Summer has been scurrying along and suddenly it is the middle of August. Despite the heat until recently large quantities of rain have kept the garden going long past its usual late June demise. With no showers for the past week nor any in the forecast that luxury may be coming to an end.
A few minutes before 7:00 I took my morning coffee outside planning to take some photographs of the flowers. The drawing attraction was a large stand of Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage). It looked beautiful in the early morning light. I ended up weeding and trimming for three hours, nothing really to brag about since the garden has been neglected for many weeks, but I did feel better with a little work done.
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)
Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ (Black-eyed Susan) shines golden while Rudbeckia, R. fulgida (Orange Coneflower) with its much smaller flowers is just beginning to open. The latter is usually underwhelming but it looks promising. The red flower in the blue pot to the right is Dipladenia ‘Madinia Deep Red,’ still looking nice.
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage) and Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ (Black-eyed Susan)
Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ (Black-eyed Susan)
Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange Coneflower)
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ often goes dormant during the hottest part of the summer but perhaps the rain has been encouraging.
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Zinnias are brightening up the garden with their signature colors and shapes. I have been conscientious about cutting them frequently and they keep producing. Butterflies visit throughout the day.
Zinnia
Female Swallowtail On Zinnias
Attractive to pollinators, this pass-along Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) is dutifully reliant.
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
I have lost track of this dalia’s name. It has produced only a handful of small flowers but this morning the burgundy petals stood out against budding Autumn Joy sedum.
Dahlia sp.
Dahlia And Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ (Herbstfreude)
The meditation circle planted in the center with various thymes and with Angelonia ’Serena Purple’ and ‘Serena White’ along the outer paths, elicits a deep, satisyfing sigh.
Thyme In Meditation Circle
Angelonia ’Serena Purple’ and ‘Serena White’
Angelonia ’Serena Purple’
Angelonia ’Serena Purple’
Hope your garden is making you happy today.
Your garden is certainly holding up well. It certainly has been an interesting garden year, hasn’t it?
Thanks John. Yes, “interesting” garden year. Not sure what to expect anymore but definitely better than last year.
I just love your posts! Jane
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Thanks Jane! I’ve been wondering how your new border is doing.
Your garden looks in great shape to me, Susie! I’m impressed by your healthy collection of Zinnias. I was too late to plant any from seed this year and the plugs I was able to get from the local garden center have been fairly disappointing.
Thanks Kris, I have selective vision when it comes to the garden. Left out all the weedy, overgrown and spent parts, which really are out of hand this summer. Zinnias do better from direct sowing I have read.
You must be so pleased to see such a lot of flowers this year. This year the weather has been wired everywhere. I don’t remember a summer like this since we mired here. Lovely to see the Black and Blue salvia going strong, I do think salvias breed more water than we realize.
The rains have helped the salvia. One peony suffered from all the rain this spring, but everything else has performed much better. It has been nice to have plenty of flowers to enjoy–helped to fill in with annuals.
My garden makes me happy every day Susie! 😉 It is the same here, with high rainfall in June and July the August garden is looking quite fresh. The Angelonia is such a pretty plant. Love the sage too. And the circle really does produce a sigh with the soft cushions of Thyme near the centre. Zinnias have won me over too, and I must plant more next year – just one pot of them is not enough!
Cathy, it’s lovely to hear your garden brings such pleasure to you. That’s the best reason to have a garden. So glad I discovered angelonia for the circle–carefree and colorful and makes the garden pop. (P.S. May not get a Tuesday view this week.)
I like these August blooms, your garden looks lovely. I always get a bit disheartened in July, but in August I fall in love with the garden all over again. I have the ‘ Ugly Nose’ salvia too and I love the pure sky bue of it.
Thank you! Isn’t that such an unusual color on that salvia. I’m very much a spring gardener and by this time of year I’m not much interested. With all the rain this year though I’m kicking myself for not helping out the garden just a little more through the summer.
It looks fabulous…so full of color and life. I managed to get in a few hours weeding and pruning this week too and have enjoyed the garden more for that small effort.
Thanks Marian. Glad you were able to get in some garden time too. When I’m working in mine I enjoy it, but lately I haven’t been drawn to it much.
I do envy you your Salvia ‘Black and Blue’. I started looking for it after seeing it on your blog but it’s never lasted the winter here. I am going to have to get seriously into cuttings.
Sorry your black and blue salvia didn’t make it through winter. Mine all came from one plant several years ago. It spreads around a bit here but never too far.
Just retread this, sorry about the predictive text! But I imagine you guessed what I wanted to say.
Someone came into the nursery looking for the “ugly Salvia”. We figured it out, but what a misnomer.
i LOVE Serena Angelonia.. i have mine grown from seed. They’re my first! it’s been 2 mos and they’re about ready to bloom at around 6 inch in height. How tall do they really grow? i am super excited!
By the way. I’m a new subscriber! 🙂
I can’t remember the sizes on the various Angelonia. Didn’t grow them this year but love them. Hope you enjoy yours.
What a beautiful garden! Thanks for sharing, your flower garden looks like an oasis for pollinators!
Thank you, I appreciate hearing from you.