Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day: September 2015

In my Zone 6a/6b garden in Northwest Ohio, not nearly as much is happening as usually does in September. The early summer rains and the late summer drought (or maybe it just seemed like a drought by comparison) really confused a lot of the plants. And some of them, like the Joe Pye Weed and a few others, were possibly victims of the deer buffet.

I’ve also been slack with weeding — I’m still relatively new with this gardening thing, as I kind of jumped in with both feet three summers ago when we bought this house with all its established beds and borders. I find that I’ve gotten better at weeding and deadheading each year, but every year there comes a point when I just throw up my hands and say, fine. You win, weeds. Every year it’s a different dominant weed; this year, it was bermudagrass (if I identified it correctly).

But this is bloom day! What am I thinking? Less kvetching and more pictures!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day: September 2015

Continue reading

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day: August 2015

Here in Zone 6a/6b, summer started off rainy and mild, but finally settled down to a normal, warmish, less-waterlogged typical summer.

I haven’t been out to weed or maintain my flowers for a few weeks — rain, houseguests, Life just getting in the way, as Life does (especially when one has a four-year-old son). Yesterday evening, after dinner, my son and I took the tour around my various beds and borders to document what’s in bloom this August. Here’s what we turned up.

As always, the hydrangea paniculata takes first prize amongst all my flowering perennials for Most Awesome Flowers With Least Amount Of Maintenance.

Bloom Day, August 2015

Continue reading

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day: July 2015

Even though I missed the 15th, I’m still going to post the photos I took on the 15th. Stuff happens, you know? The preschooler has a rambunctious bedtime or three and I get backblogged — er, backlogged. Anyway, here’s a quick tour of new things blooming since last month in my NW Ohio Zone 6a/6b beds and borders!

Starting along the front fence… A landscaper once told me this was lambs ear, but it wasn’t in bloom at the time. Turns out it’s actually rose campion. I cut a lot of it back two years ago, but I’m glad I didn’t remove all of it. This biennial offers a nice splash of color under the Rose of Sharon.

Rose Campion

Continue reading