As the summer solstice arrives, I’m seeing more flowers in the backyard. I’ve been unsure what would be blooming for the Wild Ones Kentucky native plant garden tour this weekend. It now appears there will be a nice variety. Here is the color in one corner of the garden.
The Pale Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea pallida) and the white Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) in the foreground have been blooming for three weeks and will not last much longer. The purplish blooms behind the Quinine are Downy Skullcap (Scutellaria incana) which add nice contrast. In the background, the red Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) is at its peak and the Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are beginning to bloom.
Other plants now blooming include:
1. Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata), 2. Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) 3. Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), 4. Royal Catchfly (Silene regia), 5. Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens), 6. Rattlesnake Master(Erynigium yuccifolium), 7. Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), 8. Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum), and 9. Ox-eye Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides).
I’m delighted to see the mid-summer blooms and the various insects they attract. And I’m looking forward to sharing the backyard as part of the garden tour. If you are in the area, I hope to see you!
Wow Betty, I just learned about this and it is fabulous. So sorry I have to miss the garden tour as i will be in Chicago. Bummer. Anyhow, thanks for this wonderful blog. Sue
Thanks, Sue. We will miss you Sunday. Hope you will come over some time soon.
I’ve been enjoying your many talents at the Arboretum but never have seen your garden. Have a lot on my plate Sunday as well as an out-of-town guest so will do the best I can. I have friends who bought a house at 212 Leawood a year or so ago so I know where you are
Evelyn, I’m always glad for folks to see the garden. If you don’t make it Sunday, please feel free to stop by anytime we are home.
Lovely! I know the tour participants will enjoy, be educated & inspired by your gardens, Betty. Wish I was there.
Happy Solstice,
Ellen
Thanks, Ellen. If you are ever in this area, hope you will stop by. Happy Solstice to you, too.
This is a nice blog Betty. Can’t wait to see your garden- as well as all the others- on Sunday! See you then!
Thanks, Deborah. See you Sunday.
Looking forward to this weekend!
Hope to see you soon.
We are very much looking forward to the garden tour and seeing your beautiful yard on Sunday!
Ken and Vicki Brooks
Vicki, glad to hear from you and I look forward to seeing you again.
Great blog Betty. Laura and I are proud to be on the tour as well, to welcome people to our two-year-old microforest garden. Connie May and I surveyed the garden last night and found we had 53 species of native plants in a small backyard! Our microforest is not as “showy” as others, but we hope those who visit will find it interesting.
Frank
Frank, I much appreciate you and Laura being a part of the tour. The idea of a micro-forest is still a new concept for many and offers a valuable landscaping option. You are helping Wild Ones be on the cutting edge. Your diversity with 53 different natives in a small backyard is amazing.
Betty, enjoy your guests on Sunday. Sorry I can’t be one of them.
Oh, your previous blog about your pool – – No pool here, but I keep a fresh water container going. Yes, the robins especially like to “clean up”!
Yes, David, if only Chicago wasn’t so far away! Glad you, too, get to enjoy the robins.