Dear Friends and Readers,I've been so busy with the kids and summer that I nearly forgot that today marks two full years of reports from Squirrelhaven and beyond. "Full" is a particularly apt description, as things have definitely been kicked up a notch in the past year. This adventure in blogging has led me to speaking at the Chicago Flower and Garden show, to meeting some truly amazing gardeners, and to strengthening old friendships and making new ones. I still have as many ideas for posts as ever, but once again, summer has kept me too busy to write them all down. But enough of the yapping, it's time for blooms.Waltz with me:A one -
a dark-leaved fuschia Dahlia that looks orange in the sunrise light
Liatris spicata
Allium cernuum
Two-
Tricyrtis 'Tojen' and 'Gilty Pleasure'
Echincea 'Twilight' and purpurea
Clematis 'Evisix' (Petit Faucon) and 'Silver Moon,' which has outdone itself this year, blooming continuous with a full flush
Geraniums nodosum 'Svelte Lilac' and 'Rozanne'
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Claudie' blooming on new wood, and two moods of faded Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen'
Three -
Lobelias 'Sparkle DeVine,' 'Monet Moment' and syphilitica
Phloxes 'Nicky,' 'David,' and 'Laura' (it only looks like a love triangle)
and yes, Asters: mystery plant from Heronswood, Eurybia divaricatus, and oblongifolius 'October Skies'
The old -
Helleborus x hybridus 'Pink Lady,' Malva 'Zebrina,' and Verbena hastata
the new -
Hibiscus syriaca 'Red Heart,' Lycoris squameriga (for the first time in 8 years), Actaea racemosa, Lily 'Black Beauty'
the blue-
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Platycodon, Campanula 'Sarastro'Everybody rhumba!
Sporabolus heterolepsis (Prairie Dropseed), Lobularia maritima, and Ruellia humilis
Coneflowers, Hemerocallis 'Super Purple,' and Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Blue'
Geranium 'Blogold' (Blue Sunrise), Lettuce 'Merlot,' and Osteospermum 'Lemon Symphony'
Lavandula 'Hidcote,' Consolida ambigua (Larkspur), and Rose 'Carefree Beauty' making an encore performance
Hosta 'Halycon' and Astilbe pumila
Also in bloom: Campanula 'Samantha'Campanula persicifolia 'Alba'Clematis 'Evipo31' (Bonanza)Clematis 'Madame Julia Correvon' Clematis 'Rhapsody' Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine'Heuchera 'Palace Purple'Heuchera 'Raspberry Ice'Hosta 'Gold Standard'Hosta 'June'Hosta 'Krossa Regal'Hosta 'Striptease'Hosta 'Winfield Gold'Hosta plantagineaPapaver paeoniflorum 'Black Peony'Stylophorum diphyllum
Take a trip around the world in flowers; visit Carol in Indiana at May Dreams Gardens then check out the list of other Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day posts.