In my zone 7 Virginia garden, it's been really hot (like a lot of places). The heat gives me lots of reasons/excuses for not doing things or better yet, doing other things! For instance, my backyard has needed weed whacking for...a while...(I should be out there even now, as I write)...just picking a starting day...say, Sunday...well, it was my son's last day home and I feel it is my duty to feed and stuff him because...uhmm, he'll have to do that himself from Monday on and he surely doesn't do that as well as I do, right? Right! Then, Monday, we head to the airport (Baltimore, so quite a bit of driving) and while I'm in Maryland, I might as well go by and visit a daylily friend who has a daylily I would like to purchase. (She gave me several fans, much to my surprise and delight...a gift I will treasure for reasons I'll get to in another post, one of these days...) From there, after making my way through DC traffic (awful), I did various errands and ended up home around 5:30 p.m....in time to make/order dinner (I think pizza was warranted after all that, don't you?).
That brings us to Tuesday (yesterday)....I start out doing all those things one has to do and then
had the Kobe walkabout (see my comment on the last post)....looked up and realized it was almost time to leave for a special event (I plan to post about it even though it was not a garden event...) from which we returned about 9:00 p.m.
So, here we are at today...been doing those things you gotta do and working on this....it would be nice to actually have one posted before midnight...considering when I will leave to do errands that must be done....and do you see, still no weed whacking....
Those are my excuses and I'm sticking to them...
Blooming around here:
1. Abelia...easy care shrub.
2. Agastache...the only one I have left now. Seem to be short lived perennials here...much happier in the southwest, I suppose.
3. Alyssum....love using this as a border....note to self, plant even more next year
4. Bacopa....like this year after year in the terra cotta basket....note to self, don't forget the watering crystals next time
5. Balsam Impatiens balsamina...one of those reseeding annuals that once you plant it, you always have it.
6. Blanket Flower.....I think maybe this is the third generation or so. Seems to be more of a short lived perennial that reseeds. Last year I had this gorgeous one that was a color reverse. I regret that I pulled it (I knew as I was removing it that I would probably regret it...don't you hate that?) but it had (continues to) seeded itself in primo garlic planting space. Even the garlic has to share with the daylily seedlings now. This year, I do have another slight variation. See the second one below with muted colors of the more common one.
7. Bush Clematis....labeled simply as Bush Clematis, I am uncertain (and haven't researched it) exactly what I have here. Each year, I debate with myself if it is worth the garden space it occupies. Still undecided.
8. Butterfly Bushes....despite removing most of these, I left a couple in the backyard and one in the frontyard (only because I didn't finish digging it out)...they're blooming away.
9. Butterfly Ginger...enjoy this very much, although I must get the gutter(s) above it cleaned as it is getting knocked down .
10. Catmint Nepeta....This was probably Walker's Low. I've had it for years and enjoy the way it covers the bottom of the roses. Found a seedling or two in spring and meant to move them in front of some other roses. (Note to self...check on those seedlings and see about moving them). My cats also enjoy it. Think it has been in bloom continuously since spring.
11. Coneflowers...still going strong
12. Coreopsis...several varieties around here....
13. Crepe Myrtle.....now, what would a southern garden be without crepe myrtles??
14. Crocosmia.....seem to only have one variety in bloom this year, which suprises me. Last year there were four....I'm still hopeful for one other...but no sign of the other two.
15. Dahlias....my overwintering ones...which could really use staking, by the way (note for next year).
16. Daylilies Hemerocallis :
After Awhile Crocodile
Big Mac Attack (rebloom)
Final Touch
Forbidden Desires
Kitty Wells (rebloom)
Look Here Mary
Michael Miller
Orchid Corsage
Pardon Me (rebloom)
Sandra Elizabeth
The Jury’s Out
Vulcan Fuego
Michael Miller
17. Dianthus...mostly the annual ones (so called as several have overwintered repeatedly for me)....added some more this year and hope they will carry on as well.
18. Geranium 'Rozanne'.....if you don't grow this one, you are missing out. Hands down the longest blooming of the hardy geraniums I have. It starts blooming and doesn't stop until frost. I adore this plant! Currently, I grow four and a quarter of these (The latter is a remnant of one that must have heaved. I'm hopeful it will come around as you can't have too many.). Fabulous, fabulous perennial.
19. Geraniums Pelargonium ....the three ivy ones I've mentioned before (love them...and so do the Japanese Beetles) and some variegated ones that I also like. Much reduced from previous years.
20. Hardy Cyclamen....I think they're a bit early, but they're just starting. Cute things...need to mulch here as it looks like it has eroded.
21. Helenium....another perennial I like. Has put up with much neglect from me. I can only imagine what they might do if I actually paid attention to them. (Note to self...mulch and pay better attention...would like some sweeps of these.)
