What's Blooming in My Garden - July 21

A few plants are just beginning to bloom this week, many are just past their peak and most are declining. The hot temperatures and drying winds only speed up the process. July is usually that way...and August is seed ripening weather. But come the cooler weather in the fall, we'll have a flush of new bloomers!

• Miniature Hollyhocks - I can't remember what these are "really" called, but they look just like hollyhocks, only shorter, more bushy, and with smaller flowers. Mine are pink and I think they have a nicer texture (and prettier leaves) than regular hollyhocks.
• Knautia - This is another one of those plants that is next to unheard of, yet grows beautifully here and looks great in the garden. I have no idea why knautia is so hard to find at the nursery. It's basically a red-violet scabiosa or pincushion flower. The flowers are held high above the foliage which lets it blend in with neighboring plants in a friendly way. I first met this lovely plant at Red Butte Garden.
• Lemon Mint - One of this year's experiments. The flowers are very interesting...I'll take a picture when they open up a little bit more. It sort of looks like bee balm, only fuller.
• Bee Balm - Hot pink salvia type blossoms which, big surprise, attract bees! My plant isn't doing too well this year...I think it got too much water and not enough fertilizer this spring because it's yellow and scraggly. Oh well. Better luck next year.
• Asiatic Lilies
• Sunflowers
  
• Hollyhocks
  
• Four-O-Clocks
  
• Cupid's Dart
• Cilantro and Dill
• Zauchenaria (Hummingbird Carpet)
• Echinops
  
• Miss Wilmott Potentilla
• Blue Ensign Convolvulus
  
• Hen and Chicks
• Perennial Black-eyed Susan
  
• Daylilies
  
• Zebrina
• Lambs Ears
  
• Purple Coneflower
  
• Snap Dragon
• Evening Primrose
  
• Mexican Hat
  
• Annual Coneflower
• Coreopsis
  
• Nicotiana
  
• Shasta Daisy
  
• Wine cups
• Larkspur
  
• Oregano
  
• Lavendar
  
• Pike's Peak Purple Penstemon
  
• Fever Few
• Chicory
• Sedum
  
• Calendula
  
• Bachelor Buttons
  
• Yellow Primrose (Sundrops)
  
• Indian Blanket Flower
  
• Yarrow (red, yellow, and orange)
  
• Blue Flax