Friday, August 12, 2011

Blooming Again

We all want continually blooming gardens and this is an achievable goal if we plan ahead.  Deadheading is of course one way to insure rebloom but using the correct plants is also part of the solution.

Blue Paradise Phlox

Snapdragon La Bella (grown from seed and planted in the spring) is coming up behind the daylilies that have been cut down.  Snapdragons will take the cooler weather and even a light frost, 

Pink Gaura is also coming up behind the Dark Ruby daylilies that have been cut.

Gaura is not always a perennial in my area but the white one came back this year.

Coleus Sedona is coming back from being ravaged by insects.

Pulmonaria Raspberry Splash
Gaura is coming up between the Pulmonaria, daylilies have been cut down behind.

Pink Meidiland is beginning to bloom again.

Phlox Shockwave
New and just planted already has been whipped around by a storm.

This was an unnamed phlox from Home Depot.  The tag purposefully had the name cut, wonder why!  I bought two of them to fit between the foliage of daylilies that have been trimmed.  The phlox is tall enough that it will come up through the foliage next year.

I am hoping it might be Peppermint Twist which I have been looking for the past two years!

On my weekend trip to Wisconsin I went back to Northwind Perennial Farm and picked up a few plants that were on sale.  I am adding another Amsonia Northwind Select to my front pathway border.  If they get as big as the ones I saw on their farm I am in trouble.

This is a Molina Moor Grass that will be planted in back of the daylilies out in front.  When the daylilies are cut down the grass will show for a fall display.

I should cut some of the Amaranthus in the south side raised bed.  It can be put in containers either fresh or dried.

Daylily Amelia was cut down and behind it is Sedum Autumn Fire which does not flop.  I replaced Autumn Joy in this location because it was very messy looking all over the ground.  Autumn Fire is not quite as showy in regard to color but it will stand through the fall and winter.

Arnie's Choice Daylilies beginning to sprout after being cut down a couple of weeks ago.  Plumbago is spreading underneath.  In another week all of those brown stalks can be easily removed.  I think I will put some small cabbages in this area for the fall, must be careful of all the bulbs underneath.


Miscanthus Little Kitten comes up late at first hidden by bulb foliage and then daylilies.  It will eventually put forth long fuzzy seed heads for a fall display.

The Becky Shasta Daisies have been cut to the ground and behind them Boltonia Pink Beauty is getting ready to bloom.

At the edge of Miscanthus Udine on the south side raised bed Purple Dome Aster will be blooming for the fall.

Eupatorium Chocolate is at the end of the zinnias on the hot south side but it will put on a show of cloudy white flowers in the fall.

This is Sandra Elizabeth my latest blooming daylily.  It has taken the place of earlier blooming Hyperion and Red Magic.  Underneath them Vera Jameson Sedum is getting ready to bloom.

Vera Jameson Sedum

32 comments:

Darla said...

You have so many plants in your gardens and they all look great.

The Country Nest said...

Just stunning! Don't you just love seeing things come back, rebloom and just look so much better after the heat of summer.
You have beaautiful gardens.

Lona said...

Hi Eileen. Your Shockwave phlox is way ahead of mine. I will be lucky to see a bloom the way it is going now. But now at least I know what it is going to look like. LOL! The Peppermint Twist is pretty too. You have so many plants in your garden. Eupatorium Chocolate is one of my Fall favorites. The foliage is amazing.Have a wonderful weekend!

Diane at My Cottage Garden said...

You have a lovely blog and lovely flowers. I also have a 'Blue Paradise' phlox and just love it!

Sometimes it looks more blue and sometimes more purple, depending on the light. Someone asked me if it was a 'true blue' plant and I didn't know what to answer!

Diane

Becca's Dirt said...

Sounds like you have planned well for fall and winter. I failed to do that. But I'm planning for next year. Beautiful plants and blooms.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Great planting to ensure continuous flowers! I've been trying to do more of that this year so I don't have as many bare spots during times of summer and fall when some plants have finished. This year I've also been really good about deadheading and it's worth the short time I spend doing it. I love the grasses you've added, something I still need to do.

Balisha said...

Hi Eileen...Beautiful garden pictures. My asters are just starting to open. Balisha

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Darla,

Thanks for stopping by. I would love if it stayed a little cooler, the plants don't like the heat.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Country Nest,

I do like seeing flowers into November and it is hard to do with the fried summer flowers. However, the roses usually perk up and pull us through.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Lona,

I bought the Shockwave at a local nursery and it looked a little sad when I purchased it. However, it had buds so I am glad to see the flower, lovely color.

