Puppy days of summer....

Verbascum sinuatum

July and August are not the best time for my home garden. Even so, a few plants seem to shine among the collapsing herbage and dying flowers of spring...these are a few of my favorites this year, beginning with Verbascum sinuatum, which is widespread (and overlooked) in Greece, but which has found the right spot to shine for weeks now, and make me reconsider its worth!

Verbascum sinuatum

A closer look..

Verbascum sinuatum

First year rosette...

Sagittaria latifolia

Michael D Panczak, Jan's nephew in law, gave me my original starts of this arrowhead--which loves my pond. It makes quite a splash (forgive the pun) this time of year!

Pterocephalus perennis

The wonderful Greek creeping scabious has finally found a spot where it blooms pretty much non-stop through the summer. Hard to believe the beautiful slopes where I first saw this in nature above Athens (Mount Parnitha) were all scorched in a fire and all the fir trees there are now gone.

Origanum x suendermanii

This hybrid oregano just gets better and better--although I do wish I had its best parent (O. amanum) again!

Verbascum nigrum

I don't know what it is about black flowers...or in this case a deep brownish maroon...

Verbascum nigrum

A closer look

Verbascum nigrum

I love the zig-zag pattern of the flowers viewed head on.

Biarum sp.

Another black flower--this a little Mediterranean aroid that bloomed for me right after I got back from Tibet. I'd grown it for years, and am so glad I was there for the flowers--which only lasted a day or two! Well worth the wait!

Platycodon grandiflorus (dwarf pink)

I generally don't go for pink forms of blue flowers--but may make an exception for this balloon flower...

Delphinium pylzowii

We saw a close cousin of this in Tibet, D. kamaonense. This species self sows all over my rock garden and blooms all summer. I think I need more delphiniums!

Impatiens (New Guinea hybrids)

I am not above growing some flashy annuals--and these giant Impatiens are carefree and showy. Why not?

Fuchsia triphylla

This fuchsia seems to do well with my benign neglect.

Pycnanthemum virginianum

I have finally gotten a few species of mountain mint to take off: I don't know what I like more, the rich fragrance or graceful flowers!

Rudbeckia hirta

Black eyed susans are popping up all over my garden, and welcome most places they show up.

Eryngium giganteum

Miss Wilmott's ghost is just a bit of a thug. But so was its namesake in her queenly way...

Galtonia viridiflora

This seems to be coming back reliably in a few spots: love this color!

Papaver cf. rupifragum

Distributed as the double Atlas poppy, whatever it is, it likes my garden. And vice versa--it's everywhere! Blooming on and on.

Kniphofia ritualis

I don't think I have enough torch lilies--although this is one of the best.

Salvia chrysophylla

And one never has enough salvias! I'll dream of the spectacular species I saw in China!

Acantholimoon ulicinum

Not quite like the massive mounds of this I saw in Greece and Turkey. But glad to have it!

Spigelia marilandica

The queen of the summer garden. What a gem! I must get Tony's dwarf form...

One of innumerable foxgloves. Love them all..

Spartium junceum

What a treat to come home to fragrant Spanish broom...

Makes me love summer all the more!