July in the Northern Hemisphere 2020

[cohan]

1- A huge old poppy planted by my mom or aunt... not in a great spot, have to see if it makes some seeds and try elsewhere.. it makes a few big flowers each year..
2- Iris chrysographes, from seed from a forumist-- I think it was a from a 'black' form, which this isn't but still beautiful...

[Robert]

Some pretties from our Sacramento, California garden today.



A single red Dahlia



A tall single Dahlia



Calycadenia truncata - F1



Cherry Tomato 'Elena's Sherzo' Fantastic flavor! 

[Leena]

Just summer (not in the city).

Mariette, I loved the view from your garden. I know it is often very dry and hot in your part of Europe, and still you have so many flowers looking so well. They are very adapted to your conditions.

Lovely flowers everyone. I have to admit that many times most are unfamiliar to me, and I have to google them. There are so many beautiful and interesting plants in the world!

Cohan, I like your I.chrysographes even better than the black form, which is easily kind of invisible. The blue shows better.

[Leena]

Lilium canadense and Delphiniums.
Lychnis coronaria, a pretty weed as is also Verbascum nigrum 'Album'.

[ruweiss]

Arisaema candidissimum and Arisaema fargesii in pots.
Digitalis ferruginea
Mutisia spinosa, raised from collected seeds grows very vigorous at a fence and
the resulting seeds germinate in the open ground.

[Hoy]

Nice to see your colourful plants, everybody!

Here are some from our mountain "garden". It is not a cultivated garden, but a semi natural old pasture. The plants are cut by scythe once a year (september). A few native wild plants are added.



Gentiana purpurea, very common but I have sowed it here.






Rosa majalis is found high in the mountains but this one is planted here.







Leucanthemum vulgare and Trifolium pratense, common plants in old pastures.

[Robert]

Lilium canadense and Delphiniums.
Lychnis coronaria, a pretty weed as is also Verbascum nigrum 'Album'.

Leena,

Are the Delphiniums commercial hybrids (nothing wrong with that!) or species?

Lychnis coronaria is a pretty weed in our California garden. I always let many seed out and grow. We have both the magenta and white flowering forms.

I guess I have given up or am becoming a lazy gardener because I just want colorful, pretty plants in our garden. We have lots of Zinnias, Tithonia, Cosmos, Annual Sunflowers, Dahlias, and other simple pretties. I go out into the garden and feel happy. 

Thanks to everyone for sharing the beautiful plants in your gardens. 

[Leena]

Leena, Are the Delphiniums commercial hybrids (nothing wrong with that!) or species?

They are commercial hybrids, sown many years ago from Jelitto seeds, Magic Fountains. They were supposed to be not tall, but usually they are  about 1,7m high. This year June was very dry and now they are only a little over a meter high which is better because now they  stay upright without any support.  I have also another Delphinium which is an old one, it is two meters high with not so heavy  flowers as modern cultivars, and though many might think it is not showy enough I like it.

About Lychnis, I once sowed a white one, too, but it disappeared quickly. It was very pretty!

[Leena]

Gentiana purpurea, very common but I have sowed it here.
Rosa majalis is found high in the mountains but this one is planted here.

Hoy, Gentiana purpurea is very unusual colour, very nice!

Your Rosa majalis has quite big flowers. It is also common here, and there are even double forms of it but I like the single ones most. and they are very hardy and good plants!

[Maggi Young]

I guess I have given up or am becoming a lazy gardener because I just want colorful, pretty plants in our garden. We have lots of Zinnias, Tithonia, Cosmos, Annual Sunflowers, Dahlias, and other simple pretties. I go out into the garden and feel happy. 

Thanks to everyone for sharing the beautiful plants in your gardens. 

I think this counts as  reaching  a  state  of inner  contentment, Robert- and  is  much to be  desired!
 And - thank you for your  many  contributions to the  forum, also.

[Gabriela]

'Summerlicious' pictures from all! (name from a food festival held in Toronto, not this year!)

I have a similar Dahlia Robert, raised as D. coccinea from seeds, it flowers all summer long and it's a most cheerful, easy plant (I dig out the tubers in late fall).

