As always, the garden is starting to look tired due to the heat, and frankly I am also getting rather tired of going out in the blazing sun to care for it. I've been watering, pinching back here and there but for the most part we've definitely entered the wild and wooly days of late summer. The catmint and agastache are desperate to be cut back hard and my Westerland roses are out of control. It is going to take a ladder at this point to prune and when I get around to it in late September, I am going to prune them back significantly.
There are a few plants that are still putting on a pretty good show and they are always troopers for me.
Sedum, it is just coming into its own right now.
Blushing Bride Hydrangea, I prefer the soft blue so I keep it more acidic. The contrast between the blooms that are drying out and those that are newly blooming is very pretty.
Gold Flame Honeysuckle. This is my last year for her to live in my garden as she needs more sun and room to grow well. She's going to my neighbor's house in October but right now she's very lovely and sweet with some pretty blossoms.
Thank goodness for crape myrtles. I know they are probably as ubiquitous as Knock Out roses but they are so reliable for being pretty in late summer. I have all Natchez as I thought white blooms on the trees would be a better neutral backdrop longterm.
Blue Chip Dwarf Buddleia. This has been a big surprise for me this year. Last year I planted them and they did OK but this year has been amazing. They required just a tiny bit of pruning in May and they have pumped out pretty purple blooms all summer long with zero maintenance other than being on the drip system. The hummingbirds, bees, butterflies have loved them and my kids have been fascinated getting a view of all the critters at their eye level. I got these from Lazy S Farm, they ship plants about as perfectly as one can and they were $9 per quart which is much cheaper than I've seen them anywhere else. They grow so fast that it doesn't matter if you start with a quart sized in April.
We have small kids so these pots, which I love, block off a long fall down the cement stairs to the basement. The coleus, lemongrass and sweet potato vine all love the heat.
Very pretty purple shade for the drying Blushing Bride blooms.
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1 comments:
I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to play in your yard while I was there. Something about hobbling along like a lame monkey just didn't appeal. Heck, I've not been able to tour my own yard...:sigh: Your yard, however, is gorgeous. I think you all should move down here so we can help each other with our gardens...;o)
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