It's the 15th of June, so that means it's time for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Special thanks to Carol Michel of May Dreams Garden who has hosted this meme now in its fifteenth season. It may be the longest-running garden meme there is, and it's all about the bloom. So, what's in bloom? In June there are lots of wonderful plants in flower. Let's see what's out there, shall we? Of course, there are daylilies. June in Oklahoma means daylily magic in my garden. I don't know what my garden would look like without their fabulous faces. H. 'Cancun Candy' (Holley-B., 2012) is such a gorgeous flower. H. 'Sherry Candy' (Stamile, 2006) is even prettier in person than it is in photographs. It is very, very complex. Hemerocallis 'The Band Played On' (Stamile, 2006) with 'Orange Rocket' barberry and 'Australia' cannas. H. 'Luminous Intentions' (Pierce-G., 2015) is one of the...

Rain is again falling from the sky, so I have a rain-washed garden. My French door is open. Birds are singing, and my new windchime is gently swaying in the wind. It's a nearly perfect spring day. In fact, when I was at my regular doctor's appointment this morning, his nurse said she felt like we live in the Pacific Northwest. This might not be blog-worthy in your world, but a rain-washed garden is a blessing in mine. There is nothing better for the spring garden than rain. I thought I'd lost Rosa 'South Africa' because she was down to two canes on the bud graft. She has surprised me by growing like gangbusters. Weird, but welcome weather It is also 68°F on the last week of May which is weird, but welcome. Some years, winter slides into summer with barely a passing thought, but not this year. The same...

In early spring before the full extent of plant destruction showed its ugly face, I placed an order of perennials to High Country Gardens, and it came two weeks ago. Would you like to know what I bought? Sure you would! The expanded sidewalk border. Most of these are for the border extension in full sun. I want it to be a pollinator (bee) buffet. Agastache Blue Fortune hyssop tends to overwinter better in my garden than other agastache. I do like 'Bolero' too, but it's planted in another part of the garden. Agastache 'Blue Fortune' I planted with Salvia 'Rose Marvel' last fall. I found a larger plant of 'Blue Fortune' in Tulsa at a garden tour/festival. Monarda fistulosa, wild bergamot (Wichita Mountains form) found in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern OK. I planted it in the cut garden for now. I may move it to the upper pasture...

Did covering plants work for the spring freeze? Last night, we had a hard freeze in central Oklahoma. It got down to 30° for several hours. It wasn't 26°F, but it wasn't good either. Bummer. We were having such a nice springtime too. 'Cherokee Brave' dogwood in my front border was unfazed by the freeze. I planted it in February 2009. Sometimes, I ignore my own good advice. Because the weather was so settled for most of April, I planted a few tropical plants like petunias, coleus, and calibrochoas in my containers on the back deck. Yes, I know better, but my greenhouse was getting too full. Sometimes, I ignore my own good advice. I hope you didn't plant tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant transplants. I did not plant out tomatoes, peppers, or other hot-weather-loving vegetable transplants because I know they are picky little devils. If you did plant tomatoes, just...