a previous garden, and loved it. I should get some for my stream. Love that coral pink four o'clock too.

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  30. Sweet bay, I dont know where to start.. its all so beautiful!!
    The raspberry wine and the purple coneflowers are divas and the green sea looks wonderfull.
    Finally I cant leave comments! I was missing that.

    kisses

    Carola

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