Enjoying the Blossoms Before They're Gone

It was a really busy August, especially the second half and now,  here it is almost the second half of September! I didn't mean to stay away so long.

My garden is a mess and today was the day I was finally going to get some serious work done. But no. It's raining, darn it.

Such a weird summer. No long stretches of sunshine like we typically get from July through September. Fortunately with the cooler temperatures the flowers lasted longer and who knows, maybe I saved a few bucks on the water bill. 

Here's a look at what's happening.

My sister gave me a division of this Campanula. It started blooming in June and has been going nonstop since. It's a new favorite. Here is info on it.

Campanula 'Samantha'

This Rhodochiton overwintered on my patio and is has also been blooming nonstop.

Rhodochiton 'Purple Bells'

Another annual I plan to overwinter, is this Lavatera from Annie's Annuals. It's in the same pot as the pink flower behind it which, believe it or not, is a Black Eyed Susan Vine, both from Annie's.

Lavatera assurgentiflora  "Island Mallow" and Thunbergia alata 'Raspberry Smoothie'

The Lavatera has been a shy bloomer but that's okay.  I still like it. The Thunbergia vine has been threatening to swallow the house! I really love how the flowers start out a deeper pink and fade to pale pink. 

Thunbergia alata 'Raspberry Smoothie'

A few years ago I thought I dug out all of the Japanese Anemone but I didn't. Now I'm glad.

Anemone japonica 'Prinz Heinrich'

'Spider Woman' Dahlia has really impressed me. Pretty blooms and easy to grow.

Dahlia 'Spider Woman'

While my favorite Coreopsis is cherry-red 'Mercury Rising', C. 'Cosmic Evolution' is nice too. My only complaint is that it grows much taller and flops. 

Coreopsis 'Cosmic Evolution'

On an earlier post, I reported that Hibiscus x 'Almost Eden's Baby Pink' was blooming but after looking at the photos on Almost Eden's website, I'm convinced that what I have is Hibiscus 'Lufkin Red.' This means I'll have to reorder 'AE's Baby Pink' next spring. I'm not complaining. This plant is a winner. It's been pushing out blooms since June! And can have too many Hibiscus?

Hibiscus laevis 'Lufkin Red'

'Torchy's' flowers were semi-torched by the recent 90 degree weather but it has recovered.

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Torchy'

 

This canna was all but dead after the winter of 2013. Slowly the tiny subterranean parts that were still alive have finally recovered. Fortunately the Actaea isn't too concerned about being elbowed.

Actaea ramosa 'Atropurpurea' and healthy canna

With the cooler weather, the Silene has been blooming much longer than it typically does. It looks right at home, skirting the Colchicum. 

Colchicum var. 'Giant' with Silene schafta

I moved 'Princess Diana' Clematis last winter. It was a huge root ball and took some serious doing. The first flush of blooms this spring was fairly underwhelming. I cut it back, fertilized and now it's just starting its second flush. I'm glad it has recovered. I love this plant.

Clematis viticella 'Princess Diana'

And I love this Clematis my friend Deborah Hardwick sent me.

Clematis crispa seedling

I cut back Rosa 'Darlow's Enigma' because it was huge. I love these fragrant white flowers and so do the bees. 

Rosa 'Darlow's Enigma'

More blossoms:

Impatiens sodenii 'Flash'

Lewisia cotyledon

 And now for the Fuchsias!

Fuchsia 'Fuchsiade 88'

There is something so sweet about these small, purple blossoms.

Fuchsia 'Fuchsiade 88'

Fuchsia lycioides with its tiniest of flowers

Fuchsia 'Golden Herald'

Fuchsia 'Golden Herald'

'Lena' has whitefly but doesn't seem to mind terribly.

Fuchsia 'Lena'

Fuchsia 'Nettala'

I purchased Fuchsia glazinova a few years ago and trained it into a single trunk. It's over seven feet tall!

Fuchsia glazinova

Fuchsia glazinova

Fuchsia glazinova

'Flash' is planted in the ground but is almost five feet tall in its second year. I LOVE that plant!

Fuchsia 'Flash' with Lobelia cardinalis

Fuchsia 'Flash'

The Fuchsia below was an impulse purchase. At $4.00 for a one gallon I couldn't resist. The flowers are really big and the plant is healthy and vigorous. Sadly, the nursery label was incorrect so I'm going with Celia Smedly until I figure it out.