22. Heliopsis 'Lorraine Sunshine'....My bad. I think I have been calling this Helianthus. I have had several varieties of Helianthus, but think I am down to one right now (not yet in bloom). Some day, I will dig up its tag but I believe it came from either High Country Gardens or Flower Scent Gardens...maybe by the time it blooms, I will have figured it out. Anyway, ole Lorranie has moved around quite a bit and seems to be less variegated these days. Still, I enjoy the bright yellow flowers and they don't seem to be a problem. (Note to self...those labels that I have everywhere for daylilies and daffodils might be helpful here...)
23. Hostas, some of the fragrant ones like Fragrant Bouquet, So Sweet, Guacamole and Fried Green Tomatoes are blooming...others are still to come (I hope).
24. Hydrangea 'Blue Wave'....a blue lacecap, didn't bloom as well this year due to, I'm sure, my pruning...I was pleasantly surprised to find this bloom today.
25. Lobelia, Red/Purple....the reseeding red is not in abundance like previous years. I am blaming it on the annoying morning glories (see below) which strangle them. If I don't do something about the morning glories, this may be the last year I see the red ones...which would be so sad. I think the purple one (which is pretty reliably perennial) is called 'Great Blue'...another flower that is not blue (to me) but rather lavender purple.
26. Marigolds....just some I planted near the tomatoes...I actually meant to plant more...maybe next year.
27. Morning Glories....I have cursed myself with these. I planted one seed (one!) of Grandpa Ott ....and now, they are taking over the world! There should be a warning label on the package. It is a striking purple blue color, but not worth the problems! Recently, I pulled some off/out (they climb everything and I mean everything) and threw them on the grass. The next morning, I happened to be out there...and there they were, blooming in the grass (no roots, mind you)!! Never, never plant this variety unless you have some patch of wildness where you don't care.
28. Mums.....Yes, yes...I didn't pinch them back and so they are blooming now. I rather like them, though, and find them trouble free.
29. Nemesia....a favorite annual that I think I've written about before...blooms all summer. (Note to self...I really must try to grow these from seeds one year.)
30. Nicotiana Flowering Tobacco...reseeding annual...still get one here and there, after six years or so...
31. Oxalis Iron Cross...as mentioned in a previous post, the only oxalis that returned this year.
32. Perennial Forget Me Nots...I guess I hadn't noticed these blooming this late before. Cute, though. When I get back to my Chanticleer posts, I will tell you about seeing them there...and what I learned.
33. Petunias....Besides my reseeded one, I do have the requisite pot (looking pretty straggly about now) of red, white and purple ones.
34. Phlox....despite powdery mildew, I remain a big fan. I have a bunch of varieties and due to my lack of deadheading, I have lots of seedlings! No matter. I enjoy them all and find the seedlings fascinating.
35. Pineapple Lily...mentioned these in another post...and yes, the leaves are starting to regain their purple tint a bit, now that they are getting more sun.
36. Rose Campion ‘Occulata’....was surprised to find a few blooming...still.
37. Roses....they've started back up, even though I see the Japanese Beetles are not yet gone. I've been meaning to cut them back and guess I still will.
38. Rose of Sharon....a double variety is still in bloom.
39. Rudbedkia Black Eyed Susan....it won't leave! I thought I had gotten all of it, but a clump is blooming by the bee balm...
40. Sedum Frosty Morn....I don't have very many sedums (although I do like some of the ground cover low-to-the-ground ones). I once witnessed thousands of gnat like bugs on a neighbor's and thought maybe they weren't for me. But, I do like this one. Love the green and white foliage. I do have to watch out for the solid green ones. I have it back with some grasses. It's increased (maybe by layering) and I think I will move those and have a nice sweep back there. I've lost a grass and think the sedums can fill the void.
41. Toad Lilies....I have several varieties of these and like them. They can spread out...which is good since they are over there with the bee balm and other spreaders. I might have lost a couple (doggone it) because I ordered them last year and just didn't have the time to settle them in. I don't think in their small state, they were able to compete. Anyway, cool blooms that go on for a long time.
42. Tuberoses...still blooming and filling the night air with sweet fragrance
43. Turtlehead Chelone glabra...another one that blooms when a lot of things are done. No complaints (I think this is its third year here). It holds its own in the bed with the bee balm, toad lilies and others.
44. Verbena bonariensis...I like this one, too...it will turn up in all kinds of places...butterflies and others love it.
My bud (actually, there are a pair of them) who follows me all around the garden...front or back yard...
Don't think I'm ready for fall, but by the time we all post our Sept blooms, it will practically be upon us. That's okay...it's a good time for planting and planning.