For the most part, my garden is a spring garden. It reaches its fullest potential in the spring, and declines from summer onward. That makes sense since spring is my favorite season. I don't much like the heat and drought of summer, and by fall I'm usually too tired to want to look at my garden. Right about now I'm at the point where I would like to take a break from gardening, but I have dreams already that next year will be better. I have two large beds badly in need of renovation, including one that I've already made a start on since I have so many plants that I acquired over the course of the summer that need to get in the ground. So -- no break for me.
That preamble is all by way of a disclaimer to explain why there are sparse blooms on everything, and you are probably going to see weeds in the following pictures. The garden is tired and so am I.
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| Begonia boliviensis blooms draped over the foliage of two other Begonias grown for their interesting leaves |
The tuberous Begonias are still going, but even they are starting to look like they're nearly at an end. They've been flowering machines all summer long, so I can't complain.
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| Tuberous Begonia |
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| These poor hanging tuberous Begonias got hit with a little moss-killing dust when the guys came and treated my roof, but they seem to have survived |
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| Dahlia 'Black Beauty' grown from seed, in the newly renovated Ruby Red Death Bed (see my recent post here) |
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| Dahlia 'Black Beauty' closeup |
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| Cactus Dahlia bought on sale recently at McLendon's Hardware store, waiting to be planted |
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| Dinnerplate Dahlia with no name in the cutting garden |
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| Lupine 'My Castle' |
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| Daucus carota 'Dara' |
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| Geranium x oxonianum 'Wargrave Pink' produces a flush of flowers in the spring and then flowers sporadically all summer long, even with limited watering |
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| Calamagrostis brachtricha -- when I planted these clumps a few years ago I split several gallon-size plants, and they are finally starting to beef up |
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| Stipa tenuissima |
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| Geranium 'SAnn Folkard' -- I cut all the long runners back a few weeks and she has rewarded me with a few new flowers |
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| Corydalis lutea |
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| Oh my fried brain -- the name escapes me |
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| Geranium x oxonianum 'Wargrave Pink' and Corydalis lutea |
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| Panicum 'Northwind' waiting to go in the bed that I'm working on redoing right now |
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| Our recent rain has already produced some fresh Echinacea flowers |
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| The first flush of Echinacea flowers ages in place |
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| Sedum 'Autumn Joy' |
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| Heliopsis |
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| Panicum 'Rotstrahlbusch' is one of the most drought-tolerant plants in my garden -- it gets no summer water |
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| Aloe 'Christmas Carol' |
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| Aloe 'Christmas Carol' |
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| Pregnant Onion bloom |
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| One flower cluster on Leycesteria formosa |
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| All the previous flowers have turned into berry drupes like this one |
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| More Sedum 'Autumn Joy' along the front near the street |
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| Echinacea 'White Swan' |
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| Orange Alstroemeria |
That's just about everything I could find. Hope you are having a wonderful September!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens hosts Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. You can check out her post
here.
Beautiful plants-- so colorful. And I believe your unnamed dahlia is 'Mom's Special'.
ReplyDeleteLots still going on in your garden! Like you, I want to take a break from gardening but the migration needs to start happening in October and then there is a pile of bulbs that need to be planted. Yikes! Sometimes I miss gardening in a cold winter area where there's really nothing to be done in the garden for months at a time.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see those begonias I gave you are doing well! Even if they were only playing backup in this post to the flowers of Begonia boliviensis. lol
ReplyDeleteHave you found any other sedums that hold up as well as 'Autumn Joy'? I have tried 'Brilliant' and it gets floppy. Autumn Joy is a winner! Don't worry, we're all pooped out - especially with such a long, dry summer.
ReplyDeleteLupine and dahlias blooming at the same time! Heck, I'd be happy to have lupine blooming at any time but blooms in summer seem remarkable to me. I also adore the Panicum grass, which is sadly not suited to my climate.
ReplyDeleteWow good blooms and beautiful foliage ...Have a great week ahead
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a bloom like that on our Leycesteria. I have to go out and look. Is the mystery plant a Cape Fuchsia?
ReplyDeleteOh that Leycesteria formosa, I do wish I had the space for one! And no, your garden does not look tired...
ReplyDeleteMy fried brain can identify that plant for you since I just planted one -- phygelius! I couldn't get that calamagrostis going. Yours are looking fine. And that lupin is positively springlike!
ReplyDeleteLots of lovely flowers and foliage still happening in your garden. I am absolutely amazed at how many pots all of you PNW gardeners have. I love the look but can't imagine all that watering and winter storage. Or maybe you don't need to put them away ....
ReplyDeleteThat Dahlia 'Black Beauty' - nice!
ReplyDeleteHave you found any other sedums that hold up as well as 'Autumn Joy'? I have tried 'Brilliant' and it gets floppy. Autumn Joy is a winner! Don't worry, we're all pooped out - especially with such a long, dry summer.
ReplyDeleteD2bet
So many pretty blooms! Wish I could grow dahlias...
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