GBBD - Summertime and the Living is...

I'm very excited this month. The above photo of my Agapanthus 'Blue Peter' may not look very much. In fact, it's not how it looks today - you'll need to have a look at today's new Slideshow in my sidebar for that. No, I'm excited because this is the first year I'll have more than one Agapanthus flower. I bought them 5 years ago - we'd just come back from a long trip to Australia where they'd been blooming profusely in everyone's gardens. It's one of my strongest memories of that time, so I decided I'd buy some to plant in a couple of pots I have at the side of the house as a souvenir. Each year since I've had lots of lush foliage, followed by a single gorgeous bloom for the past 2 years. When I took the photos for my submission to Emma's Big Green Leaf Day, I noticed that the foliage was even more lush this year. I didn't dare to hope, but at the beginning of this month I found not one, but 10 Agapanthus flower stems and today, the first full bloom. It's been worth the wait.

Elsewhere in my garden, two of my favourite flowers have come into bloom this month - Dahlias and Fuchsia. I loved Dahlias even when they were out of fashion. My dad was chairman of the Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society where he worked and some of my happiest childhood times were spent at their annual flower show. Firstly, there were the show tents bursting with colourful firework dinner plate blooms; then there was the display from the works' own fire brigade (in which my dad also featured) and I was their mascot; then there was the waste ground by the railway to explore - great for capturing grasshoppers and crickets with my handkerchief and taking them home in a matchbox my grandad gave me. Dahlias bring back those happy times, so I'm especially pleased to have them in my garden, especially the dark leaved forms like 'Moonfire'. In contrast, I love Fuchsias for the way their flowers remind me of some of the earrings I wear! A couple of Crocosmia have also started to explode out of the border - the usual 'Lucifer', plus an orangey 'Amberglow'. Thus my borders are well into their transition into their late summer clothing - still a thing of beauty, but tinged with a little regret for the shorter days to come.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Comments

  1. Rose15 July 2008 at 14:46

    Your "Moonfire" dahlia is gorgeous, but I think I have to have Romeo and Juliet, for their names, if nothing else!

    So many beautiful fuschia; that's a plant I don't see growing hear except in hanging planters.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this is my patch15 July 2008 at 14:51

    Lots of agapanthus at Hampton Court this year. My Moonfire dahlia is doing really well this year, I am going to pick some to bring indoors. I love the dark leaved varieties too and now have five, losing one to frost. x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Carol Michel15 July 2008 at 15:07

    Only true gardeners can understand your excitment on the Agapanthus blooming for you. We do have to be patient sometime. Congrats!

    I like your slide show. You've got a lot blooming right now.

    Thanks for joining in for bloom day again!

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous15 July 2008 at 16:15

    Lucky you! I've had my agapanthus for 4 years now without a sausage - this year at long last I have one flower stem showing. Am most excited.
    (I love white fuschias best of all.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Frances,15 July 2008 at 16:50

    Hi VP, that is indeed beyond the pale to have ten bud stalks after such a long wait. We are on the edge of hardiness for the agapanthus and I have resisted giving them a try. Your blooms have given me hope and strength. Thanks.

    Frances at Faire Garden

    ReplyDelete
  6. emmat15 July 2008 at 17:59

    lurvely. None of my dahlias or fuchsias are flowering yet, but my back garden is north aspect and it takes a bit longer to get going. But requires less watering!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cindy15 July 2008 at 18:00

    I am so happy for you and your Agapanthus. The wait has been worth it. I also love Dahlias even though they are not hardy where I live. I think they are as pretty as a rose.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mr. McGregor's Daughter15 July 2008 at 19:16

    I just love all of your Fuschias. My lame little potted one decided to take a bloom break just in time for Bloom Day. Now that I've seen an image of it, I have to have Dahlia 'Juliet.' The color combo is so my taste. Congrats on finally having a proper blooming of the Agapanthus. They're sold here as very expensive annuals in bud. If I lived in a warmer climate, I'd grow them too. They're such an amazing shade of blue.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Helen/patientgardener15 July 2008 at 20:32

    Your Agapanthus looks lovely - alas I wont be having any flowers on mine this year as I divided it and I think it is sulking as a result - lots of foilage, no flowers!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous15 July 2008 at 21:51

    Indeed good things come to those that wait ! Here the late summer stars seem to be opening all at once. Lovely to see them but as you say a reminder of the shorter days to come.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous15 July 2008 at 21:59

    Lovely foxglove VP, I also like your dahlia's very much. Must put some on my list that I am drawing up for the "keyhole"bed.
    Regards
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  12. garden girl16 July 2008 at 02:35

    VP, I love Agapanthus, as I do 'most any blue flowers. I do wish they were hardy here! I'm so happy for you that yours will have so many blooms! Enjoy! (I know you will!)

    ReplyDelete
  13. The Constant Gardener16 July 2008 at 04:00

    am loving those dahlias too - I adore 'Moonfire'. The slugs got most of mine this year - except Dahlia merckii which thumbed its nose in their general direction. Beautiful roses too... am amazed Mr Rector hasn't swamped your entire garden yet though...!

    fab agapanthus - can't grow them myself but adore them. Gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  14. VP16 July 2008 at 14:39

    Hi everyone - gald you liked the show. I see there's lots of fans of Agapanthus, Dahlias and Fuchsias :)

    I'll head on over to your blogs and leave you comments over at your place...

    ReplyDelete
  15. HappyMouffetard17 July 2008 at 20:03

    Lovely blooms. Your agapanthus is way ahead of mine, and a nicer colour too!
    It's so easy to overlook the sempervivums, but your photo shows off their beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Matron19 July 2008 at 09:01

    I have some wonderful white agapanthus this year. I bought the roots from a man at the side of the road during a trip to Madeira. Next time I go I will try to get some blue ones!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous19 July 2008 at 12:16

    This is to show CWB how to add a comment!

    ReplyDelete

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