We've Got the Blues...

And they're dancin' in our gardens.

Salvia 'May Night'

 Full Sun

Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds

Lobelia 'Techno Heat Electric Blue'

 Low Growing Mounds of Delicious Blue Blooms.
Keep them moist and they'll dance all Summer long.

Lobelia 'Hot Springs Sky Blue'

 Trailing Habit

Invites Butterflies
Very Heat Tolerant...  
(perfect for our hot Summer)

Just can't get enough Lobelia.

Blooms all Summer long...

always a star in our gardens.

And so lovely mixed
 with white.

 

Lupine

Tall elegant blooms 
tower over delicate foliage. 

Scabiosa Columbaria 'Butterfly Blue Pincushion Flower'

Butterfly not included.

Although they just may visit if you plant this little beauty.

Salvia 'Black and Blue"

This Salvia is an annual in my Zone 5 gardens.

And yes, the HUMMINGBIRDS go crazy 

over those sweet blue blooms!

Speedwell ''Royal Candles'

 This plant happily grows in my gardens 

with very little attention from the gardener.

But once it blooms... it's a real show stopper!

Delphinium

I have always loved Delphiniums.

Wherever I have lived, 

I have nurtured delphiniums in my gardens.

They belong to my heart. 

Surely a "Grandmother's Garden" kind of flower
don't you think?
 

Our grand garden event is just a month away...
almost done with the planting... 
and then it's 

GROW, BABY, GROW!

Our Parade of Annuals...

There's no better way to add color to your gardens than with annuals. 

That's especially true in my Zone 5 gardens 

where the Summer's are HOT 

and the Winter's are FREEZING.

I've been on a planting frenzy...

Just a "Few" of our Empty Pots

Our gardens are getting ready for a 

 SWEET CELEBRATION

and we've been planting for weeks.

 Our EMPTY POTS tell the story

 I've counted 213.

That's a lot of time on my knees. 

As promised...

 here's a sneak peek at some of the ANNUALS we've planted 

in preparation for the big day.

Enjoy the Parade!  

Verbena 'Lanai Peach'

 Full Sun

Trailing Habit

These dainty little bouquets of blooms accent the rocks

in my perennial garden.

I've also added them to several of my Container Gardens... 

love the way they trail down the pots!

Zonal Geranium 'Blush Peach'

 Sun to Part Shade

13 inches Tall

Geraniums are always a favorite of mine... 

they seem to enjoy our HOT Summer days.

They do require dead heading 

but I find the weekly task quite enjoyable 

in the cool of the morning.

Hiemalis Begonia 'Camilla'

I've planted Camilla under the Redbuds 

in filtered sunlight.

They brighten an otherwise dark portion of our landscape 

and thank us for the shade 

by giving us an endless supply of blooms.

Begonia 'Olympia Sprint Pink'

LOVE

these tiny blooms...

they do best in my gardens in part shade.

Vinca 'Pacifica Polka Dot'

Mounding 
10 - 14 inches

 My "go to" bloom for the corners of my gardens 

that receive little water.

They thrive in the heat and are drought tolerant once established.

And besides that, 

they are just plain cute, don't you think?

Coleus

No matter your color scheme, 

there is always a coleus to match.

I plant these as companions to the begonias in my garden.

Pinch the flowers as they bloom...

they detract from the glory of the leaves.

Lantana 'Bandito Rose"

Attracts Butterflies
Heat tolerant
10 - 12 inches

 I've fallen in love with Lantana.

Their bright colors and sweet scent have captured my heart. 

I've planted several varieties this year.

Zonal Geranium 'Classic Blush Pink'

Another geranium to love.
One can never have too many, you know.


That's a taste of what we're up to. 
So much more to do...

Are you noticing a color theme here?

Next post we'll highlight the BLUES.
  

Crazy. Absolutley Crazy. May 2013 GBBD

In April, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day began with snow...

Periwinkle Peeking Out from Snow

followed by three straight weeks of low temps well below freezing.

But today on this 15th day of May... 

today...

we're having a HEAT wave.

The Hottest temperatures EVER recorded for this time of the year.

 High was 93°F on Monday.

Today only 88°F.

 

Crazy.

Absolutely CRAZY.

A very late start to our Spring, indeed,

but the SUNSHINE and hot temps of this week

have everything turned up to turbo speed.

Here's a few of the perennials blooming in my gardens 

on this May GBBD...

These blooms are survivors. 

They sleep during the harshest of winters 

then peek out from the soil when the sun warms the earth.

It really is quite amazing. 

'Chocolate Chip" Ajuga with Snapdragons soon to POP!

The dainty blue flowers of this Ajuga is a delight 

from Spring to early Summer. 

Deer resistant and prefers shade with morning sun,

it's hardy but not too invasive.

Do you know my name?

 I really have know idea what this bloom is 

but I do know that it's a beauty.

Purchased several seasons ago at a clearance sale ... with no tag.

It loves living in my gardens 

and happily blooms all throughout the summer.

Update!

Hannah from Weeding on the Wild Side has identified my little beauty... Astrantia. 

With further research I've discovered it is actually 

Astrantia 'Moulin Rouge'.

Sir James Edward Smith (1759-1828), one of the most preeminent British Botanist of the late 17th and early 18th century said this of my beautiful little bloom: “The more refined admirers of Nature” rate Astrantia among their favorite blossoms. The flowers bloom like tiny enchanting fireworks: a starburst of bracts surround the spray of small flowers and splashy groups of buds shoot out from branched stems like the finale on the Fourth of July.

Yes, that describes my little bloom to a tea 

and since it surely is a favorite bloom of mine 

I will gladly accept the title of 

one of "the more refined admirers of Nature".  ♥

'Tiny Rubies' Dianthus

 Tiny little blooms no more than half an inch

will cover this globe shaped plant through June.

Sweet and delicate, it's one of my favorites.

"Windflowers'

 Windflowers belong to the Anemone family...

their tall delicate stems sway in the slightest breeze.

One of my favorite white flowers of my gardens.

And soon to arrive... if the sun decides to stay...

Peony Buds

 Peonies will soon begin to unfurl their tight little balls of bud

to become the stars of our perennial garden.

Wait for it...

wait for it...

 

Iris Bud

 Unless the Iris beats them to it!

 Oh but there's much more blooming in my gardens... 

stay tuned for the Parade of Annuals we're planting 

for the BIG celebration coming to my gardens.

Spending all my time in the gardens 

sprucing up the old and planting the new...

it's gonna be amazing.

If my tired old bones can keep up the pace.

Grateful for GBBD that brought me in from the gardens 

to create this post.  ;)