I stepped into the garden to conduct my Bloom Day survey believing once again that I didn't have much going on. In actuality, there are a lot of plants with blooms but few plants with a lot of blooms. However, there were a few exceptions.
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| Gaura lindheimeri is back after being cut back by half in June |
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| The Pennisetums are in their glory. From left to right are Pennisetum 'Fireworks', P. advena 'Rubrum', and P. orientale |
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| This part of the backyard border is the most floriferous right now. Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' and Mimulus 'Fiesta Marigold' occupy the foreground; Leonotis leonurus (also back after a June trim) sits in the background; and Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition' is scattered in between. |
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| Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree) is making its regular September appearance |
With the exception of the Gaura, most of the plants shown above were also blooming last month, although less robustly. There are only a few recent arrivals.
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| This noID Oncidium produced several bloom stalks for the first time since last December |
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| This variegated rosemary, Rosmarinus 'Gold Dust', just developed flowers |
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| Most of the cutting garden flowers are on the decline but Salvia elegans (aka pineapple sage) has finally produced a mass of flowers |
The stars of last month's Bloom Day post - the dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias and Lisianthus - are on their way out.
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| Clockwise from the left are: Dahlia 'Loverboy', D. 'Little Robert', D. 'Otto's Thrill', D. 'Punkin' Spice', and D. 'Terracotta'. 'Otto's Thrill' and 'Punkin' Spice' produced what seem to be the last of their blooms earlier this month but the other 3 are troopers. |
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| After I cut the head off Helianthus annuus 'Lemon Queen', she produced a large batch of short-stemmed flowers, all clustered tightly around her stem and half-hidden under her leaves |
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| I pulled about a third of my scorched Zinnia elegans after our last heatwave but some are still going strong |
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| Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus) did poorly overall this summer and I'm not sure why as the plants got more water this year than during last year's drought. The one on the far left is 'Rosanne Black Pearl' but I don't have cultivar names for the others shown here. The pink, solid blue, yellow and green forms are all MIA. |
The tough, virtually ever-blooming plants are still going strong despite the extended heatwave we had from late August into early September.
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| Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' |
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| Duranta repens 'Sapphire Showers' |
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| Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' |
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| The large-flowered Grevilleas, left to right: Grevillea 'Ned Kelly', G. 'Peaches & Cream', and G. 'Superb' |
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| The Lantanas also enjoy summer's heat. From left to right: noID trailing lavender variety, variegated L. 'Samantha', and L. 'Lucky White' |
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| All the ivy geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) are blooming well |
The heatwave may have set back the clematis, which was blooming more heavily last year at this time than it is at present.
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| Clematis paniculata (aka Sweet Autumn Clematis) |
Other tidbits of bloom found during my scavenger hunt can be seen here:
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| Clockwise from the left: Mandevilla 'Sun Parasol Apricot', Achillea 'Moonshine', Coreopsis 'Redshift', Gaiilardia aristata 'Gallo Peach', Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark', Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', and Russelia 'Flamingo Park' |
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| Clockwise from the left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Anemone hupehensis japonica, Asparagus fern, Cosmos bipinnatus, noID white Pentas, Tanacetum parthenium, and Zephyranthes candida |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Argyranthemum frutescens; Correa 'Wyn's Wonder, Gomphrena globosa 'Fireworks', noID violet Pentas, Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star', and Rosa chinensis "Mutabilis' |
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Top row: noID Angelonia, Catananche caerulea, and Globularia x indubia
Middle row: Liriope muscari, Lobelia valida, and noID Osteospermum
Bottom row: Salvia macrophylla, Symphyotrichum 'Monch', and Trichostema 'Midnight Magic' |
All material © 2012-2017 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
