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!

It's Almost Over

Can you believe 2018 is almost over? The years just seem to fly by, don't they? We had some 28-30ish degree nights a week or so ago but now we're back to normal. In fact, just now, as I write this, I saw a honeybee outside. Nature is so resilient. 

So here's what's blooming:

The first blossom on this Camellia. Isn't is gorgeous?

Camellia sasanqua 'Shishi-Gashira'

I have this Rhodochiton under cover and it's still got a few blooms. I hope to overwinter it.

Rhodochiton astrosa 'Purple Bells'

There are still a few flowers on this Mimulus. It looks cute with the variegated Ficus, doesn't it? Both are in pots.

Mimulus x aurantiacus 'Cherry' and Ficus pumila 'Variegata'

This fragrant pelargonium is still blooming too. 

Pelargonium 'Filbert'

 More blossoms and buds on the Correa!

Correa 'Dusky Bells'

And this one too:

Correa 'Ivory Bells'

A few, rather tattered flowers on my Abutilon:

Abutilon cv.

In the front of the house by my main door, I have a large container with year round interest. The Viburnum tinus is so happy.

Viburnum tinus pink buds!

Viburnum tinus pink buds turning white before they open to white flowers.

Viburnum tinus

Speaking of Viburnum, 'Pink Dawn' is also happily doing its winter thing:

Viburnum bodnantense 'Pink Dawn'

The few common Primula that I have are all starting to bloom. This one has been in the ground for several years. Not my favorite color but hey, this time of year, all flowers are welcome.

Primula japonica

I was pleased as punch to see the first blossoms on my Chimonanthus. Check out all those buds! The fragrance is UH MAZE ING!

Chimonanthus praecox

Still more blooms on this Clematis:

Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles'

 And this Clematis is just finishing with a few more blossoms opening:

Clematis florida 'Sieboldi'

Still blooming is this Lewisia with more buds popping up:

Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise'

Nandina--such a common plant during the summer but look how it shines in the winter!

Nandina domestica 'Moyer's Red'

The dwarf Nandina planted by my patio pond, even without the berries is equally vibrant this time of year.

Nandina domestica 'Wood's Dwarf'

The Sarcococca isn't quite there yet but it's still early. Come January it will be alive with blossoms.

Sarcococca ruscifolia

And also full of promise are the Daphne: 

Daphne odora 'Marianni'

And the green-leaf Daphne is even closer to blooming:

Daphne odora

 She's going to be beautiful!

Daphne odora

Here are some wide shots of my garden. Be warned, it looks pretty sad these days. I'm behind on mulching and I don't cut back most of my perennials until spring.

The patio pond

Don't you love the "winter interest" here? Not so much. The banana-leaf monster is here again!

But I will focus on the green. Here are a few leafy lovelies:

Windmill Palm grows much slower in a pot. This ones been here for ten years.

Windmill Palm -- Trachycarpus fortunei

Umbrella Pine -- Sciadopitys verticillata with a variegated Boxwood

And finally, here is a little hardy cactus I bought a few years ago from plant lady Trina Studebaker.

It's getting bigger. I am hoping it will flower someday. But for now I'm just glad I've been able to keep it alive.  

Opuntia

I hope there are bits of joy in your garden too!