No Shortage of Blossoms!

This morning I got a really nice surprise. As I stepped outside, I was overcome with one of my favorite floral fragrances--Gardenia! My 'Frost Proof' Gardenia had, not one, not two, not three, but four blossoms! How cool is that? I picked one to bring inside; such a heavenly fragrance. This is its second year in my garden and I can't say enough good things about it. So, I'll just go with a clever, "Gardenia. It's not just for the tropics anymore." 

Here is the first blossom getting ready to bloom. 

The Four O'Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) I started from seed in April are blooming like crazy now. Here is a late-afternoon photo showing how the blossoms unfurl from their center. Little works of art, aren't they? 

Here they are, fully opened. 

Here, they're mingling with Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) 

 Another fun plant I grew from seed is what I call "The Pink Dandelion." It's actually Crepis rubrum.

It's an annual and the plants are already looking tired but
I like the flowers. 

One of my new Dahlias. I can't recall the name. 

Sedum 'Touchdown Teak' is blooming. The flowers are not all that impressive... to humans. The bees, on the other hand, find it irresistible.

Sedum 'Touchdown Teak,' before the bees were awake. 

Many of my Phlox are finishing up but this one, 'Norah Leigh' with variegated foliage,
is going strong. 

'Becky Towe' is another variegated Phlox.
It's just finishing up. 

I keep taking photos of Hydrangea serrata 'Omacha Nishiki'
because at every stage since leafing out in early spring,
 it has been a knockout. 

See how the bracts turn downward and take on that deep burgundy color?
Love it. 

More than once, I've made the mistake of planting Nepeta nervosa 'Pink Cat' in dry soil under full sun. Wrong! This little guy likes moisture and semi-shade, at least in my garden. Finally, I'm learning. 

Nepeta nervosa 'Pink Cat' (Not exactly pink, but close.) 

I had to get a close up shot of these tiny flowers. 

These, admittedly girly-girl Fuchsias are one of my many purchases from Fry Road--the GO TO nursery for hardy Fuchsias.

'Walz Jubelteen' the quintessential girly-girl Fuchsia. And I love it. 

Right next to the hardy Fuchsia is this urn of Sempervivums. Look closely at the Interloper.

Johnny Jump-Ups pop up in the strangest places.
Note the tiny crab spider. 

Lonicera x heckrottii  'Gold Flame'  has finally outwitted the aphids. 

Ditto for L. x h. 'Pink Lemonade' 

Anemone japonica 'Pamina' is blooming early this year. 

The Sedums are also starting to bloom. 

Lovely, lovely!

I've been watering my Monarda didyma 'Raspberry Wine' and lookie that!
Despite being knocked over by some strange midnight visitor, intruder, it still looks nice. 

I bought a replacement Abutilon 'Nabob' (From Fry Road) after losing my previous five year old one
over the winter.
This was just a wee plug when I got it in April and now it's going on four feet tall.  

Another plant I keep showing you all is my Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry Brandy.'
They're sooooo pretty! 

And finally,
I should have put a penny on this Castor Plant leaf so you could get an idea of how huge it is. 

I hope you all are enjoying your gardens as much as I am. 

It's Sedum Time

THANK YOU TO ALL of you who didn't call me an idiot for my confession last time. Getting a sunburn, at my age, with my years of experience was really stupid. Which I guess proves that you can be old and still not be very smart.

The Fuchsia plants are HUGE this year!

I met with my lady's garden group this last Sunday. One of the topics we discussed dealt with what is and isn't working in your garden this year. For me, on the not working, the answer required no brain exertion whatsoever. Arbutus unedo 'Compacta.' Because it's evergreen, it doesn't shed its leaves in the fall. Instead it constantly sheds its older leaves. Case in point:

The DEAD leaves from my Arbutus. 

The LIVING leaves from my Arbutus. 

The solution to this problem is to thin out the older leaves from inside the plant. This weekend I'm going to get 'er done. Or else. And, um, (another confession) this has been my plan every weekend for the past month but things keep getting in the way. It's a good thing I'm no longer a perfectionist. 

Sedum 'Vera Jameson' 

It's Sedum time! I love how each plant comes into its glory at its predetermined time. It's those tiny little biological clocks. How they know when to grow and bloom, fascinates me. 

Sedum 'Vera Jameson' 

Sedum. This might be 'Mr. Goodbud' but I'm not sure.

Here's the entire plant growing next to a dark-leaved dwarf Dahlia. 

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' not quite to blooming stage yet. 

I thought I'd share a few more little treasures I'm enjoying right now. 

Sarracenia or Pitcher Plant 

Himalayan Honeysuckle Leycesteria formosa 'Golden Lantern' 

Garlic chives or Allium tuberosum 

Garlic chives complement just about any neighbor. Here, they're planted next to Phlox paniculata 'Eva Cullum'  

Aster 'Alma Potschke' 

 Aster Alma is just beginning to reveal her bright pink petals. You know me and pink. I love this plant.

White Crab Spider on Joe Pye, 

I hate Crab Spiders. This one hides in hopes of sucking the life out of an unsuspecting bumble bee. So wrong. 

Bumble Bee on Joe Pye

About a week later, (yesterday) I took another photo of the same clump of Joe Pye. No crab spider but a very happy bumble. 

Autumn Fern 

 This Autumn Fern is still fresh and green so maybe it is predicting an extra long summer.

Variegated Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate

The variegated Kiss-Me that I bought about a month ago is still not blooming but the plant is so cool. I love this layered look on the main stem. 

Crimson Fans or Mukdenia rossii 

My Crimson Fans got a little too toasty under the 100 degree heat last week. But it still looks pretty decent, all things considered. 

Hopefully you're able to enjoy your garden's final August moments.