Blooms From Today for Blooming Friday

Lately I've been looking to see what kind of theme Katarina, of Roses and Stuff has for the week's Blooming Friday, but forgot to until I had a bunch of photos uploaded to my blog. Since she wanted to know who the leading ladies are, and who are the supporting characters, I went back and found some photos I'd started to leave out because I've posted them so many times already.

The cleomes and Mexican sunflowers are very much stars of the gardens this year.

With a name like Debonair, I have to include these mums.

Of course the zinnias and Menard's dahlias continue to show off for whoever drives by, supported strongly by coneflowers and Paprika and other varieties of yarrow.

The rest of the photos were taken today. I'd have to say the sweet autumn clematis are very showy right now.

The asters are a demanding presence now. What a difference a few days make, as they weren't as full when photos were taken on the 12th for GBBD. The coneflower doesn't seem to mind playing a supporting role, as when it was younger, it had its moment to shine.

The oxalis doesn't mind hiding out on the lower shelf of a plant stand, next to a watering can.

Now, the Boltonia ('Snowbank?) and Eupatorium 'Prairie Jewel' growing next to coleus 'Schizophrenia' in a pot are vying for the starring role in the area in front of the veggie garden.

In the veggie garden and other beds around the yard, the Verbena bonariensis plants play a very important role in filling in spaces and feeding a variety of butterflies and bees.

I think these are black eyed Susans. They just pop up wherever and take up as many spots as they can, but when pulled, are good about not coming back.

Asters, Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne', and heleniums are stars because of their sizes and number of blooms.

I'm not sure what this is popping up in the amsonia plant.

I grow cardinal climbers most every year. The leaf on the lower left belongs to this plant.

The cypress vines seed themselves, so I grow them, every season too. The flowers are a little smaller and more star shaped then those on the cardinal climbers. There had been a few blooms here and there, but both are having more and more blooms on them.

The 'Fireworks' goldenrods have lead roles this time of year, and the insects love them, too. The lantana here plays a nice supporting role.

The Black Knight butterfly bush is a beauty, but this is its first year, so is happy to be a "figurant" as Katarina worded it. (That's ginger mint behind it.)

This is a salvia that came from a spent stem laid down in the bed last fall.

The gazanias don't have blooms every day, but when they do, I sure enjoy them.