GBBD – Garden Bloggers Bloom Day arrives when I have lots of blooms this month. By this time of the year it’s been a long hot and dry summer. Most blooms are moving onto their next stage. The blooms are producing fruit and seed. (tomatoes, for example.)
So, with a nod to Carol and GBBD, I humbly submit GBFD or Garden Bloggers Food Day. Because it so seldom happens, that I have an abundance of both blooms and produce.
Black Swallowtail Butterfly on pink zinnia
Pollinators, like bees and butterflies are key to producing seed.
Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) It is the state butterfly of Oklahoma.
After mating, small, yellow eggs are laid on garden plants from the carrot family, Apiaceae, including dill, fennel, Queen Anne’s lace, and parsley. I always grow extra parsley happing to create an attractive area for Black Swallowtails. This year the worms helped themselves to the carrots growing near the zinnias.
The most noticable blooms in my garden are the sunflowers.
"Musicbox" but I call these my mailbox sunflowers.
Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are blooming their big heads off and making sunflower seeds. Nothing can make a gold finch happier.
"Chocolate Cherry"
"Van Gogh" with half runner bean vines.
"Valentine" pale lemon flowers about 5" across.
Giant Heirloom, "Titan" Sunflower
These native sun-worshipping North American native flowers turn on their stalks to follow the sun. The name Helianthus is from the Greek words for sun and flower.
Direct sow seed into the garden. Sunflowers have long taproots that are easily stunted, so wait until the ground is warmed and plant seeds into the garden soil.
Several of these sunflowers are pollen free, making them ideal for bouquets. They don’t drop messy pollen on the table.
"Musicbox" Sunflower
I have a couple more sunflowers this year.One has already bloomed and is gone. Another is a perennial sunflower that is a late blooming variety not yet blooming.
I got all these sunflower seed from Renee’s Garden seed.
Thanks for stopping by.
GBFD is my way of sharing my garden this month, August 2011.
GBBD is a way to share what is blooming in my garden on the 15th of the month.
Carol from May Dreams Gardens sponsors Bloom Day each month. Thank you, Carol.
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