What’s Blooming in Early June?

Spring was cold and wet in Arvada, CO this year and that has certainly affected our planting times in our trial garden as well as bloom times. This will be the first of a continuing series of posts letting you know what is currently blooming in our area. This post will focus on perennials.

One of our  more unusual perennials that is now blooming is Chocolate Flower, Berlandiera lyrata. This southwestern U.S. native, a new offering for us this year, exudes a rich, chocolate scent in the morning. The plants are drought tolerant and prefer full sun and well-drained soils. Plants grow 1 to 2 feet tall and bloom spring to fall.

Clear blue flowers now cover Perennial Lupine, Lupinus perennis, native to much of the eastern U.S. This plant grows from 1-3 feet tall, prefers well-drained soils but is quite adaptable, and will grow in partial to full sun. It blooms from spring through early summer and, as a legume, enhances soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen into a useful form.