July 6, 2011

April Showers Brought May Flowers

Yes, I know it is July and I am just now posting about the flowers in my yard back in May.  I took the flowers' pictures at their peak  but had a very  happily busy June so I am just now getting around to putting them in a post.


The stars of the yard for May were the day lilies
so I need to let them have their MOMENT of glory.  
If I sound bitter is because a couple of years ago when I saw the Day Lilly Society was having their annual sale of bulbs, I attended.  The folks in the Society were so excited about the bulbs that I thought they must be wonder flowers that bloomed all summer.  After my first season of day lilies came and went in about three weeks, I started asking questions...like "Where did I go wrong?"

It turns out that the yellow day lilies that I had seen bloom all summer in other folks' yards was a Stella D'Oro and it is a prolific bloomer.  But, really, yellow is not my favorite color flower to put in front of my house.  I had opted for the HYBRID day lilies...the ones with the ruffled edges, the amazing colors, the double blooms.  Turns out that hybrid day lilies don't bloom all summer...only a few weeks a year.  So, they are in the beds in the front of the house but I won't be getting any more of them. 

So, here are the photos of my day lilies...
they are pretty while they are here.















OK. So that last picture is a segueway into another short-lived flower in my yard...the magnolias.  I live on a street with "Magnolia" in the name and I was born and raised in the South so I'm not gonna be mad at my magnolias.  I have a medium sized magnolia tree in the yard that was already here when we bought the house six years ago.  When I ripped out all the bushes right up next to the house after we moved in, I planted some more magnolias (a smaller species) their place.  Gosh, they smell so good when they are in bloom and are so "showy". 


The blooms are SO delicate...the petals bruise if you barely touch them.  The blooms don't last long in the May heat.



As delicate as the blooms are, the leaves are super tough and are a great source for greenery in arrangements and for decorating at Christmas. 

The following photos are from my magnolia tree.  Without a ladder, I can't get up high enough to get a good photo of those blooms.
Bird's nest in magnolia tree


 The mini gardenia bush was also here when we moved in.  I think it blooms a couple of times a year but May is one of those times.

I wish there was such a thing as a "smell widget" to add to this post.
These tiny flowers put out an amazingly heavy but sweet smell. 



The clematis vine on the mailbox didn't like the May heat and pretty much quit blooming.  What was left was some crazy, cute seed heads that look like a space character with wild hair to me.


I planted some morning glory seeds hoping they would grown fast and twine up the leaves of the clematis vine to put out some flowers out by the mailbox.

 
The real "Energizer Bunny" flower of my yard has been the pink coneflower.  Not only was it pretty in May, but even in July, the first blooms are just now fading and new baby blooms are coming up to take their place. 



I need to get more of these!


7 comments

  1. So many pretty flowers! Things are coming up beautifully in your yard!

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  2. at least you got some pictures of all those flowers before they quit blooming! so pretty.

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  3. I'm so in love with the magnolia's too, I planted one in my back yard five years ago and can't wait for it to bloom. I just planted a gardenia too. Ahhh the wonderful scents of the South, yes we do need a smell widget lol
    I had to smile at your cute little wild hair man !
    Beautiful flowers !!!
    Love your blog !

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  4. lol, I didn't mean my magnolia hasn't bloomed yet in five years HAH I meant I can't wait for it to bloom when I see all the furry buds twice a year ;) (but I'm sure you knew that)

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  5. I love the pink coneflowers...I have tried to grow them but for some reason have not been successful. Maybe I'll try again!

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  6. I love your flowers, especially the gardenias.

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  7. Thank you for commenting about the coneflowers.
    Your Magnolia blooms are wonderful. They remind me of the Gardenia bushes in California. Along with Jasmine, I miss and long for their intoxicating scents.
    Curious as to what climate you are growing in.
    ~Cristy

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