I am joining Diana of Elephant's Eye in choosing twelve months of my favorite garden plants. Since "Mayhem" I have been submersed in the garden. I find it difficult to sit in my office at the computer, but I need to catch up. Here are my plant picks for May, June and July.
May — Iris. There is nothing like Iris in the garden. Their blade-like foliage adds complimentary texture to any planting bed. Swords of buds, their tips dipped in color, slice through foliage and flora and then one day unfurl in a splash of paint. Blossoming swirls of purple, yellow, cream, inky veins, and bristling anthers brushed with pollen, beckon bees and artists. I have yet to paint an Iris watercolor. My favorite is Sibirica.
June — Alliums. Alliums add surprise and whimsy to my garden. Slowly their sparkling spheres rise and seemingly float above the garden floor, their nodding heads bouncing in the slightest breeze. From the common chive to the bigger beat of the drumstick to the native nodding onion, all of them turn into rotating, buzzing globes attracting all sorts of bees, wasps, flies and other pollinators. I recently added 'Summer Beauty' among my nodding onions for its stronger pink hues.
July — Bee Balm, Monarda. I have several large drifts of Bee Balm. One is pink in color, the others red, given to me by my mother. I would like to add a large patch of Wild Bergamot or Monarda fistulosa. Bee Balm is in fact popular among the bees, and even a small patch of these fireworks guarantees to attract a Hummingbird. How could I not include this among my favorite garden plants when just this week I spied the first Hummingbird Hawk Moth to visit my garden whirring among its blooms? It's the balm!
To read about my previous choices for a dozen for Diana, click below.
January: Sunflowers
February: Wild Roses
March: Lady's Mantle
April: Poppies
May — Iris. There is nothing like Iris in the garden. Their blade-like foliage adds complimentary texture to any planting bed. Swords of buds, their tips dipped in color, slice through foliage and flora and then one day unfurl in a splash of paint. Blossoming swirls of purple, yellow, cream, inky veins, and bristling anthers brushed with pollen, beckon bees and artists. I have yet to paint an Iris watercolor. My favorite is Sibirica.
June — Alliums. Alliums add surprise and whimsy to my garden. Slowly their sparkling spheres rise and seemingly float above the garden floor, their nodding heads bouncing in the slightest breeze. From the common chive to the bigger beat of the drumstick to the native nodding onion, all of them turn into rotating, buzzing globes attracting all sorts of bees, wasps, flies and other pollinators. I recently added 'Summer Beauty' among my nodding onions for its stronger pink hues.
July — Bee Balm, Monarda. I have several large drifts of Bee Balm. One is pink in color, the others red, given to me by my mother. I would like to add a large patch of Wild Bergamot or Monarda fistulosa. Bee Balm is in fact popular among the bees, and even a small patch of these fireworks guarantees to attract a Hummingbird. How could I not include this among my favorite garden plants when just this week I spied the first Hummingbird Hawk Moth to visit my garden whirring among its blooms? It's the balm!
To read about my previous choices for a dozen for Diana, click below.
January: Sunflowers
February: Wild Roses
March: Lady's Mantle
April: Poppies
Three super choices! What is early spring without a few irises and alliums help to fill that void after the tulips are finished and the perennials haven't really kicked into high gear. I have the red and also some maroon bee balm. Recently, I was in a garden where she had pink bee balm. It was so pretty that I have resolved to add some next year.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved Iris, that Japanese look. My garden is claiming my blog time, skimmed my Google Reader and scooped out your post. The other 50 must wait a little ...
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your choices, especially the mix of plant shapes and textures. -Jean
ReplyDeleteThe iris is so elegant but I just love the playfulness of the alliums! The pollinators they attract always fascinate me. Peters purple is a new plant to my garden this year and you're right, it's a hummingbird favorite! I clipped the spent flowers hoping to encourage more blooms but none so far. I'm now regretting that decision. I'd really like it to reseed.
ReplyDeleteKathy you seem to pick many of my favorites as well. Iris is the perfect pick for May and my Siberian iris were fabulous this year. I add more alliums every year and even my nodding onions bloomed again. The bee balm is a favorite native of mine and the pollinators. I also saw the hummingbird moth this year amongst the balm. The recent rain has uplifted the bee balm.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with your flower choices. They are some of my favorites as well.
ReplyDelete