Pondering Plans for Next Year

Despite the definite change in weather, the garden is still doing quite well. We haven't had a frost yet so even plants like dahlia and fuchsia are putting out blooms. 

Not only that but as I putter and visualize next year's garden, I can hear frogs croaking back and forth to each other at random intervals. If the temperatures remain mild (in the 50s) I'll continue to be enchanted by them.

I was surprised to see buds forming all up and down my winter-blooming 'Freckles' Clematis.

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurescens 'Freckles'

This made me curious so I checked another of my three winter blooming Clematis, C. urophylla. Sure enough! Buds.

Blurry buds on Clematis aff. urophylla

Still no buds on Clematis nepalensis but that's okay. The vine looks healthy and that's the important thing.

There are still several summer/fall blooming Clematis blossoms.

Clematis texensis 'Etoile Rose'

Given that it's the end of the season, I'm excusing the mildewed foliage.

Clematis texensis 'Princess Diana'

Clematis viticella 'Abundance' (red) and C. v. 'Polish Spirit'

My longest blooming Clematis is C. integrifolia 'Inspiration' pictured below. It started blooming in May and has not once been without at least one flower since then. I didn't cut it back so there are lots of seedheads too.

Clematis integrifolia 'Inspiration'

This NOID from Deborah Hardwick is still making me happy. Again, the foliage is icky but who cares?

Clematis NOID

Clematis viticella 'Rosalyn'

Clematis texensis 'Pagoda'

And check out all the fuchsias still blooming!

Fuchsia 'Celia Smedly' (I think)

Fuchsia lycioides

Fuchsia 'Exmoor Woods'

Fuchsia 'Baby Ann'

Fuchsia 'Delta's Angelique'

Fuchsia 'Tricolor'

Fuchsia 'Tricolor'

Fuchsia 'Beacon Rose'

Fuchsia NOID

Fuchsia 'Nettala'

Fuchsia 'Debron's Black Cherry'

Fuchsia 'Checkerboard'

Fuchsia 'Galfrey Lye'

And that wasn't even all the fuchsias but I think you get the idea. 

Check out these Crinum lilies that I bought in a bag from Costco last spring. They have proven to be troopers. There are still buds forming on some of the bulbs. 

Crinum x ‘Powellii’

Agastache 'Blue Boa'

Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof'

'Paris' Heuchera is another extremely long-blooming plant. This one has been in flower since February.

Heuchera 'Paris'

Rabdosia longituba

Rabdosia longituba

Chrysanthemum x rubellum 'Clara Curtis'

I really should cut some of these mums for a bouquet.

Chrysanthemum x rubellum 'Clara Curtis'

This Tinantia reseeds every year and blooms in that spot. The flowers are so cute.

Tinantia erecta

Now for some garden shots:

Persicaria 'Fat Domino'

Mukgenia nova 'Flame' next to Rhododendron 'Everred'

Artemisia 'Seafoam'

Leucothoe axilaris 'Curly Red'

I have three spots where I dug out plants that were too big or were otherwise needed moving. You can see the bare spots in the following three photos.

By the outer pond, I had a big Stipa gigantea. I gave it to Heather. In its place, I'm going to plant Nerium oleander.

In this open area, I had a Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' that died. I'm going to plant my Chilopsis 'Burgundy'

And finally, here I had a huge Nandina and spreading Euphorbia. I'm not sure yet what is going to replace them.

Having a bit of bare soil keeps my design proclivities charged and ready. Ooh the possibilities! And not just for plants. Today I lugged home a huge piece of driftwood, aptly named Boris. I'm going to find a place for him in my garden. I'll post photos of "him" next time.

And there you have it. Thank you for visiting.

One Day Less

Every day is one less day of summer... This is the mantra I have been repeating every evening at twilight since early June as soon as the weather turned summery. I didn't want to waste a minute of it, knowing it would be over in a flash. 

Here we are in mid-September, already. Some people are tired and ready for the change that fall will bring. I'm not. Well, I am looking forward to soft, rain-soaked soil to dig in so I can get everything planted. But I don't want to say goodbye to sunshine and warm tempertures. Not yet. 

