What's Blooming Now - July 14, 2011
Summer Bloom Reaches Peak!

If you are a frequent visitor to White River Gardens then you know that although the Gardens are beautiful year round, they go through frequent and less frequent blooming times.  I think many would agree that this is one of the busiest of the bloom times! 

The blooms mentioned in this update have managed to survive the heat and are taking us into the peak of summer.  They are also great plants to use in the wildflower garden because they have less manicured growth habits and take little maintenance. 

The Virginia Fairbanks Sun Garden is the source of several of these plants.  Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) and false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) are all Indiana native wildflowers.  Purple coneflower is the best behaved out of the three while false sunflower has a tendency to be weedy if left to its own devices.   

Globe thistles (Echinops), although not native to North America, definitely have a place in the wildflower garden here in Indiana.  Ours have been blooming for weeks and they make great cut and dried flowers.  Russian sage is also a great non-native wildflower garden addition.  You may see several varieties of this plant throughout White River Gardens. 

Also seen in the Sun Garden is rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos).  Unlike the previously mentioned plants, this plant is shrubby and
likes to have its feet moist.   You will notice several nice groupings of rose mallow ‘Kopper King’ (light pink with red eye) along the stream of the Sun Garden.  A deep red variety will soon follow.

The garden phloxes (Phlox paniculata) are also at their peak, although with the heat, may be fading quickly.  In particular, the varieties ‘Amethyst’ and ‘David’ are looking great at the moment.   Phlox ‘Amethyst’, a beautiful lavender color, can be found in both the Ornamental Allee and the Indianapolis Garden Club Heritage Garden.  Phlox ‘David’ is a pure white variety and several groupings can be found in the Heritage Garden.

The panicle hydrangeas are starting to peak as well.  In particular, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ is displaying its unique limey-green blooms at this moment over by the stream pool plaza.