While Sweeney’s Blog goes on a little hiatus, we thought we’d share with you what’s blooming locally in our yards and gardens:

Green leafy plants with small white buds and flowers scattered throughout the foliage, creating a dense, natural texture.

Bridal Veil

This is my favorite container plant that I grow every year, and to be perfectly honest, it’s been blooming since late Spring.  It’s delicate dark green foliage with soft purple undersides cascades down the side of the container with tiny, white cupped shape flowers that close only at night.  It will continue to bloom until Fall, and requires very little maintenance.  Prefers shade to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Two clusters of pink and light yellow hydrangea flowers with green leaves are in the sunlight near a black metal fence, with a grassy lawn and trees in the background.

Bloomstruck Hydrangea

Large, showy pink flowers bloom atop reddish-purple stems, surrounded by dark green foliage with red veins.  Continual bloomer whose flowers may be pink or blue depending on the acidity of the soil.  Prefers shade and can be grown in a container/pot as well as a bed.

Bright green leaves with spherical, spiky white flowers and round buds are shown in sunlight. The plant is dense and healthy, with a white building partially visible in the background.

Button Bush

Unique deciduous shrub which produces fragrant, white, spherical shaped flowers, akin to a pincushion, amongst elliptical, glossy green leaves.  Flowers eventually mature into a hardened nut which remain through the Winter.  Attracts bees and does well in wet soils.

Pink coneflowers with orange centers grow among green leaves. The flowers are in bloom, and one has a ladybug on its petals. The scene is lush and vibrant, suggesting a healthy garden in summer.

Purple Coneflower

A staple in many perennial gardens, the Coneflower continues to delight with large, pink daisy-like flowers that attract a myriad of pollinators, and birds love the seed heads come Fall.  Prefers full sun and can grow up to 5′ tall without requiring staking.

White hydrangea flowers in full bloom with large green leaves, bathed in sunlight near a window and stone wall. Some flowers are in shadow, creating a contrast with the brightly lit blooms.

Hydrangea Annabelle

Old fashioned?  Perhaps.  Lovely and consistent?  Yes!  Large, stunning white flowers bloom atop sturdy stems from late Spring into Fall.  Prefers partial sun and moist, well-drained soil.  Makes great cut and dried flowers.

Clusters of purple, pink, and white yarrow flowers grow densely in a sunlit garden, surrounded by lush green foliage. The background is slightly out of focus, highlighting the flowers in the foreground.

Yarrow

A must have for any wildflower or cottage garden, Yarrow’s flat clusters of tiny pink flowers are surrounded by airy, fern-like foliage.  Prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil.  Grows 2-3′ tall.  Attracts butterflies and is drought tolerant once established. May need to be staked if planted in windy area.

Tall purple wildflowers with green leaves and stems fill the image, growing densely in bright sunlight. The background is full of green foliage, creating a lush, vibrant natural scene.

Veronica Eveline

Spikes of lavender-blue flowers bloom amongst crisp, dark green foliage.  Prefers sun and moist, well-drained soil.  Attracts pollinators and is deer and rabbit resistant.

A close-up of a white daisy-like flower with a brown center, set against a blurred green background of leaves and stems.

What’s blooming in your yard?  Reach out to Sweeney’s or post a comment/pic on our blog or Facebook page.  We’d love to hear from you!  In fact, we’d love your suggestions for “Plant of the Week“.

“The Summer looks out from her brazen tower,

Through the flashing bars of July.”

-Francis Thompson

Best wishes,

Kim Sweeney