love for lilies

July is a colorful month, especially if you grow lilies. They are among my favorite perennial/bulb/tubers. I was very into learning about the endless varieties back in the day, and shopping sales. I love lilies, but they don't love animals. Most are poisonous. Luckily, my cats only like them for shade.

When we bought our land and moved, my favorite lilies moved with me. Here are some snaps, along with a few other fluers blooming throughout this month:

Hymenocallis

Smells like a Cattleya Orchid, but a whole lot easier to grow.

Amarylis



Amarylis

Can't get my Amarylis to rebloom indoors. Apparently they think Christmas in July.

Cheyenne Spirit Echinachea

Orange Coneflower

Candida Clematis 

One of two remaining transplanted clematis.
This one is on the struggle bus. Used to be prolific, with huge white blooms.
It could use more sun.

Yellow & Pink/Peach Asiatic Lilies

Alison Daylily

Beautiful peach & my younger daughter's name :)

May May Daylily


Smaller soft butter yellow, blooms like crazy



Mary Todd Daylily

One Mary Todd get's huge & goes blooming nutz

All my daylilies were transplanted and already need to be split!



Charles Johnston Daylily



fragrant rebloomer!



Naturalized Charles Johnston

Do not recall the name of this Daylily, without looking it up.

It doesn't bloom a lot, but so pretty when it does!

Shaded Barn Front (Impatients)

I used to grow Impatients bareroot IN my pond (waterfall stream).
Now I grow them in pots, and boots.

Side Barn Bed is long. Easy keeper and colorful in July.

newer Jackmani Clematis replacement

Phlox (both ^ v transplanted)



Phlox


One of few Zinnia blooms this year (started indoors)

Black Dragon Trumpet Lily

Grows taller than me & smells scrumptious! Also transplanted.

Black (ish) underside

Black Dragon reaching for the sky

Epiphyllum Cactus


Started from a small stem section, given to me by my gardening mentor.

Fun fact: His massive parent plant was gifted to the little-big city tropical conservatory!

Epi Cactus (aka Orchid Cactus)

Eucharis Lily lightly scented blooms (indoors)

Yes, I have a plant problem. I inherited it from my mom.

This is me cutting back *^*

good news

I watched a news feature story a few days ago that left a lasting impression on me. I found it so heartwarming that I rewound the TV and watched it twice. The news clip is below, for those of you who did not see it.

still making an impact on young lives at 86 yrs young 

a horseman, not a cowboy

horses thriving and serving a purpose

riding the streets

horses go back over a century on Fletcher Street

intersection

smiles say it all

cute featured kid on his favorite pony Pandora

Taking the Reins news clip (4.38 secs)

Just curious if you have heard of the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club? I had not. Now I want to watch the movie Concrete Cowboy.

Who knew such an impact could be made with horses ~ in a big city. Good news stories like this gives me all the feels and renews my faith in humanity.

land of wonders ~ june version 2/2

The second half of what I spotted in June was just as interesting as the first half. The more it rained, the more nature grew. Mosquitos included. They make everything harder, even snapping photos. 

Sharing just a few of my land finds:

wild roses started blooming
6.20.25

golf balls are everywhere

fresh orange coral renewed itself

hanging around the side of a pine

parasols pop up in mass, and disappear just as fast

Yes, I am obsessed with these tiny wonders!

turned a corner for a surprise large pine blocking path 

(Jameson & Tank)

Officially the year of Spiderwort!!

white stands out among bright green

what all this rain is good for

tiny coral for the win!

I notice how the bright orange coral changes on each walk. It has been morphing for weeks!

mushrooms pop up everywhere

tiny red spider? 

ID came up as Red Velvet Mite/True Velvet Mite/Rain Bug. Never seen one before.

Spiderwort close-up

As always, click for photo details. Spiderwort is both delicate and hardy. I bought a plant and grew it at our previous home. I get a kick out of what the garden centers charge for natives.

soft waxy yellow mushrooms

bright orange snot goop caught my eye

expanded view

wild mullen started blooming

pink parasols appeared, too cute!

 ridiculous amount of wild invasive prickly branched loganberries

mulberry trees

Mulberries remind me of my mother. I grew up with Mulberry trees in our big-little city yard. Some years jam was made. She loved eating them fresh!! It wasn't unusual to find her fingers purple. Not a huge Mulberry fan, but I always eat a few in her memory.

coral is still growing strong
6.28.25

gel like "fingers" forms

there is a lot growing on here

round coral growth

glowing shelf mushrooms
(orange goop on right)
6.29.25

We got more rain yesterday, a solid 1" in less than half an hour. Gives meaning to when it rains, it pours. More on tap for today.