Garden Diary: What's blooming now

In the backyard and shady path:

• Astilbe, two unknown varieties: one with dark red flowers, and one with white flowers
• Dicentra eximia "Aurora", White bleeding heart
• Hosta, variety unknown: small, yellow leaves, purple flowers, could be "Gold Drop"? (just starting to bloom)
• Hydrangea, variety unknown: white, lacecap type flowers
• Ilex verticillata "Southern Gentleman", Winterberry, male (in container)
• Itea "Little Henry", Sweetspire: white flowers (in container)
• Kalmia "Peppermint", Mountain laurel: white flowers with dark red rays (just ending)
• Lonicera sempervirens, trumpet honeysuckle: dark orange-red flowers (just ending)
• Tradescantia "Sweet Kate", Spiderwort: Chartreuse foliage, bright purple flowers

In the sunny border:

• Alcea, Hollyhocks, unknown strain: tall, pink flowers, white flowers
• Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly weed: Bright orange flowers
• Campanula trachelium "Bernice", Bellflower: Double purple flowers
• Coreopsis verticillata "Zagreb", Tickseed: Orange-yellow flowers
• Digitalis, Foxglove, unknown variety: White flowers (just ending)
• Hemerocallis (fulva?), Day lily: Bright orange flowers with brick red interior rays
• Heuchera, Alumroot, unknown variety: white flowers, silver-variegated burgundy foliage
• Ilex verticillata, Winterberry, female: White flowers, bright red berries still persisting from last year
• Monarda didyma "Gardenview Scarlet", Beebalm, Bergamot: Dark red flowers
• Tradescantia, spiderwort: dark purple flowers

In the front of the house:

• Centaurea, Bachelor's buttons: Cornflower blue flowers
• Dianthus caryophyllus Super Trouper Dark Violet, Carnation (windowboxes)
• Heuchera, unknown variety: White flowers, burgundy foliage overlaid with white
• Penstemon "Husker Red": White flowers
• Lavandula, Lavender, unknown variety: dark purple flowers
• Thymus, Thyme: Pale purple flowers
• Viola, Pansies: Large chrome yellow flowers with purple marks in the centers