I Have Flowers

In all this green.

Many of them are weeds or weed like.

I paid good money for some of them. The Thermopsis caroliniana was worth it.

Others were gifted and turned weed like, considering the conditions.

I did not plant this wall of Hydrangea arborescens.

I did plant this spirea and kind of regret it. It wants to mimic the hydrangea's behavior. Some things self sow in the wild rather prolifically.

And some things don't. I got the first bloom on my catalog bought Louisiana Iris. It has a name. It's in a bag of tags somewhere.

Louisiana Iris is close enough for Bloom Day.

The sturdy constitution of the 'Black Gamecock' La. Iris encouraged me to buy more.

I'm waiting on 'Clyde Redmond' to bloom. I did 'Clyde' on Maui. I think I need to move him to more sun for better results. Perhaps that will happen this weekend.

I grew some Iris ensata from seed. I should have just dug a division from one I wanted. White is kind of boring. But I will say both these iris species are much better than the bearded iris for growing in the wild at this elevation.

I have Carrion Flower. Do you?

Soon I will have Bottlebrush Buckeye.

Will I eventually have more of the native Astilbe biternata? Just because it is a native does not me it will self sow in a wild garden. This should. It grows all along the scenic byway.

The hosta are not blooming yet, but their foliage fills time in the shade. The wait for flowers takes longer in the dark.

I have a river of hosta running through the forest.

This is Rodgersia post peak bloom. It is a big foliage plant the rest of the time.

The Calycanthus is filling the garden with its fruity smell. Reminds me of mango/banana until it turns rotten. The fermenting fruit smell is part of the cycle.

I never get monarchs on my milkweed, but it does not go to waste. The number of insects and critters that use this plant is astonishing. I think the deer even sampled it.

Even my rotten logs bloom on occasion. How many rotten logs in bloom will you find at Bloom Day headquarters? I'm sure mine is the only one.

Another Objet de rolled down the driveway. What will become of it?

I have plenty flowers in all this green. Day by day there are ever more. In my garden it is best if the flowers can act like weeds.

Maybe next Bloom Day I will be able to show you the first ever super bloom of liatris. It is looking to be the kind of thing gardener's dreams are made of and I have no idea what combination of factors has set it off. It's all out there in the Lush.