It's the final day of the Week of Flowers series hosted by Cathy at Words and Herbs to boost the spirits of those of us in the Northern Hemisphere already looking forward to the more flowerful seasons of the coming year. My Day 5 post focused on floral highlights during the first two months of 2023; Day 6 focused on those in March and April; and this Day 7 post focuses on May and June, when our cool season gives way to warmer weather but it isn't as hot as it'll get later in the year.
The flowers I selected for this post aren't unusual but each packs a punch in the garden, while managing the transition from our cool season to the warm season without a hitch.
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| Alstromeria is another plant that returns when our temperatures decline. A few have produced a handful of flowers already but I probably won't see the full spectrum of colors until we edge near summer. Clockwise from are upper left are: 'Claire', 'Inca Sundance', 'Inca Husky', 'Indian Summer', a noID pink variety, 'Inca Vienna', and 'Third Harmonic'. |
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| For all practical purposes Centranthus ruber is a weed here. It literally grows wild along the local roads. But I appreciate the color it brings to my dry and lightly tended back slope. |
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| Helichrysum thianschanicum 'Icicles' was a revelation last year when I finally allowed it to bloom. Like Morticia Addams, I used to cut all the flowers off as they appeared to let its silver foliage shine. |
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| This is my favorite Pacific Coast Iris (Iris douglasiana 'Wilder than Ever'). It doesn't bloom as prolifically as other varieties but I don't care. |
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| I've had limited success with bearded Irises but I love them anyway. This is Iris germanica 'City Lights'. It's supposed to be a rebloomer but all I got was one round of flowers in May 2023. Maybe next year it'll show up twice. |
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| My last offering is Limonium perezii. Generally sold as plugs in 6-packs here, it puts on an admirable show from February through late summer. It's papery flowers hold up for an extended period both in the garden and as cut flowers. |
That's it for me this week. Many thanks to Cathy of Words and Herbs for hosting this series and for brightening our days over the past week. Check in with her here, to see what plants she and other contributors to this series have shared.
All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
