Sunday, August 15, 2010

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.



16 comments:

  1. Gorgeous flowers and photos. I am intrigued by the 'Laguna 3-4 Blue Rim' lisianthus. I have never seen it before and it would go great in my blue/white/yellow themed garden. I am in zone 6, and will have to investigate the plant. I just planted the blue spiderwort (like your's) this year and it has bloomed all summer. Hope to see it again next year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love Heleniums and bell-shaped clematis. Lisianthus is one of those things I always forget the name for. Everything looks so nice in your garden!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful blooms! Your clematis is gorgeous. I'm fascinated by the different types, and want to plant them all. And the little gray hairstreak is so cute! Thanks for sharing the picture of it, and all your garden blooms!
    Happy GBBD!

    ReplyDelete
  4. aloha,

    you have some beautiful blooms you are sharing with us today, so many gorgeous flowers in your front garden?

    i love both the lisianthus, they are striking and i don't know why i don't try growing them in my area, they fit in so well in your garden.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, Sue and Happy Bloom Day! Your garden is gorgeous. Everything looks so lovely. That pink hibiscus is a knock out! :))

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Sue,
    I really like the combination of the big hibiscus flowers with the kiss me over the garden gate flowers.

    You still have a lot nice flowers blooming during mid-august when a lot of gardeners are getting discouraged because everything is pretty much done.

    Again that 'Laguna 3-4 Blue Rim' lisianthus has really caught my eye. It is such a pretty one!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sue: Your garden is splendid. I loved the lisianthus. Are they are hardy perennial?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello sue' love the photos...

    I'm making notes for next years garden..

    I see several that I like here in your garden...

    "Parie Sun flower rudbeckias.. I really learned to love rudbeckias this year because of their care free nature.

    The others were.. The purple salvias, Butterfly red pentus, cinderella pink lisianthus and the hibiscus" Very pretty...

    ReplyDelete
  9. So much going on in your garden, Sue! I think you must have had more rain in July than we did--it's been pretty dry here for the past six weeks. I'm impressed by all your rudbeckia and that you can identify them all--mine reseeded so much this past spring that I have no idea what is what. I have a new salvia that is very much like 'Black and Blue,' only hot pink, and I have the same problem with mine--I can't get one good photo of it. Oh well, we know they're beautiful in person, and that's all that matters.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It was really nice visiting your gardens again... I especially love the lisianthus, but haven't grown them in some time... your header photo is particularly nice! Larry

    ReplyDelete
  11. you have such a beautiful garden. Everything always looks so fresh and happy!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love your blooms! Your garden is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your garden looks lovely in spite of the heat. I particularly love your purple salvia, and the hydrangea. Not the most spectabular of your flowers, but I love the way they age gracefully!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful blooms. Cinderella Pink Lisianthus is awesome. Love the softness. You have so many pretties. I can't believe we are getting ready for fall now. After so much terrible heat this year I am ready for fall.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your blooms look great! This is a hard time of year for plants...you're wise to have so many tough, long-bloomers. Knautia and Helenium are such great plants. I love your clematis, those cool colors really are refreshing in the heat of summer. I agree about the Black & Blue Salvia too...it's gorgeous in the garden, but I've never gotten a photo that really captures it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. You have plants I have never even seen a picture of. That red vinca? Didn't know there was one. I really covet that. Tell me the name if you still have the label somewhere. And what is the name of the "Penta"?? Can't even place it as a family.
    Are you sad to go back to work? (As if being at home wasn't work for you :-)

    ReplyDelete

I welcome comments and questions from anyone, including those who do it anonymously. Some people find my posts by doing searches, and I like hearing from them. I guess spammers won't even read this message, but I will delete spam as soon as I see it.