Cool days and nights and overcast skies marked the first half of June in south central Connecticut. Nearly daily rain of some amount interspersed with heavy downpours and strong thunderstorms kept soils consistently wet. Pansies, loving the cool temperatures, still bloom. Ferns and mosses thrive in the nearly constant moisture. The peonies were glorious, but short-lived – just as the biggest blossoms opened wide rains pelted them down. The last of my peony blossoms will go by this week, but later blooming iris are coming on strong along with many other happy blossoms to show on Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, June 2010.

A trio of scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'

Trandescantia of unknown variety … traveled with me for years from house to house.

Dianthus deltoides, or Maiden Pinks 'Arctic Fire'

An ever lovely hosta … I don't recall hosta blooming this early before.

Louisiana iris 'Black Gamecock'

Peony hybrid 'Nancy Nora' dancing with Stachys (Lamb's Ear).

Allium 'Hair' shows off a unique personality.

Hydrangea Endless Summer flirting with nearby astilbe.

Coral bells … another long time plant companion.

A sea of lavenders. Can one ever have too many lavenders?

  Iris ensata – unknown variety with huge blossoms. I cannot have too many iris.

The dainty shrub rose Mystic Meidiland.

Rose campion always has a mind of its own.

  Penstemon digitalis.

And I fell for the new supertunia 'Pretty Much Picasso' – the name alone is enough to attract attention, but I could not resist the color combination of these flowers.

Last June my peonies were in full glory. This year everything seems to be blooming about 2 weeks earlier  compared to last. I also had poppies blooming in 2009. This year the greens are there but, sadly, no buds popped up.

Be sure to visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens – the originator of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day -  to see what she has popping from her soils and what other garden bloggers - from all corners of the U.S. and beyond – have to show off on this monthly bloomin' blossom bash.