“The true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” ~William Morris
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day is almost here, and I had a special post all set. I was going to have my mom pick her favorite blooms, and highlight them for Bloom Day. Instead she was unable to visit due to illness, so instead I spent time in the garden to find plants I think she would have enjoyed had she seen them.
So I am putting together a special bouquet of these flowers, and I hope you enjoy them. Join Carol@ May Dreams Gardens on the 15th for other blooms around the globe.
Mother’s Bouquet starts with her favorite, gladiolus (pictured above). These were planted last year, but with the drought they did not bloom. Some bloomed as a surprise this year as they are not cold hardy. Glads got their name from the Latin word “gladius,” meaning sword. They do look like a sword. Glads Language of Flowers meaning deals with strength and moral integrity, as well as infatuation. They are also the August birth flower.
Mom always loved lilies, especially Easter lilies so I want to share some of the best of the many that are in the garden this summer. Lilies have been dated back to 1580 B.C. where they were part of ancient mythology. The name comes from the Greek word “leiron,” which refers to the white Madonna lily that is revered by the Greeks. Lilies are the May birth flower which was new to me.
In the Language of Flowers, white lilies stand for chastity and virtue, and pink stargazer lilies represent wealth and prosperity.
I don’t remember daylilies in our garden when I was a child, but I think my mom would love the many colors of these dazzling flowers.
The botanical name, Hemerocallis, comes from the Greek ‘hemera’ meaning ‘day’ and ‘kalles’ meaning ‘beauty’ referring to the flower lasting only one day. Daylilies were brought to Europe from China via traders. Daylilies have long been used as food and medicine in China and Japan, and by the Romans.
Daylilies are said to have found their way to our roadsides as they escaped from colonial gardens. These are just a few of the many daylilies still blooming.
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I am also highlighting some outstanding foliage from the August garden that I think my mom would have loved. I am joining with Pam@Digging for her Foliage Follow Up on the 16th, and Christina@Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for her Garden Bloggers Foliage Day on the 22nd.
I believe this is a Japanese Silver Grass. It grows to over 6 feet off the pond. I love the early morning light on the garden grasses.
Northern Sea Oats has grown even bigger this year and is in full bloom already.
The baptisia is still looking great especially as the sun rises over the back garden.
I have really fallen in love with the feathery foliage of the bronze fennel.
I promised to show the ‘Diablo’ ninebark in mid summer. It still retains its color all summer long, and the berries have formed. I had not seen many berries in years past, but there are lots this year. I wonder who will be chowing down on these berries.
The seed pods on the milkweeds are forming. I am excited to collect them, spread them and share them. Check out how you can donate extra milkweed seeds at Monarch Watch’s Bring Back the Monarch Campaign.
“Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering.
There’s a hole in everything,
That’s how the light comes through.”
– Leonard Cohen
Summer is waning and fall will be here soon. I hope you will join me for Seasonal Celebrations starting September 1st. Read more about it below.
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Come Join Us:
Seasonal Celebrations is a time for marking the change of seasons and what is happening in your part of the world during this time. I hope you will join in by creating a post telling us how you celebrate this time of year whether summer or winter or something else. Share your traditions, holidays, gardens and celebrations in pictures, poetry or words starting September 1st.
And it seems so appropriate to collaborate with Beth and her Lessons Learned meme. What lessons have you learned this past season of summer here in the North and winter in the South. Then tell us about your wishes, desires and dreams for this new season.The rules are simple. Just create a post that talks about lessons learned 
and/or seasonal celebrations. If you are joining in for both memes please leave a comment on both our blog posts. Or if you are choosing to join only one meme, leave a comment on that blog post. Make sure to include a link with your comment.
Beth and I will do a summary post of our respective memes on the equinox (the 22nd of September). And we will keep those posts linked on a page on our blog. Your post should be linked in the weekend before the equinox to give us enough time to include your post in our summary. And if you link in a bit late, never fear we will include it on the special blog page (which I still have to create). The badges here can be used in your post. So won’t you join in the celebration!!
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Next up on the blog: I have an interesting Garden Book Review coming next Monday followed by a combined Simply The Best-Herbs and Wildflower Tales. Hopefully in September I will find a bit more time to write additional post. And September means Seasonal Celebrations and a Blogiversary.
I am linking in with Michelle@Rambling Woods for her Nature Notes meme. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Wednesday.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden. See my most current post now. Most recent post is up.
As always, I’ll be joining Tootsie Time’s Fertilizer Friday.
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