Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Bloom Day-August 15, 2012

Due to rain and energy sapping levels of heat and humidity, I have been unable to get much garden work done over the past three weekends.  Previous to that I was away for a week.  Weekends are really the only time I can get out in the garden for long stretches so this discouraged gardener is far behind on projects and cleanup chores.

When I realized the 15th was fast approaching, my initial reaction was to bag Bloom Day this month.  But who am I kidding?  Like most gardeners I know, I always think my garden isn't up to snuff or "company ready".  And as long as I set ridiculously high standards it never will be unless I win the lotto and quit work or decide to have no life.  Since it's highly unlikely that any of those things will happen, perhaps it's time I just cut myself some slack.  You know what I mean?

So I came to the conclusion that even though Bloom Day initially appeared to be a chore, by getting out into my garden with a camera, I was forced to look for what was good.  Much to my surprise, it was considerably better than I thought.  Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this worthwhile monthly event.  But enough with the pity party and on to the pictures!

Hydrangeas of all species are still blooming abundantly.  If I hadn't run out of time and was a better photographer, Hydrangea mania could have been the key note bloomer for August.

A H. paniculata blooming in my reclamation area.  Given the dry conditions we experienced for most of the summer and that this is my driest garden, I'm amazed.


H. paniculata 'Limelight' bowed over by heavy rain and the weight of it's flowers.


H. paniculata 'Quick Fire' and variegated Lysimachia clethroides



Now I know how H. quercifolia 'Amethyst' got it's name


Persicaria 'Golden Arrow'


Calimintha nepeta nepeta


Echinacea 'White Swan' making it's third Bloom Day appearance



Sunpatiens intermingled with one of the Illusion Dahlias


Phlox paniculata 'Shock Wave'.  Note to self: add more


One of my favorites Phlox paniculata 'Norah Leigh'

Another seriously long bloomer Kalimeris incisa


Artemesia 'Guizhou' makes the cut for a second month



A must have plant for all partially shaded gardens Ligularia 'Britt Marie Crawford'



Britt Marie and friends


Eupatorium 'Little Joe'


A long view of my backyard border


Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' mingles with Aster 'Blue Autumn', another Illusion 'Dahlia and some Coleus



Leycesteria formosa 'Golden Lanterns' has proven fully hardy in my zone 6b garden



Drunken bees in the Leycesteria flowers



A tangled mess of Hydrangea 'Limelight', Abelia grandiflora, Kalimeris incisa 'Blue Star', Leucosceptrum 'Variegata', Spirea and white Sunpatiens



Helenium and Aster frikartii 'Monch'



A wide angle view of the Helenium with more Calimintha nepeta, some reseeded Cleomes and the aging flowers of Hydrangea paniculata 'Dharuma'



Hibiscus 'Kopper King' and Buddleia 'Evil Ways'



Nature places Cleomes best

Unlike it's reseeding relatives Cleome Senorita Rosalita is sterile and thornless



A wonderful Amaranthus that has been reseeding in my garden for years


Hummingbird magnet Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'


Sedum 'Autumn Joy'


Flower of Canna 'Australia'


Dahlia 'Mystic Illusion'


Lagerstroemia 'Cherry Dazzle' is smothered with buds and getting ready to pop




Mixed containers of tropicals and unusual annuals are the stars of my garden from now until frost.  Although I love the lush, color they provide, by August I start to get tired of the daily watering chores.  Every year I vow to cut back but so far that hasn't happened.























The Twerpinator wants to thank you for visiting and assures you that for September Bloom Day we'll be BAAACK.





23 comments:

  1. So glad you have Golden Arrow plant in your garden! I thought you needed one!
    Also glad to see your Leycesteria flowers. Your plant is greener than mine. I guess mine gets more (too much?) sun...
    I'll go back and look some more now...
    'bug

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    1. I got rid of Persicaria 'Firetail' because it was a floppy mess in my garden (and a Japanese beetle magnet). If P. 'Golden Arrow' isn't better behaved it will get the boot as well :). Nothing in my garden gets full sun but Leycesteria should be able to take it. I'm going to be interested to see if it's hardy for you.