Fuchsia 'Celia Smedly' ?

The mild winter meant the typical die-back on hardy Fuchsia branches and stems didn't happen. This guy is really tall!

Fuchsia hatschbachii

Fuchsia hatschbachii making its way up the Arbutus enedo.

Fuchsia hatschbachii on the right with 'Baby Ann' photobombing on the left

Fuchsia 'Baby Ann' on the left

Fuchsia 'Baby Ann' with tiny F. lycioides trying to assert itself

And finally, try not to notice the bird poo on the leaves of  'Rosea'. The fountain bubbler is just out of view in the photo and is a bird magnet.

Fuchsia 'Rosea'

There are other Fuchsias in my garden, including several plantings of the species magellanica--can we every have too much hummingbird food--but this post has gone on long enough. 

Thanks for visiting!

No Frost Yet

It's almost the middle of November and the thermometer has yet to descend to that place where old man winter ruins everything and makes me sad. The hummers are fighting over Fuchsia and Salvia nectar and I'm happy with the few remaining flowers scattered about my borders. No frost, but it's been raining cats and dogs, so working the soil is a muddy mess, evidenced by the yuck clinging to my garden shoes after digging and moving my Indigofera for hopefully the last time. 

My camera has never done a crystal clear job of capturing fuchsias. I should investigate the problem  but until then, my apologies for the the blurry photos   

Fuchsia 'Simon J. Rowell'

Fuchsia 'Debron's Black Cherry'

A potted Fuchsia 'Foolke' (I think.)

Fuchsia 'Mrs. John D. Fredricks' 

Fuchsia 'Golden Herald' not looking so golden these days

Fuchsia megellianica

Fuchsia magellianica 'Hawkshead'

Fuchsia 'Beacon Rose'

Fuchsia 'Rosea'

Rain-soaked blossoms of Fuchsia 'Burgundean'

NOID... This is my oldest hybrid Fuchsia, planted around 2000.
I didn't save the tag.

Fuchsia 'Flash' looking more purple than red here.

Fuchsia 'Tom Woods'

Fuchsia 'Steel & Stars' -- New this year from Dancing Oaks.
I hope it survives the winter.

I have two clematis that are still blooming. 

Clematis florida sieboldii, just opening

Clematis florida 'Alba Plena' just finishing.
Isn't the flower interesting?

And there's more:

Alstroemeria 'TriColor' -- the more creamy yellow plant

Alstroemeria 'TriColor' -- the more white and pink plant

Brachyscome 'Radiant Magenta'
I'm going to try to winter this over, protecting it from the coldest weather.

Salvia involucrata got huge and
took way too long to finally bloom but it's perty.

Salvia 'Amistad'

Salvia glabrescens 'Momobana'
This is a newbie from Dancing Oaks. Like S. involucrata, it's a late bloomer
but it's a compact thing, topping out at 2' x 2'. 

Rosa mutabilis is the working-est rose ever! 

Rosa 'Darlow's Enigma'

NOID ... a little miniature rose who, like me, refuses to give up on summer.

Penstemon 'Enor'

Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'

Little Blue Star Creeper stars (Isotoma fluviatilis)

Coreopsis 'Mercury Rising'

Geranium 'Jolly Bee' rising above Nepeta foliage

Heuchera 'Paris' divisions blooming away

Daphne transylvanica 'Eternal Fragrance'

A close up of D. t. 'Eternal Fragrance'

Daphne transylvanica 'Summer Ice'

Choisya ternata is really looking nice

Another water-soaked goodie, pink flowered California poppy.
(Eschscholzia californica)

Another little cluster on my 'Ayesha' Hydrangea

Hydrangea 'Glowing Embers' living up to their name.

Campanula lactiflora

Sphaeralcea 'Dark Pink' from Xera Nursery is still blooming.

Asarina wislizensis 'Red Dragon'

This is the second blossom on my newbie
Camellia sasanqua 'Narumigata'

Potentilla 'Pink Beauty'

'Hall's Honeysuckle'
Lonicera japonica 'Hallania'

And now for some foliage...

Seedling Japanese Maple

My beautiful banana

Acer palmatum 'Seiryu'

Acer palmatum 'Seiryu'

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'

Hebe 'Pink Elephant' putting on new growth

And finally, a little gripe, if I might.

I hate moles!

 Thank you for indulging me once again.