Baptist Baptisias

Yes, I live in a house called the Baptist Parsonage. For six years, as of today, June 23! My penchant for collecting plants but not curating them well, or culling the weeds, means it is not the showplace it could be, but I am having fun this year tackling the challenges. 

But enough of that. Along with the beloved Lupins in the landscape around my province, we gardeners have a, can I say, more elegant relative planted, of the genus Baptisia. False Indigo is another name, though there are quite a few species, and many cultivars, with various names. 

After claiming them as more elegant than Lupins, my big Baptisia australis is not so, having collapsed in the wind and reoriented its blooms. It is quite a glorious knot. Seems to do this every year.

I am enjoying a couple other species that I just moved here last year. They were grown from seed a few years ago, and now are getting reestablished here at the Parsonage. I have lost the name of the mauve one; the white is likely Baptisia alba. Hopefully they will prosper here in the years ahead. 

I see I have some bags of seed pods in the shed, from these plants; I must plant these and see how they do. It would be nice to share these; I never see them in other gardens around here. One other Baptisia I planted a couple years ago is a yellow variety I bought. The plant looks good, but will have only one bunch of blooms. Maybe it needs more sunshine.

Garden Blogger Bloom Day June 2020

We are "knee deep in June," as a dear gardening friend likes to say, quoting James Whitcomb Riley. And it is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I have been away from garden blogging for about five years, so it is time to get back at it! Here are some of the joys of my garden around the house today.

Of course, Iris season continues.

 

Lupins are well-loved here in Nova Scotia, and the ones that volunteer in my beds sometimes surprise me with their colour. But Blue is a great colour, too, and there is plenty of that just now.

  

I have two Korean Dogwoods planted out front. They started off quite small. The white one has never bloomed. But this year, the pink one is about to, for the first time.

I love pure white blooms, and this uncommon perennial, Cruel Plant (Cynanchum ascyrifolium), is just starting its long, showy season.

A month ago I moved May Apples from the Cottage up here to Digby, under the wild Apple tree in the front yard. They are doing just fine!

It is a subtle bloom, but the main attraction of this delicate Euphorbia is the foliage. I must search out a name for this one. It comes up from seed here and there nicely. (Despite the weeds, which are not getting much attack from me yet.)

And here are a few last bits of colour showing up in my oh-so-untended garden. Check out all the other blogs for Bloom Day, as listed at May Dreams Gardens. See you all next month on the 15th... or sooner. 

September Bloom Day '14 - Digby, Nova Scotia

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'?

One of the best things about "Garden Bloggers Bloom Day" is the way it prompts a person like me to get out with the camera, post on my blog, and then surf the net to enjoy the blooms from around the world.  Thanks to May Dreams Gardens for hosting this monthly extravaganza!  

Above - Coreopsis, Sedum & Corcosmia
Below - Iceberg and Campfire Roses

 

An Aster (I won't attempt the new genus name yet)

So, here at my new home, in my new town, I have ready-made perennial borders all around.  We have started to make them our own... ripping out many hostas and bringing in some of our own things.  The blossoms this summer - on what was already here - have been quite good.  

Another Aster

Above - a little Echinacea
Below - a little Buddleja and a little Eupatorium
Yes, these three are all shorter cultivars.

 

It so happens that quite of few of these species in bloom today are new plants we have introduced.  The renovations will continue into the fall, I'm sure, including the planting of a few spring bulbs.  I've not seen any sign of a spring bulb anywhere in these beds.

Above - Achillea
Below - Hemerocallis and a late Lupinus

 

A vibrantly-blooming Strawberry, Fragaria

A Begonia that will soon need to be rescued from frosty weather

The last of the Phlox that have been blooming - lots of these in the beds on this property

Enjoy your bloom day!