June 2016 Garden Bloom Day

On this June 15, 2016 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day there are so many things blooming here in Northeast Washington that it took me nearly all day to take my photos. I saw some blue flax and bunch berry featured in my May Garden Bloom Day again this month, but with so much in bloom  I have included only the flowers that were new in June and only those that I think will be the most interesting.

Lorquin's Admiral butterfly (Limenitis lorquini) on Nasturtium (Tropaeolum minus "Alaska")

Instead of saving the best for last, I'll start with my favorite of a Lorquin's Admiral butterfly perched on a nasturtium in a hanging basket.  Before I move on to the wildflowers, I'm sharing the blossoms of some tomato plants.  I'm hopeful that I'll get a good crop this year.  Yum!

Roma Tomato blossoms

From the vegetable garden, I wandered down to the pond to see what wetland plants are blooming.

Blue Iris

I spotted a few blue Iris flowers.

Monkey Flower (Mimulus moschatas)

Numerous bright yellow monkey flowers were scattered around the edge of the marshy edge of the pond.

Water lily (Nymphaea species)

It was still morning so the water lilies were not completely open.  Next, I meandered through the meadow.

Common Harebell (Campanula rotundiflora)

A few harebells were blooming.

Cinquefoil (Potentilla sp.)

and some cinquefoils.  I spotted one lone locoweed.

Locoweed (Oxytropis species)

Approaching the edge of the trees are two native species of spirea that are both heavily visited by pollinators.

Bumblebee (Bombus sp.) and  Bee Mimic Beetle (Trichiotinus assimilis) on blooming Birchleaf Spirea (Spiraea betufolia)

Both bumblebees and beetles feed on the nectar and pollen of the flat-topped white birchleaf spirea.

Bumblebee (Bombus sp.) on Spiraea Douglasii

Numerous bumblebees were on the pink fluffy spires of Douglas Spirea.

Holodiscus discolor

There are numerous creambush (Holodiscus discolor), also known as ocean spray or mountain spray which are not quite in full bloom.  

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)

Another favorite of bees and other pollinators is the tiny pink blooms of the snowberry.   Moving from the forest edge into the trees is where I find one of my favorite plants blooming in the dappled sunlight under the trees.

Twinflower (Linnaea borealis)

I've always thought the tiny little twinflower (Linneae borealis) would make a great plant for a fairy garden.

Pine Drops (Pterospora andromedea)

Although not yet in full bloom, I'm happy to see the stalks of several pine drops poking up under the trees.  Thank you to May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly garden blog hop.  Be sure to visit the other gardens this month.  Some of the books in my library that I find helpful to identify the native plants, flowers and insects in the Pacific Northwest include the following: