Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day May 2013

Mississippi, USA, Zone 7
This non-native wildflower Trifolium repens, White Clover, runs along one side of my driveway.
Native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, it now grows in many other parts of the world.
It is a valuable source of pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies,
and is sometimes grown to feed livestock.
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Another non-native wildflower Trifolium incarnatum,
Crimson Clover, is sometimes called Italian Clover.
I got this started from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds a few years ago.
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On a recent trip to the Garden Center,
I could not resist buying this hanging basket of mixed Petunias.
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Another recent purchase is Verbena Canadensis 'Homestead Purple' perennial Verbena.
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I wish I could remember the name of this pretty Clematis.
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Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica, can be invasive if not kept trimmed back.
This one grows on an old stump that we mow around to keep it from spreading.
(Well, we will mow as soon as the White Clover has finished blooming!)
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I have a lot of Sweet William, Dianthus barbatus, in shades of red and pink,
but this white with purple streaks is my favorite.
It came from a mixed seed packet labeled 'Butterfly Mix' several years ago.
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And, of course, there are roses!
My favorite is Burr Rose, Rosa roxburghii.

Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

To see what is blooming around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens:  Click Here!



21 comments:

  1. Even if they are wildflowers, introduced even, i don't mind having them if they are that prolific and beautiful. You have beauties there already with the rest of the shots.

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  2. Good stuff! You have serious beauty happening. Enjoy!

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  3. I remember running through patches of white clover barefoot as a child. An occasional bee sting and discovery of a four-leafed clover every now and then. Love the Burr Rose.

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  4. Such an interesting pattern on your Sweet Williams. Lovely photos!

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  5. I love your verbena and clematis! I'm hoping to add a clematis soon :)

    Happy Blooms Day!!

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  6. Beautiful blooms in your garden this Bloom Day. The clover is not yet blooming in my flowery mead.

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  7. All of the above has my sinuses going crazy!

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  8. I wish I had some of that crimson clover. I love it when it blooms along the sides of the interstate. I have some of the japanese honeysuckle along my back fence, which I really try to keep in check. But, oh, how divine that part of the yard smells now. I love that!

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  9. I love your shots of these beautiful flowers. I completely forgot about sweet williams and how gorgeous they are. xx

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  10. Sweet Williams with various patterns and auricula eyes are my favorite too. Well, the darkest reds ones are wonderful as well. I have a whole bed of what I hope will be white Sweet William. Just because the seed came from whites doesn't mean much but I'm hopeful.

    Your Petunias are so pretty!

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  11. Happy Bloom Day to you....Love the crimson clover. Must look into getting some.

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  12. Lea-I love your wildflowers and your verbena is wonderful! Such pretty blooms on Bloom Day!

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  13. Happy GBBD to you. I can almost smell the rose. Mine will come much later. Enjoy!

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  14. I can't believe you actually sowed white and red clover, you could have got as much as you wanted for free from my garden, it even grows in bark mulch on top of the weed liner, one of the few weeds that doesn't need soil to grow. I try to pull them up when they are small so the roots come out easy but sometimes there are plants that manage to hide under other plants. I have never found a four-leaf clover though :-)

    You clematis is really pretty, I haven't got a blue one, maybe I should get another one - only got 3 so far!
    Happy GBBD!

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    1. I'm thankful that I have room to let clover grow - it is one of the prettier invasive weeds! We do mow it down after the blooms fade, and continue to mow it all Summer and into Autumn.
      I'm sure that if we lived close to each other, we would be swapping plants all the time!
      Have a beautiful day!
      Lea

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  15. So many beautiful blooms! I especially like the colors in the dianthus and clematis. Well, everything is just lovely!

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  16. We have lots of the white clover growing in the grass around our farm, too. I keep thinking we should do something about it, and then I see all the bees enjoying its blooms, so it will definitely be staying, though I must admit I like the red clover better. Just got back from a plant shopping expedition, and now I remember one of the plants I forgot--the Homestead Verbena!

    Happy Bloom Day!

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  17. What a pretty Rose that is, a lovely picture to end your blog.
    I grow a couple of Trifoliums, incredibly good for the pollinators - not to mention the clover that grows in the lawn!!
    Happy GBBD

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  18. Gorgeous flowers! I have purple/pinkish color clover in the yard, and I love it.

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  19. Gorgeous blooms! I absolutely LOVE 'Homestead Purple' Verbena...but it is very persnickety for me...some years it overwinters beautifully and is flowering as early as February...other years it dies out completely. I love it too much to be without it, however, so I always replace it if it dies :-)

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  20. What beautiful blooms! That Clematis is gorgeous and I love the pretty Dianthus.

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