In Today's Garden

Clematis - 'Bonanza'
Bee Balm - 'Cambridge Scarlet'

This clematis is flowering very actively right now, while the other's blossoms (I lost the tag, and don't know the variety) have already gone by. Both were from White Flower Farm in Connecticut. I don't get our plants there - too pricey - but someone once gave the Little Woman and me a couple of gift certificates, and these were among the items we picked up.

Now, Crockett said the clematis varieties that bloom on second year vines can't be grown here in New England, because the winters are too cold. These have been in the ground for 5 years, IIRC, and the flowers grow on new and prior-year vines.

I picked up a couple of 4-inch pots of bee balm last year at Verrill Farm, where I also get my tomato seedlings. The bee balm did well, and attracted butterflies and hummingbirds. I haven't seen the hummingbirds yet this year, but the bee balm has come back to at least 3-times its original density. I think I'll divide it up next year, and move it to a new location where the soil is more consistently moist.

Anyway, this photo was taken at high noon. The initial color was kind of washed out, so I doodled it a bit.