Here are photos of things...

Recently I picked up the Mukgenia--a generic cross between Mukdenia and Bergenia. It's a neat, leafy, low growing thing for the shade border. I was pleasantly surprised to see these unique and very pink flowers adorning it.  

Mukgenia nova 'Flame'

This poor Dahlia. It didn't die like so many others did after last winter's record cold but it didn't really live either. At least not in the ground. In June I dug it up and put it in a pot. It finally bloomed. 

A troubled Dahlia

Ditto for the Digiplexis. It survived the winter in a pot but sat around for most of the spring and early summer doing nothing. Finally it's aglow.

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame'

I have a few Clematis blooming. Check out this newbie called 'Chameleon'. Aptly named for the way the coloration changes as the flower ages.

Clematis 'Chameleon' new

Clematis 'Chameleon' after three days

It reminds me of how the double-flowered clematis blooms change as they age. 

Clematis florida 'Alba Plena' newly blooming

Clematis florida 'Alba Plena' after several days

Below is another newbie for me this spring. I'm tempted to think the buds are prettier than the actual flower.

Clematis versicolor buds

Clematis versicolor in flower

One last interesting floral evolution is the morning glory. Check it out in the morning.

Morning Glory ~~ Ipomoea 'Pretty n Pink'  Morning

Morning Glory flower in the afternoon... as the petals age,
they lose the lavender tint and turn a warm pink

Which do you like better? Personally, I'm not much of a morning person.

I was a bit slow in cutting back my Clematis x triternata 'Rubromarginata' but in like two weeks it is blooming again! This time much lower so I can catch a whiff of the flowers without a ladder.

Clematis x triternata 'Rubromarginata'

 It's Aster time! (I'm reluctant to embrace the new name, Sym...something or other.)

Aster 'Alma Postchke'

And there are other bloomers...

Saponaria x 'Max Frei' blooming from a cutting

Nerium oleander 'Hardy Red'

I bought Persicaria 'Fat Domino' after reading all the hype about it being a showier, fat spike. I think it has lived up to that hype, compared to the species. Tell me what you think. 

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Fat Domino'

Persicaria amplexicaulis
with Clematis 'Polish Spirit and C. 'Confetti'

Impatiens arguta such a quirky little flower

I am really impressed with this Euphorbia. I grew it from seed sown last year. It started blooming in July and has been going non-stop since. Tiny white flowers in profusion.

Euphorbia corollata

Speaking of white flowers, another Aster. This one is for my shady white garden.

Eurybia divaricata 'Eastern Star' (Aster)

Fuchsia 'Debron's Black Cherry'

The Hibiscus flowers might be the best part about late summer. So big and blousy, they're impossible to ignore. 

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Torchy'

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Turn of the Century'

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King' with burgundy leaves!

Even the smaller-flowered tree Hibiscus (Rose of Sharon) are lookers, aren't they?

Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite'

I had a chance to buy more Pitcher plants recently but didn't. I'm kicking myself now. But at least I've got this one going to town among the other pond goodies.

Sarracenia and variegated Acorus

Nicotiana mutabilis and Weigela florida 'Variegata'

The heat really woke up the Crape Myrtle, another stellar late-season bloomer.

NOID Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)

Hubby and I are thinking about carving a small creek in this area under the tree. There is a natural slope and I've got tons of rocks I've been collecting. I'm not thrilled about ripping out all these plants but it's almost too shady for them now anyway.

These poor Dianthus need more sun.

I could probably make some adjustments and squeeze the Dianthus into this sunny area.

Some random garden photos...

This shiny little sedum, (Sedum oreganum) is such a pleasant little plant. 

Penstemon rupicolia, the gray-leaved plant is another easy low-growing plant.

Time to deadhead the Phlox...

That's all for now. I hope you're enjoying your gardens.

Oops. I published this late last night, forgetting that I promised to make mention of the HPSO Fall PlantFest coming up this Saturday. The esteemed Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery will be speaking about his favorite plants, followed by a plant sale. You can find all the information by clicking here.