Saturday, August 14, 2010

GBBD August 2010

The tough blooms below have survived not only my typical neglect, but the summer's earthquakes, thunderstorms, flash floods, and record breaking heat. This IS Maryland though, and as much I'd like to say I'm being melodramatic, it has been a rough few weeks!





The Gaura 'whirling butterflies' (in the foreground) have been wonderful (and aptly named). It's really sprawled out - perhaps from the excess rain, but I like the look. The flowers open each morning and close as it gets hot in the afternoon. It's been blooming for weeks and weeks. I'd say this perennial is a must have.


Strawberry fields gomphrena and oregano in bloom.



Alstroemeria 'sweet Laura'

Old reliable below, attracting a family of goldfinches lately.


I'm a hosta lover, but must admit I like to hurry the blooms along and snip them off. They're usually just such a mess and often detract from such beautiful foliage. BUT...the fragrance of this new hosta (must have been from some bargain bag I bought in the fall) almost knocked me over. I swear it's as close to jasmine as I'll ever grow in my zone 6/7 garden. I'm in love with it.

Can you guess the plant that these cute little yellow blooms below belong to?

Didn't get your fix of blooms on this Garden Blogger's Bloom Day? See May Dreams Gardens for more.
P.S. If you've been following the saga of my seasonal battle with
mosquitoes, I'll give you an update. Mosquitoes 27, me zero. I
thought I was being smarter than the mosquitoes by tucking my pant legs in my
socks and even tucking my shirt in my pants. Totally. Tucked.
In. I was wearing regular jersey knit pants and when I was
bent over weeding, the mosquitoes must have been able to feast on my butt
through the stretched out fabric. Sounds crazy, but I can't think of any
other way I could have gotten 27 mother freaking bites on my butt, and nowhere
else. I'm using Benadryl like body lotion.

20 comments:

  1. Wendy!!! Another super gorgeous post..how i LOVE that butterfly..magical..so beautiful! Your blooms are aweseom! ouch..so sorry for all the mosquitos that bite you..no fun! myabe douse yoruself wiht garlic..no will go near you!!
    have a sparkling day! and thanks for always a sparkle to mine! HUgs!
    Kiki~

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  2. Lovely - and the gaura does look like one to acquire!

    I'm going to guess that the yellow flowers are from lettuce that bolted. At least I know I have similar flowers in my garden - and little blue-purple chicories as well.

    P.S. did you mean to link to the GBBD post, because you're not.

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  3. Your white gaura is very pretty. I have a pink one that has just started blooming. Man...the mosquitoes like you, ouch. I recently got bit by fire ants on my foot. It is not a pretty site! I have been downing the benadryl, too!

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  4. Gorgeous blooms and photos! Maybe you tucked a bugger or two in there with you!

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  5. Gorgeous blooms and photos! Maybe you tucked a bugger or two in there with you!

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  6. Earthquakes?? How'd I miss that one? Your pics are lovely and it doesn't appear to me that you have neglected these beauties at all. Must confess: I'm hosta hater. But, I'll make an exception with yours -- very pretty! Happy Bloom Day!

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  7. Kiki - I really need to give some natural remedies a try. I'm just thinking that if DEET doens't even work...

    Amy - fire ants - ugh.

    Erica - you're right about the yellow flowers, of course!! :)

    Anonymous - duh...I think you're right. I'm sure one got tucked in. The idea of biting through fabric seemed a little iffy of a theory.

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  8. Happy bloom day, Wendy! Wishing the remains of a fruitful beautiful August :)

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  9. Your pictures are great !

    I also love Gaura,but in my neck of the woods,it's an annual. I was only able to find pink Gaura this year, but I was lucky and the white ones from last year reseeded.

    PS I also love Hostas :)

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  10. Well, my dear husband says he too has been bitten through clothes. So that was either one mosquito in hog heaven in there, or some pretty persistent ones to punch through 27 times! I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

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  11. I was just trying -- and failing -- to capture the light, butterfly essence of gaura at the botanical garden a few days ago. I've really fallen for the way this plant sprawls and yet is so airy and delicate. Your photo is lovely, Wendy. :)

    You have some real stalwarts in the garden there. I missed the part about earthquakes... sorry it's been such a tough season. The heat wave caused my tomatoes to stop setting fruit at one point, and it's been powerful. We just came down below a high of 92 for the first time yesterday since *May,* and my whole body is sighing with blessed relief. I'd say any plant that comes through that heat wave in fine shape is a keeper!

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  12. I'm envious of your echinaceas. I have one this year. That's flower, not plant. It probably likes heat and some water--things you've had your share of recently and things I don't seem to manage to offer my plants. And thanks for introducing me to this terrific gaura. I've grown the pink versions, but not this one. Happy bloom day.

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  13. The shot of the bird is quite cute with those leaves at the foreground. You were hiding behind the bush to snap birds?

    I also like the picture with gomphrena and oregano together - good shot ;-)

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  14. It's been really hard to be a gardener this summer, but even so everybody seems to have a few flowers to show off. I need to try Alstroemeria. I'm so used to seeing it in the grocery store in cut-flower bunches and I like to cut flowers from the garden to bring indoors, but just never connected the dots.

    I think your fragrant hosta is either H. plantaginea or one of its hybrids. Tony Avent has a good writeup about fragrant hostas on his Plant Delights website: http://www.plantdelights.com/Tony/fraghosta.html

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  15. Oh, I do hope the goldfinches will discover my echinacea (new this year). Have I told you already about Avon Skin-so-Soft? It really does keep mosquitoes at bay.

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  16. The flowers are really pretty! Nice shot of the bird!

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  17. A great post for this month's GBBD which I missed due to work commitments. You have a lot of beautiful things going on in your garden.

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  18. Hi Wendy, Damn those mosquitoes! Although I had to chuckle at your "mother freaking bites." Yeah. I'd be pissed two.

    Gaura is a winner for sure. You know about the pink varieties right?

    Your goldfinch flower and flutterby are cute and sweet, although not easy to do. I've practically given up trying. Daughter and I saw a coyote last night and of course, wouldn't you know it, by the time I got my camera out of my purse and cued up, the guy was long gone. Oh well...

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  19. Mossies can eat ten people out of twenty standing sipping pink sparking wine by a barbecue or pool.
    At one point I was eaten alive by the things but now I keep a good level of garlic in my system and when I add fenegreek to the system it's like a magnet in reverse.

    I like what I've read in your blog And I may comment now and then. Do not be too shocked if you get a comment on something you've forgotten ages ago.

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  20. your poor butt. Mozzies just seem to love some people and not others. One of life's mysteries.

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