Northern Hemisphere August 2010

[zephirine]

What a fine selection, Zephirine....I have added the names in the text... I like the Origanum 'Fritz Kummert'

Thank you, Maggi! 'Fritz Kummert' is a selection from Ewald Hügin (the "father" of Sedum 'Matrona').

Wim, Clematis flammula has been enchanting my eyes and my nose for several weeks now. Its delicate scent of vanilla and honey can be enjoyed several meters away...

[fermi de Sousa]

No Graham I dont open my garden, its not good enough.
Here are some more of my husbands good clipping.
Angie

But maybe you might let a Forumist or two visit when we come to Aberdeen next year?
cheers
fermi

[angie]

Anybody is welcome anytime.
My friends Helen and Bill ( srgc members )open there garden, so if you are coming all this way over it would be worthwhile seeing their garden.
It would be great to see you when you come to Aberdeen.
Think of all the advice you could give me 
Angie

[Gail]

Not hardy but Hibiscus 'Gator Pride' makes a good patio plant.

[PaulM]

Beautiful pictures and oh to see a hummingbird...

One of my current favourites is Dregea sinensis, a Hoya relative that is surprisingly hardy outdoors here, scrambling over an overplanted arch.  The flowers carry on for weeks and are richly fragrant.

I really admire your picture of Dregea sinensis Gail. I had a few flowers on my vine last summer, but the long and very cold winter we had here in Sweden killed two of three plants, and the one which survived started back from the root crown, so I am hoping for not so cold winters to come, so I can enjoy its beauty in 2011  or 2012 maybe.

[PaulM]

I'm having trouble uploading and processing my pictures right away, so I am a little behind here on my garden photographs, but I hope I'll be allowed to post them here in the August link anyway. Not much new subjects, but I feel like I am showing the same flowers as last year, but I think there are a few new plants anyway. First a series of Cirsium eriophorum as it is opening up:


1-4 Cirsium eriophorum

5-7 Cirsium ligulare

8. Cirsium japonicum

[PaulM]

Here is a section with North American species, some Asclepias and Echinacea simulata

1. Asclepias speciosa, bud

2. Asclepias speciosa

3. Asclepias exaltata

4. Asclepias exaltata

5. Asclepias tuberosa

6-9  Echinacea simulata

10. First year rosette of Oenothera rhombipetala, which I am looking forward to post a flower picture of next year.

[Gail]

That Cirsium eriophorum in bud is fantastic Paul!

[angie]

Gail,  your Hibiscus is lovely, I have put one of mine in my polytunnel to see if I can get it to flower. I get plenty leaves but no flowers

Paul,   love your  Asclepias exaltata

Angie

[Ragged Robin]

That Cirsium eriophorum in bud is fantastic Paul!

I agree with Gail, your photos are really wonderful studies Paul.

I do love thistles (well I'm part Scottish, so biased I suppose  )   It is amazing to see them opening out ...but which one is this? Snapshots taken last month on the chalk downs in Wiltshire

Corrected image name

[TheOnionMan]

Paul and Robin, I've never seen the stunning visual sequence of thistley buds opening like that, almost makes me willing to relax my "no spiny plants in my garden" rule  (I hate being poked by spiny stuff).

The Echinacea simulata is also striking, somehow I prefer the delicate widely-spaced petal look to the legions of new-fangled and oftentimes clunky or overblown Echinacea hybrids.  I'm also a big fan of Asclepias, for their other-worldly intricate flowers as well as for their richly perfumed flowers.

[PaulM]

That Cirsium eriophorum in bud is fantastic Paul!

I agree with Gail, your photos are really wonderful studies Paul.

I do love thistles (well I'm part Scottish, so biased I suppose  )   It is amazing to see them opening out ...but which one is this? Snapshots taken last month on the chalk downs in Wiltshire

Thank you Robin, and everyone else. The thistles you photographed in Wiltshire are probably Carduus nutans.

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks Paul, I'll correct the image titles...your thistles must be a great attraction to butterflies and bees and the rest 

[PaulM]

Some more plants that are or have been flowering for me this year:

1. Campanula grossekii- I received seeds labled Campanula khasiana ( Adenophora khasiana ), but it looks like Campanula grossekii

2. Centaurea biokovensis has done well since I sowed it in 2009, and is flowering this summer. Unfortunately no seed though.

3. Centaurea biokovensis.

4. Centaurea stenolepis is bigger, but equally nice.

5. Centaurea stenolepis.

6. Centaurea scabiosa

7. Clematis integrifolia

8. Dracocephalum imberbe is very nice. Not sure where it grows natrually.

[PaulM]

Here are a few pictures of Delphinium speciosum and Delphinium grandiflorum

1 and 2 Delphinium speciosum

3. Delphinium grandiflorum