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    2. Leycesteria certainly isn't hardy here..that's why it was on sale! But I'm going to really make an effort and see what I can do....

      P.Golden Arrow really came into its own late last Fall. Before that it was ho-hum. This year it is still ho-hum. I'm just not sure what to think yet.

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  2. Seriously!? You're being way to hard on yourself and your garden...it looks amazing! I do love the record that bloomday gives us, that "snapshot" in time that we can look back on next year to see how the garden relates.

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    1. Loree, after seeing your garden I suspect you may be a little hard on yourself at times as well :). It's a curse!

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  3. This one line says it all -- "by getting out into my garden with a camera, I was forced to look for what was good."

    And how good it all looks! I was glad to see the Amethyst oakleaf hydrangea blooming. MIne is too little, just planted, and I was curious about how purple the blooms might be. Yours look to be a lovely mauve.

    Britt Marie wants to be in my garden, I know she does. I'll have to find a shady moist space. Your combo with the variegated foliage companions and pink flowers above the bold Britt Marie is just wonderful.

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    1. Laurrie, Brit Marie can take quite a bit of sun if the soil stays evenly moist. I have two and the one in the picture gets maybe 4-5 hours of direct midday sun and no supplemental water but is in a low spot in my garden. The other one is in a raised bed with similiar sun and hates the spot. Even dunping gallons of water on it regularly doesn't help. I plan to move it to more shade next month.

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    2. My Britt Marie was moved from creekside mostly shade to barn-side mixed sun/shade. It is thriving with the change!

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  4. wow Sue, looking fabulous! WE still haven't had a patio party this year.... REally LOVE that blue pot next to the hot tub with that yellow abutilon/Coleus 'El Brighto' and Pelargonium... gorgeous combination.

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    1. But my garden isn't "company ready"...ha ha ha ha!

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  5. Yeah, I vowed to cut back on summer containers too, and I did -- seeing your photos makes me wish I hadn't! I broke down and brought home a few begonias a couple days ago. Your Mojito is big enough for Twerp to use as a shade umbrella.

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    1. Who would have guessed that a cat would make such a perfect garden ornament?

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  6. I will look for Ligularia 'Britt Marie Crawford' It is new to me. Lovely post.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Patsy. Britt Marie is a great plant.

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  7. It all looks great Sue, and I just LOVE the foot planter.

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  8. I meant to mention the foot planter - how cool and succlents are perfect for it.

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    1. Thanks Michelle. The foot planter was a half price deal at a nursery sale this winter. Deanne helped me choose the plants.

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  9. Hi, Sue. Thanks for visiting today. I agree about Anderson Farms corn . . . ate mine last night and it was sweet as could be.

    Love your place. You think your gardens are a mess? Come see mine! I let everything get overgrown and have started trying to recover from an excess of greenery, three quarters of which are weeds.

    I almost jumped up and down when I saw your Ligularia Britt Marie Crawford. I have a mystery plant that is blooming like crazy now. It has leaves as big as plates and flowers held chest high (and my chest is high). It must be Britt Marie, too. I had followed my usual planting technique, namely, lose the tag so I don't remember what it is and what it needs, plant it in the wrong soil and light, ignore its need for nutrients and water, and see if it dies. Not this baby. It owns that part of the garden. I had previously thought that hosta were my favorite neglect-loving plant, but next time I have a bare spot that is big enough and some yellow daisy-like flowers in late summer would fit, I might go looking for another Britt Marie.

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    1. Hi Jack-Always happy to be of help on the plant IDs :). Next time you're looking for photo ops in Old Wethersfield, we have a great farmer's market on Thursday from 3-6 located on the Solomon Welles House lawn (next to the DMV).

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  10. Love that last photo of the Twerp !

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  11. I definitely think you were being too tough on yourself...your garden looks fabulous! I love the Persicaria 'Golden Arrow', it's become one of my fave new plants this year :-)

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