August 2010 GBBD

After all of the rain most of the summer, August brought hot, dry weather.  Some of the plants that normally do well no matter the weather are struggling, and a few have either gone dormant or died.  When I look at my beds, I see holes and not as much color as I like.  Still, I came up with a number of blooms.  I actually got sidetracked from my picture taking, and didn't get to go back and finish the back gardens, where the morning glories are in their glory, gray headed coneflowers, oregano, and coneflowers are some of what's still blooming back there.

The yellow rudbeckias are 'Prarie Sun', I think.  I was surprised to see them coming up from last year's plants.  They were sold as annuals, but also came up in the ground and have bloomed all season.  I did lose one of the plants across the street, a few weeks ago, though.  The one I think is 'Tiger Eye' I added this spring.

I'm glad I added these purple salvia plants to the pansies, since the pansies didn't survive the heat we've had.  They normally last all season in this area.

The  next set of photos are from the new curb area, which has some bare spots.  One of the butterfly weed plants died after blooming, and I think I should wait to see if it comes back in the spring before planting anything else there.  I'll have to be patient, though, because milkweeds are one of the last plants to come up.

This Bushy Bluebell clematis was planted last fall.  It has bloomed all summer, and is so cool looking with the awesome seedheads, blooms, and buds.

The 'Laguna 3-4 Blue Rim' lisianthus have been blooming for a few weeks.

The rose moss are doing fine next to the curb.

Moving along to the more established curb areas, the lantanas are shriveling between their waterings, but the insects have been enjoying their flowers all summer.

I think this is 'Butterfly Red' pentas.  It blooms all summer, but there are periods of rest from blooming.

I'm enjoying the 'Cinderella Pink' lisianthus this summer.

I have a few petunias here and there that don't seem to be minding the heat.

The vinca is looking nice in the drops of water from the underground sprinkler that had come on at 4:00 a.m.

The knautias bloom all summer with deadheading.

The skullcaps 'Mongolian Skies' have just recently started blooming, and I can't remember how long they will continue, but I'm thinking up until frost.

The next photos are from the larger front bed.  Insects have been eating the blooms of the cosmos, but this one looks like it has escaped from them so far.

Snapdragons love cool weather, but they also bloom all summer.  This bed gets afternoon shade, which helps.  Lots of butterflies have been around the last few weeks.  This is a gray hairstreak.

The 'Pia' hydrangea looks pretty even with faded blooms.

The cleomes were slow in coming up this year.  It seems that they all start blooming at the same time, no matter what size they are.

The 'Ruby Tuesday' heleniums were just planted last year, and are blooming a few weeks later than the other clump in the same bed.  The love lies bleeding I've shown a lot is in the background.  That plant is doing awesome!

The hibiscus is almost finished blooming.  Behind it is kiss me over the garden gate, which is not as tall as last year, but is looking good to me.

The next photo was taken a few days ago.  This hydrangea is a work of the birds and bees.  It is in the front of the front bed.  It just came up last year, and I missed seeing the couple of blooms it had.  It is still only a couple feet high.  I was amazed to see that it has blooms pretty much like the huge hydrangea we planted, not realizing how big it would get, behind the garage when we first moved here.  This isn't in a good spot if it's going to get as large as the other one.  I'll have to see if it can be moved in the spring.  It's another one that is late in coming up, though.

The side beds don't have as much blooming right now, but when the asters and the rest of the goldenrods open, they will be looking great, abuzz with insects.

I have trouble photographing salvia, 'Black and Blue'.  It is one of my favorite annuals.  I gave the 'Herbtonne' rudbeckia in the background a trim to deadhead it the other day, and the next flush of blooms is opening.  The white in the photo is the short toothed mountain mint.

The spiderworts are pretty much finished blooming, but this one has a few left.

The black eyed Susans are doing fine.  The Russian sage is just starting to bloom.  

The anise hyssop has been blooming a few weeks, and the veronica, 'Sunny Border Blue', all summer, with deadheading.

Pincusion flower, snapdragons that came up from last year, butterfly milkweed, 'Hello Yellow', and the goldenrod I planted for my father-in-law when he lived here are all blooming.  Oh, and the phlox that needs deadheading is barely visible on the right.

This black eyed Susan vine I planted to go up the ladder is just now starting to bloom.  I think this is its second flower.

Back in the veggie garden, this wild thing of a plant has been coming up here and there for years, and I only let a few grow each season.  I can't remember who had some rudbeckia trilobas posted recently, but after seeing those, I think that's what these are.

Well, next month, we should be seeing some nice fall blooms.  I just don't know where the summer went, but I hope next spring doesn't take too long to get here.  My house will be cleaner going into next season, and I look forward to more garden time than I had this summer.

Head on over to Carol of May Dreams Gardens' blog if you haven't been there yet, to check out what all is blooming in other folks' gardens.