From sun to shade
Ligularia 'The Rocket', a bit too large for my garden but wonderful and no one mentions how fragrant it is.

Centranthus ruber

Aquilegia chaplinei

Trautvetteria caroliniensis

[Robert]

I think this counts as  reaching  a  state  of inner  contentment, Robert- and  is  much to be  desired!
 And - thank you for your  many  contributions to the  forum, also.

Hi Maggi,

“Reaching a state of inner contentment” – this would be a blessing! 

After spending all day in the ER certainly has changed my perspective on things. 4 units of potassium chloride would easily kill most people; in my case it saved my life. I do not recommend a visit to the ER, however the experience has changed my perspective. I have to admit that I have greater appreciation for things like this simple tub full of dwarf Zinnias. I also see the need to better understand my limitations. I certainly need to rethink many things. Gratitude is so important, so Thank You for all that you do to keep this forum running smoothly! And everything you do to help that goes unseen.

I have a similar Dahlia Robert, raised as D. coccinea from seeds, it flowers all summer long and it's a most cheerful, easy plant (I dig out the tubers in late fall).

Gabriela,

Your garden appears to be so very beautiful. Thank you for sharing your photographs and thoughts on the forum.

Clearly I enjoy the simple beauty of Dahlias. I grow all of mine from seed, so they are not “named” varieties. Some are not so good, but I keep them around hoping to grow more seedlings that better display the qualities I enjoy. This process, too, is quite pleasurable for me, so I do not mind the less than desirable plants that come with the process. Something better will come along sooner or later. In the mean time, there are still many plants for me to enjoy. At this time we have many Rudbeckia species blooming in our garden. Also the “sleeper bees” come and spend all night on the flowers. My wife and I enjoy watching them wake up each morning.

[Gabriela]

Robert,
I am sorry to hear you have been having health problems. I hope you feel better now, maybe you'll have to do some changes to your life style but the simple joys of the garden can certainly help you recuperate.

You know that we mostly show our best plants and pictures here. In fact, same like you, I find pleasure in all species and flowers, they don't need to be the rarest of the planet
The Rudbeckias are also starting to flower here, also the most common garden Phlox which is so fragrant, and the Sempervivums and others that most time we take for granted.

[cohan]

Lots of beauties everyone! This has been a rainy year, lawn mower issues, having to do all our extensive mowing and other chores alone this year (the other party is injured)-- so all that means weeds are way out of control in most beds and I have to be selective in my photos...lol-- I'm taking pleasure from the many flowers that don't seem to mind the crowding of neighbours and weeds, and sometimes enjoying the weeds too

Full agreement with Maggi's and Robert's comments about finding peace and balance and feeling and expressing  gratitude in all things is also a great way to be Thanks again to Maggi for hard work and to all forumists for sharing
1- view from one of the two beds in front of the house (out of view to right) that is only somewhat out of control, weed-wise July 06



2- a closer view of part of that bed, Allium insubricum, seedling of Scabiosa japonica Ritz Blue (part of the original pot-full was pink, there are pink and blue seedlings, and I'm noticing the pinks seem lower growing, which means I may try to encourage those more, and move the taller blue to another place..); visible to varying degrees in the background--Geranium sanguineum (not Elke, as it was sold...lol)
seed heads of Geum Beech House Apricot, Tulipa seeds, Silene uniflora or adjacent, Papaver alpinum, Armeria, etc

[cohan]

Nice to see your colourful plants, everybody!

Here are some from our mountain "garden". It is not a cultivated garden, but a semi natural old pasture. The plants are cut by scythe once a year (september). A few native wild plants are added.
Gentiana purpurea, very common but I have sowed it here.
Leucanthemum vulgare and Trifolium pratense, common plants in old pastures.

I had a plant finally flower last year, which I think I had seed labelled as  G purpurea, but it was very light and spotted-- quite beautiful, I forget now whether I decided it was a variant or other sp. doesn't seem it will flower this year, so I may need to show last year's photos...
T pratense is very common here, along with two other Eurasian spp; Leucanthemum is in the yard from my sister's 'wildflower' seeding years back, I try not to let it flower or seed, but it is still around...