Those of you who are familiar with plant-speak know that a "sport" is the part of a plant that does something different from the rest of the plant. Sports aren't all that common but do occur randomly when a plant feels like being weird. Thus is the case with my 'Sayonara' Dahlia. Check it out.
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| The flower on the left is a sport. |
I've had this particular Dahlia for two summers now. All of the buds have opened to the velvety, crimson-red flower on the right above. And then...
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| This! |
I don't like it nearly as well but I think it's cute and unique so it can stay. I'll let you know if there are any more sports.
Speaking of Dahlias, September is Dahlia time! Here are a few of mine.
One of these days I'm going to research why the rulers of the Dahlia kingdom chose to call this hunky gorgeous flower 'Junkyard Dog'.
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| Junkyard Dog |
The plant is probably six feet tall and loaded all summer with bee-filled, six-inch blossoms. I don't understand why it's so happy when all my other Dahlias are mediocre at best.
The Dahlia below waited over a year before deciding to bloom. Of course I can't remember its name. I did a quick Google search and it might be 'Rothsay Reveller'.
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| Dahlia 'Rothsay Reveller' maybe... |
I just bought the Dahlia below at the Big Box. Of course the tag was useless. So, another NOID. But it's a pretty NOID and I'm hoping it's hardy.
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| NOID ~~ No ID Dahlia |
Another (impulsive) purchase is this lovely pink Dahlia (below) with another useless tag. I don't have either of these Dahlias planted yet but they'll get placed in the perennial border for a bit of contrast from all the other stuff.
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| Dahlia NOID |
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| Dahlia 'Mz Bee Haven' |
In other news, I'm really loving my paniculata Hydrangeas right now. The first one below is 'Limelight.' I used to have one years ago but because I was so terrible with my watering, it bit the dust. I'm better about it now and it shows. I purchased it last fall and although it's only about four feet tall, its flowers are so cool.
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| Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' |
And here is H. p. 'Pinky Winky' still all white which is fine with me.
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| H. p. 'Pinky Winky' |
I cut this plant all the way to the ground in late winter and it shot up to five feet with these amazing flower panicles.
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| A wide shot of the area |
Another late-summer bloomer are the herbaceous Hibiscus!
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| Hibiscus moscheutos 'Torchy' |
This spring, I purchased this Chilopsis linearis 'Lucretia Hamilton' from High Country Gardens. It was a tiny thing and I had my doubts about its survival. But with ample TLC it has doubled in size and is now actually putting out a few blooms! Aren't they pretty? Of course now to get it through the winter...
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Chilopsis linearis 'Lucretia Hamilton'
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And then there's the similarly formed flowers of
Rehmannia elata.
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| Rehmannia elata |
Finally, my 'Avant Garde' Clematis is blooming. It was worth the wait!
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| Clematis 'Avant Garde' |
And the below Clematis from
Deborah Hardwick (a master Clemat-ician) is blooming. What an honor it is to have two of her beautiful creations.
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| Clematis 'Burford Bell' x crispa |
A second blooming on...
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| Clematis 'Inspiration' |
A second blooming on this milkweed...
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| Asclepias speciosa |
I posted in spring about this seedling Love-Lies-Bleeding. It is over five feet tall now!
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| Love-Lies-Bleeding |
My Hesperaloe decided to bloom finally...
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| Hesperaloe parviflora |
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| Red-flowered Four O'Clocks |
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| Sedums! |
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| Ninebark and Variegated Porcelain Vine |
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| Farfugium japonicum 'Crispatum' |
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| Falopia japonica variegata |
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| More Sedums! |
And finally, we have a few adorable critters running around. Here's the daddy or the mama--I'm not sure which--filling its cheeks with cracked corn we left out for it.
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| Look at those fat cheeks! |
Oh my gosh! Once more a beauty laden post! I loved it all. I've been inspired to get out and work in my overgrown gardens. Thank you for sharing your wonderful gardens ~ FlowerLady
ReplyDeleteOh, a chipmunk! I've never seen one. (Maybe they don't like SoCal.) Your dahlias are gorgeous. I really need to try growing them (again) next year.
ReplyDeleteWow !! Your garden is so beautiful !! That's a lovely place to rest !!
ReplyDeleteGreetings
I'd have so much fun if dahlias were hardy here! Funny thing though, I do have one that has returned for a few years now, even after one really harsh winter. I must have it strategically placed. Too bad it's kind of a bland yellow. Any chance you could propagate that sport? Maybe by cutting?
ReplyDeleteLove all the beauty you've shown. After cutting down my Love-Lies-Bleeding plants, it's nice to see what they could have been. :) Do you take up your dahlia bulbs in the winter months? I have two in containers which haven't done much this summer and wonder how I should take care of them over the winter.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is an inspiration, as always.
ReplyDeleteHello there Gracie Girl !
ReplyDeleteWow ... I wish dahlias would do well in my garden or pots for that matter but I have insects or gremlins here that eat them like candy .. BIG sigh !
You are so much colour in your garden with those gorgeous flowers .. and I like that sport ! I think it is pretty .. so be good to it ? LOL
We have two chipmunks that are just too sweet .. we have a dish by the deck door with sunflower seeds and they are spoiled beyond belief ! haha
Gorgeous plants and pictures girl !
Joy
Oh Grace, your garden is looking wonderful! Do you leave those dahlias out all year? We always had to dig ours up for the winter. I've always loved your color choices. And the hydrangeas. I used to struggle with them a bit too, you can imagine keeping them well watered in the desert in Boise. Looking good!!
ReplyDeleteSo that's what my plant is called...love lies bleeding. I got a tiny seedling from a big garden some years ago and then got these huge plants year after year. They are VERY different. We live in Sydney, Australia
ReplyDeleteLove your flowers :)
Alexa-asimplelife