Flower for the Day 7-30 New Lily Patch

I splurged this year and got some new lilies. 
They start up fairly small but in time they

will grow up. 

Flower for the Day 7-28 NBC blooms two months early

Last night what a surprise - two of the three 
buds on the night blooming cereus

bloomed two months earlier than usual.

Flower for the Day 7-26 Cleome

Cleome hassleriana. Also spider flower. 
This is an annual that re-seeds very 
successfully each year. It grows to over 
five feet tall in natural bendsand spirals 
often into nearby walking paths where it 
turns out to be quite thorny.

Flower for the Day 7-25 Lily

The blossoms of this exceptional true lily were 
so heavy that the stalk could not support them. 
It has the most pungent odor of all the lilies so far.

Flower for the Day 7-24 Crownbeard

This flower previously identified as a giant aster is more likely 
crownbeard (Verbesina helianthoides). It is also called 
wing stem and frost stem. It is a tall perennial with a 
strong stalk and opposing leaves and sunflower-like blossoms.

Flower for the Day 7-23 Dahlia

An interesting  Dahlia phenomenon is that 
as the blooms mature they sometimes

change colors. 

Flower for the Day 7-22 Dahlia

This year I have planted many dahlias old 
and new. They are blooming furiously. 

Flower for the Day 7-19 Field of Wildflowers

The western wildflower garden is glorious 
this year, a sea of lavender and yellow swaying

gently in the wind.

Lavender bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), has 
migrated from the north wildflower garden.

Golden aster are striking, tall and strong.

Flower for the Day 7-18 Pink Cone Flower

My cone flowers have been seemingly indestructible 
until this year. The deer have been eating them, a 
rarity before, and they have looked dried up and pale. They 

usually last until the frost so maybe they will perk up.  

Bonus 7-16 Wisdom

      The Wisdom of Solomon  7:26-8:1 (NRSV)

For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror

of the working of god, and an image of his goodness. Though 

she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in 

herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes

into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets; 

for God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom.

She is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation

of the stars. Compared to the light she is found to be superior, for 

it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail.

She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she 

orders all things well. 

(From a sermon by my Pastor Betsy so long ago I can't remember but

in truth it seems like today.)

Use of a  "spotless mirror"  is valuable and is much like viewing through

a clear prism allowing one to view "rightly".

Flower for the Day 7-16 Tiger Lily

Lilium tigrinum  is a true lily that Jan purchased 
decades ago. It is now in multipleareas of the 
garden. The transplants above were moved to 
the edge of the field three years ago. For the first 
two years the deer nibbled off the the flower pods 
leaving the stalks. This year they have survived in 
glory. 

Flower for the Day 7-15 Oriental Lily

This true lily is oriental since its leaves are 
in singular opposition to each other on the 
stalk rather growing circumferentially as do 
asian lilies.

This lily although three years old this year is still 
small, needs a lot of water and requires staking.

It is very pretty and has multiplied.

Bonus 7-12 Poem from my brother David

The Blog of dlsesh1

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Request by Lawrence Raab For a long time I was sure it should be "Jumping Jack Flash," then the adagio from Schubert's C major Quintet, but right now I want Oscar Peterson's "You Look Good to Me." That's my request. Play it at the end of the service, after my friends have spoken. I don't believe I'll be listening in, but sitting here I'm imagining you could be feeling what I'd like to feel— defiance from the Stones, grief and resignation with Schubert, but now Peterson and Ray Brown are making the moment sound like some kind of release. Sad enough at first, but doesn't it slide into tapping your feet, then clapping your hands, maybe standing up in that shadowy hall in Paris in the late sixties when this was recorded, getting up and dancing as I would not have done, and being dead, cannot, but might wish for you, who would then understand what a poem—or perhaps only the making of a poem, just that moment when it starts, when so much is still possible— has allowed me to feel. Happy to be there. Carried away.  "Request" by Lawrence Raab, from Visible Signs. © Penguin, 2003

Flower for the Day 7-12 Hosta

This is a delicate hosta flower. Hosta do 
not do well in parts of my garden rooms

because the deer think that the leaves are 
fresh salad. This year the deer have come 
around to the front of the house for their
"greens".

Flower for the Day 7-11 Hydrangea

My experience has been that heavy rains in 
March and April result in a very successful

hydrangea blooming season. Two years ago 
this very healthy bush had only a few blooms.

The last two years with more rain have resulted 
in great pink and blue blooms. 

This hydrangea is "Anna" and has always bloomed 
well. 

Flower for the Day 7-9 The Last of the Day Lilies

The day lilies are winding down. The colors 
of these last cultivars are striking. 

Flower for the Day 7-8 Day lilies

Day lilies continue in abundance. 

Flower for the Day 7-4 Day Lilies

Here are day lilies in some of my favorite colors 
for your Fourth of July. I hope yourday is filled 
with Fireworks.

Flower for the Day 7-3 Day Lilies

The rain has caused the day lilies to flourish. 
These three have subtle differences in color 
and form.

Flower for the Day 7-2 Day lily

This day lily is new this year. Surprise blooms 
make gardening most enjoyable.

Flower for the Day 7-1 True Lilies

All three of these lilies are in the gnome garden.

This one is called the Landini Lily.