July in the Northern Hemisphere

[Robert]

A view of our Sacramento, California garden.



I can not keep my hands out of the dirt. Autumn vegetables sprouting now. I grow many small vegetables in tubs: Arugula, Japanese Turnips, Carrots, Beets, Pac Choi, Russian Red Kale, Curly Cress are a few of the items I have just started.



In the ground we still have time for Green Beans, Beets, and Summer Squash. In the next few days I'll get Celery, Broccoli, Chinese Cabbage, and a few other Autumn items started.



I boarder the vegetable beds and tubs with of ornamentals that I enjoy. This is Eriogonum umbellatum var. polyanthum grown from seed that I gathered in the Sierra Nevada. This seedling is especially nice and blooms over a long time period during the summer.



This is a clone of Mimulus aurantiacus var. grandiflorum. This is a selection from a very nice plant found in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

I especially enjoy the two species pictured above for there ability to take our heat and still bloom and look great in the garden. We expect the next 7 to 10 days to be in the 38 to 40 C range. They will thrive in the heat.

[Robert]

Hot weather does not mark the end of the garden season for us. There are plenty of species that enjoy or thrive in the 38 to 40 + C heat.

For whatever reason we have a number of Crocosmia species that thrive in our garden without becoming weedy. This is one, variety unknown with very large flowers.



Delosperma and related species also thrive. This is Delosperma floribudum. It will bloom all summer into the autumn. Heat is not an issue with this species.

This is a small sampling of nice looking plants at this time. With good fortune I will be able to post more, although being out of town and working will make this a challenge at times. 

[majallison]

Robert, your Crocosmia looks very much like a variety we grow, 'Star of the East' which often has flowers well into September here in the (relatively) cool English Midlands; but yours might be a straight Crocosmia aurea (I don't know that I could distinguish SotE from C. aurea).

[brianw]

Maybe we just need to  persevere!  we had a bit of a job to get Erinus properly established too - we are hopeful now  that we have more colours.... we'll see!

And me thinking Erinus was indestructible. There are many dozens in my gravel drive after introducing it.

[Maggi Young]

And me thinking Erinus was indestructible. There are many dozens in my gravel drive after introducing it.

Good for you, Brian - I bet they look great!

[johnw]

Robert, your Crocosmia looks very much like a variety we grow, 'Star of the East' which often has flowers well into September here in the (relatively) cool English Midlands; but yours might be a straight Crocosmia aurea (I don't know that I could distinguish SotE from C. aurea).

This is what we grow as 'Star of the East' (ed. but it's not) - upon opening and picked late on a friend's table.  Came from Sean Hogan at Cistus Nursery.  Never could decide if it was the true SOtE.


john

[Robert]

Robert, your Crocosmia looks very much like a variety we grow, 'Star of the East' which often has flowers well into September here in the (relatively) cool English Midlands; but yours might be a straight Crocosmia aurea (I don't know that I could distinguish SotE from C. aurea).

Malcolm,

'Star of the East' may very well be the name of this Crocosmia. The name seems familiar in my foggy memory. I did go out and measure a flower - 70mm across! We have no other Crocosmia with a flower approaching this size. Thank you for the name suggestion. Maybe the flower size is another clue to its identity. The variety has clearly been around for awhile, it has been in the garden for at least the last 20 years.

[Margaret]

Crocosmia masonorum has large flowers and grows strongly.

[Regelian]

It took me about 6 years to bring these cormlets to bloom.  A classic from yesteryear, L. lancifolium has lost none of its charm.

The next is my current favourite Hemerocallis seedling. Dark Crystal x Lola Branham

[shelagh]

Rudi thanks for your kind remarks.  The most impressive Monkey Puzzles we have seen are at Castle Kennedy in Dumfries and Galloway.  You enter the garden and then walk down a wonderful avenue absolutely dwarfed by these trees on either side. Makes you feel puny and small.

[majallison]

This is what we grow as 'Star of the East' - upon opening and picked late on a friend's table.  Came from Sean Hogan at Cistus Nursery.  Never could decide if it was the true SOtE.


john

John, your plant is definitely NOT 'Star of the East', which has relatively few, large, orange flowers on a spike. SotE is also relatively tender here, just like its (putative) parent, C. aurea.

[Robert]

25 July and Amaryllis belladonna is in full bloom.    This is about a month early based on their average peak blooming date. This year many species are extremely early based on their average bloom cycle.



Heuchera micrantha - grown from wild seed from El Dorado County, California. In the wild some populations have very interesting and attractive foliage like this, that can be enjoy all year.



Cassiope mertensiana grown from seed gathered in the Sierra Nevada. This one is ready to plant in a trough or planter. Seedling grown plants can adapt well to less than ideal climatic conditions.

[Mike Ireland]

In flower in the garden today.
Codonopsis Grey-Wilsonii
Delphinium brunonianum
Two un-named Dierama, first one 3ft tall second one only 9 inches.

[Mike Ireland]

And a few more,
Gypsophila aretioides caucasica
Mertensia maritima
Podophyllum Spotty Dotty caught the sun when it finally came out.

[Maggi Young]

Your Mertensia is really good, Mike -nice to see it like that.  BUT -  WOW - how wonderful is that clump of the  3ft. Dierama ?? Spectacular!