Red Storm Border Lilies

Remember the "mutant lilies" I wrote about back in May? They're blooming like crazy now but if I didn't know better I'd still swear they were to different varieties.

I bought them from Michigan Bulb and this is some of what their catalog says:

Botanical Name: Lilium 'Red Carpet' (Asiatic)

Height/Habit: 14 - 18"

Unique Characteristics: Border lilies are referred to as the 'garden charmer'. Extremely suitable for planting in containers or front position in a border.

After reading this I planted them at the front of the border on both sides of the walkway through the butterfly garden. The ones on the garage side, the ones that looked funny in May, are just as promised with a couple taller than I'd like, a little over 2', but OK. I have them planted with dwarf shasta daisies and behind them are bright yellow coreopsis.


The ones on the other side are 3 1/2' tall! I can't make up my mind if I'm unhappy with this or not. They flank a butterfly bush. Right now there is a small patch of sundrops and violets that really look terrible. Also there are some tiny dahlias and a mum to the left and sweet william to the right. I have no idea what this area will eventually look like and I may decide I have too much red here but the dark red of the lilies is gorgeous and I don't want them to be hidden behind something else.

Which brings me to the color difference.
The taller ones are a very dark red.

The shorter ones are a lighter shade
and the petals roll back a bit.

Of course if I move the taller ones to the back of the border someplace they will undoubtedly decide to grow just 2' tall and be lighter in color. I've had some other hilarious mistakes where plants I thought would stay short were planted at the front edge of the border but I'll save them for another time.

Heirloom Blooms

We always had peonies in the back yard while we were growing up. After they were done blooming Mom would mow right over them and every year they'd come back. Two years ago she was no longer interested in keeping the one remaining bush and let me dig it out. I divided it into three and last year got just one bloom. I'm thrilled that all three have bloomed this year.

This one is near the back door where I walk by several times daily.

This one is not as happy looking but still blooming.

The third one only has one bloom so far. The foxglove in front just started blooming yesterday. The foxglove I found growing at the edge of the woods and moved to the garden.

BJ and Angie decided they wanted to rip out everything the previous owner had planted along their front porch and start from scratch. So of course I helped myself. I was quite surprised by this bloom yesterday.

The columbine that Country Girl gave me last year is still full of blooms.

I'm loving this little patch of salvia, tickseed and dianthus right now.

Delphinium started from seed last year.

A huge patch of daisies. Another gift from Country Girl.

Blanket flower started from seed last year. I moved this to the new bed at the back of the house and now every bloom is facing towards the house.

St. John's wort shrub. I just bought this last weekend. It's supposed to get 5' tall and wide, covered with this little flowers.

Also blooming:
Iris
Bleeding heart
Pincushion flower
Fushia
Stella D'oro lilies
Lupine
other day lilies
chives

Tanks to Carol for hosting the Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!