July 2012 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Diane Clement]

The climbing dicentra were renamed Dactylicapnos some years ago, so this is now Dactylicapnos scandens

[Tim Ingram]

There is too much to keep up with in the summer garden and it still looks quite good despite all the rain we've been getting - we have probably been a bit drier in Kent. Summer growing South Africans like Dierama pulcherrima must appreciate the rain; these are such delightful plants. Teucrium ackermannii looks nice on a raised bed, especially at this stage with many more buds to open. And finally a mix of plants on the patio steps - the astonishing almost black Aeonium 'Zwartkop', with Viola 'Molly Sanderson' and variegated Alonsoa; and behind the curious origanum-like flowerheads of the annual Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens' - this plant caused quite a stir when it first appeared on the horticultural scene a decade or so ago; it flowers over a very long period and sets a lot of large bullet-like seed which is easy to pick up from around the plant on paving. It is a Mediterranean annual from southern Spain, usually not quite hardy enough to overwinter in British gardens from autumn sowings. Behind are a couple of cycads which were completely defoliated in the cold greenhouse last winter, when temperatures dropped very low. It's pleasing to see them grow out again as both were raised from seed!

[Olga Bondareva]

Hi all! 
Some July images.

Smoked phlox




Self-sown daisy


New Zealand Delphiniums

[Maggi Young]

 So pretty, Olga.
What is the Clematis with the small, white flowers, please?

[Lori S.]

Wonderful plants, Tim!  I continue to lust after those gorgeous Teucrium spp. that I keep seeing on forums like this one!

Olga, stunningly beautiful photography and plants, as always!

Verbascum chaixii v. album; Salvia nemorosa 'Snow Hill'; Stachys macrantha; Clematis mandshurica - not terribly exciting; Polemonium pauciflorum:
       

Calamintha grandiflora; Stachys officinalis 'Hummelo' - having to grow very tall to beat out the competition!; Veronica longifolia(?); Delphinium grandiflorum - the usual intense blue and some self-seeded colour variations; Stachys discolor:
       

[Lori S.]

Eryngium alpinum; Cephalaria gigantea; Verbascum eriophorum; Verbascum nigrum; our native Spiraea betulifolium, in the garden:
       

[zvone]

Hi all! 
Some July images.

Vau Olga!

Your Pictures is BEST!

Thank's!

Best Regards!  zvone

[krisderaeymaeker]

Very beautiful pictures Olga and Lori . Many thanks to share them .
Here the first time flowering of Celmisia semicordata . This one is not an easy one to get in flower in our circumstances .Until now we had a bad , wet and cold summer . Much cooler then usual , and I suppose this was something that this Celmisia likes ....Our usual summers are to warm for this one I think ?

[krisderaeymaeker]

Some Turkisch species in our rockgarden ...
Not so good as in previous years ..... , they don't like the cool summer and the lack of sunshine ...

Pelargonium endlicherianum
Acantholimon sp.
Convolvulus compactus

[Lori S.]

Beautiful plants, Kris!  I would love to grow the Celmisia but I suspect it would be no where near hardy enough for zone 3.  Someday... somehow... I will conquer Pelargonium endlicherianum, though... maybe.   

[krisderaeymaeker]

Beautiful plants, Kris!  I would love to grow the Celmisia but I suspect it would be no where near hardy enough for zone 3.  Someday... somehow... I will conquer Pelargonium endlicherianum, though... maybe.   

Thanks Lori . We had this winter minus 15 degrees (Celsius)and no snow. The Celmisia survived but we have not that cold winters  most of the time ... 
They say that Clemisia is frost tolerant up to minus 12 °C ? So I suppose you are right ....and he could not stand your winters ...
But I suppose you could grow Pelargonium endlicherianum . I already see some pictures from this one growing in Colorado ....Not the same cold as yours ?
Anyway we find this Pelargonium growing on hot screes in NE Turkey . But in winter this place must be very cold to ..I hope you could grow them , they are beautiful and deserves our attention ...

[Olga Bondareva]

Thank you Maggi, Lori, zvone and Kris!

Kris thanks for Celmisia photos. Together with Lori I am not sure it's hardy enough for my climate. The only possibility is to enjoy your images.

Maggi it’s Clematis integrifolia 'Hakurei'. Honestly it looks better on pictures than in real life. I prefer species C. integrifolia.



But sorry that was in May.

[Olga Bondareva]

Back to July.

Phlox paniculata Kroshechka Havroshechka


Hosta Atlantis


Clematis Best Wishes

[Brian Ellis]

Maggi it’s Clematis integrifolia 'Hakurei'. Honestly it looks better on pictures than in real life. I prefer species C. integrifolia.

Some lovely plants Olga et al, I agree with Olga that 'Hakurei' looks better in a picture, but it's not white Maggi, here's one in our garden, it has a lovely touch of blue.

[Graham Catlow]

Some views from yesterday - it was sunny - and is this morning

Alstromeria - red
Alstromeria - pink
Alstromeria - yellow
Lilium regale
Penstemon kunthii
P. florindae with a large leafed rhodo, white lily and Meconopsis chelidonifolia
Meconipsis chelidonifolia with a mix of leaf forms. It often bends as it gets tall and this stem is now prostrate in this setting. I try to grow it through other things to keep it erect but it often gets too tall.