This month I decided to get up close and look at individual blooms. It's a good way to really see the parts of the flowers and notice similarities and differences.
First up is Salvia clevelandii, a native sage that is drought tolerant and has a great fragrance. That is, if you like the smell of sage as much as I do. Some people think it is a little strong.
Several aloes are blooming and attracting the hummingbirds.
Verbena bonariensis has the cutest little flowers making up each flower cluster and is a pollinator favorite.
Pomegranate blooms promising fruit next winter.
Scented geranium 'Frosted' is a citronella type with green leaves edged in white. And the blooms are pretty too!
Abutilon 'Nabob' is a real hummingbird magnet and I love how the leaves show through in the center where the petals overlap.
I never get tired of looking at the strange bloom of Passiflora caerulea. This is a huge favorite of several types of bees.
Bright yellow coreopsis is not what I was going for...I actually wanted 'Moonbeam' but this adds a nice bright spot and that is ok too!
Nigella flowers are just as strange as passiflora but in a much more delicate way. I think they are lovely.
Begonia flowers are delicate and pretty in their own right although most of mine are grown for the fantastic foliage.
Salvia Big Swing is such an intense blue and blooms a large part of the year. Another hummingbird favorite.
The tiny blooms of leopard lily, Ledebouria socialis, are so small that they are easy to miss. But the are worth the closeup because they are so very cute.
Scabiosa anthemifolia self sows and is a butterfly favorite. This may be the scabiosa I have been looking for...after one year it is a nice clump and is blooming well.
For more Garden Blogger Bloom Day posts visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens and follow the links from all over the world!
