Blooming This Morning

Lilium ‘Muscadet’
The first of the Oriental hybrid lilies has opened in the Entry Garden. Last fall, I planted 8 bulbs, 2 each of Muscadet, Casablanca, Lemon Meringue and Stargazer. I didn’t think to mark which was which, so each one will be a surprise.

Once again, I have found a flower that is more attractive in person than pictured in a catalog. I hope the rest of the lilies prove to be as striking. I would love to add more to this bed, but I am already over-budget for fall bulbs. Sigh.

Salvia coccineaTexas Hummingbird Sage
The hummingbird part of the new Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden continues to excel. No real surprise there. Most of the flowers are ones that did well for me last year. The latest flowers to open are the Texas Hummingbird Sage. I direct sowed these. Like all salvias, they germinated profusely and grew rapidly. No hummingbirds yet, though.