Blooming birthday celebrations

The first cardoon flowerGail and I are both a year or so older this week and in honor of our birthdays and Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (graciously hostessed by Carol at May Dreams Gardens) I went a little crazy with the camera. Here are at least as many Blithewold blooms as candles would fit on our cakes. (According to Lilah, I am turning 26 and Gail is 31. This, to be perfectly frank, is why we’re keeping her on the payroll. – Nevermind that she’s an awesome gardener.)

 

Hover over for names/captions and as always, please click on for a larger – and slightly magical view + caption.

Stokes aster (Stokesia laevis)Ruby Silk Love Grass (Eragrostis tef)Stachytarpheta urticifoliaHymenocallis festalisEryngiumSourwood - Oxydendrum arboreumHelenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ and a dragonfly with cellophane wings…Phlox ‘Natural Feelings’ - my favorite of all the phloxHemerocallis ‘Not Forgotten’ - it’s much pinker than in this picture.Celosia ‘Cramer’s Lemon Lime’Nicotiana ‘Delaware Indian Sacred’Drumstick allium (Allium sphaerocephalon)Artichokes ready for picking!Balloon flower - Platycodon grandiflorus - again, bluer than this picture!Button bush - Cephalanthus occidentalisSaying goodbye to the sweet peas…Lavender - my all time favorite perennialGolden Rain Tree - Koelreutaria paniculataPorterweed - Stachytarpheta mutabilisClethraBasil ‘Queenette’Hydrangea hedge near the Summer HouseAllium ‘Pelham Hill’spun gold or Stipa?Not a bloom - a dragonfly on the pitcher plant!