Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - August 2009

Each month on the 15th, May Dreams Gardens hosts a Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, where you can take part by showing what's blooming in your garden that day. This is our first "entry."

We've barely had any rain for the last month or so. Storm clouds have rolled on through, but they always seem to miss us. I've had to go out with the hose every morning to water the newly planted shrubs to keep them alive. I know, August isn't the best time for planting because of the drought-like conditions, but there are a lot of deals at the nurseries...

We finished filling in the corner with a few Home Depot shrubs, including a lavender Rose of Sharon, a couple of low-growing Magic Carpet Spirea, a Ghost Weigela, and a charming Little Henry Sweetspire.

Remember, this is what it looked like last summer:

Our lilies have all faded away, and our gayfeathers are looking a bit worse for wear, but the gladiolas I planted in the spring have blossomed these last few days.

Of course, the gladiolas that were supposed to be deep purple and white came out a rosey-pink:
And the supposedly maroon ones came out orange:

And our orange hibiscus came out a lovely shade of bubblegum.

Still, they are very pretty, and it's my first time growing hibiscus and gladiolas, so I'm still happy with the results.

My favorite blooms right now are the daturas. I grew them all from seed, and have them planted outside my office, and in various clumps throughout the yard. You can smell them a good twenty feet away. The blooms open at dusk, and wilt away in the morning sun.

What's blooming in your garden?