The Peppermint Twist was a chance, may not be that variety.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Diane,

I think Blue Paradise is my favorite although it can be a bit floppy. I am going to put circle cages around them in the spring next year so I won't have to stake them.

It is blue in the morning and does turn magenta in the afternoon, lovely fragrance also.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Becca,

I have really started to think of at least a three season garden and am now putting in some plants that will add interest or color in the fall.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Catherine,

The Molina Moor grass was recommended by Northwind Perennial Farm in Wisconson. She said it is a wonderful grass for coming up behind or in between other plantings. It looks so delicate, hope it is even noticed. Little Kitten is short but it's plumes are much taller.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Balisha,

I only have a small Boltonia flowering right now, asters have not started yet.

Eileen

Larry said...

Hi Eileen! In reference to phlox, I've ordered a bunch of plants from a new series... 'Junior Dream' and 'Junior Dance' grow to only 18"-20" tall and throw new growth and bloom from the crown through the season. They are supposed to be quite mildew resistant and bloom for months... we'll see! Larry

Jenny said...

The cloeus is my favorite color today. Beautiful as always. xo Jenny

Karen said...

Eileen, I've said it before--you should have your own gardening magazine or TV show! These posts are just the most wonderful tutorials on how to have continuous blooms in the garden.

The bud count on your daylily is amazing, the later daylilies are so welcome this time of year. I have yet to purchase an Autumn Fire sedum, but they certainly sound like a great plant. My soil is very sandy, so my Autumn Joys don't usually flop, but I do take a shovel and root prune them in the spring, so maybe that helps more than I think.

I love any plant that has 'chocolate' in the name. At least this is one thing that won't put the pounds on me, lol.

Wonderful post, Eileen. I so enjoy every visit to your garden.

Diana LaMarre said...

Hi Eileen,
What a great idea to put grasses behind the daylilies! I added a few grasses to my rockwall area this year. So far they have no fuzzy blooms.

I still love the Amaranthus. It is so unusual.

Sedum Autumn Fire is a new one to me. I keep reading about how badly Autumn Joy flops, but I have rarely had that problem. I guess it’s because mine grow in such poor conditions—dry rocky soil , they don’t thrive, so they never get big enough to flop.

I don’t know Purple Dome Aster either. It looks like a short variety.

You have so many exciting new-to-me flowers. I will be eagerly awaiting their blooms.

GRACE PETERSON said...

You are the queen of succession planting, Eileen! I've definitely got a few lessons to learn. Great post!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Larry,

I had not heard of that phlox before but I did look it up online and it has great reviews. Oh, to find another space!

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Jenny,

The header is related to coleus, it is called Perilla (better known as Magilla Gorilla). It is a very strong annual in my area.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Karen,

Just found a new late daylily at a local sale today called Susan Weber. The lates are hard to find.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Zoey,

Purple Dome aster is a lower growing one, about 18 inches high.
Autumn Fire Sedum has been a t Home Depot, but if you don't have a problem with Autumn Joy I would stick with it for better color.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Grace,

Thanks for the honor but I never wanted to be Queen, just forced into it because of my smaller property. It also forced me into planting for seasonal interest in a more calculated way because I have little room for trees and evergreens.

Eileen

Dave@TheHomeGarden said...

Wow! lots to look at! I like the variegated foliage on your Shockwave phlox. I had a Chocolate Eupatorium but it only lasted two years then didn't come back. It's a pretty plant and would have looked great next to my Variegated caryopteris had it lasted!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Dave,

This is my replacement Eupatorium Chocolate. My last one had just about died out so I moved it down the south border. I really like this plant and it also covers some exhaust pipes all summer.

Eileen

Beth said...

Your garden looks so great, Eileen! Very colorful and you are an excellent designer. I have learned a great deal from you, Eileen. Eileen, I read on a blog that geranium leaves can be fatal to Japanese beetles. You might want to google it for more info-I'll be trying it next year.
Blessings, Beth

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks Beth, I am going to check out that Japanese beetle treatment, they have really done a job on my roses this year.

Eileen

The Tablescaper said...

Great post. Reblooming is always an issue.

- The Tablescaper

Indoor Fountains said...

The Blue Paradise looks dynamite!Cheers!

Jennifer@threedogsinagarden said...

Hi Eileen, I admire how careful you have been to keep records of the names of the various varieties of plants like phlox. When I started to garden, I had no idea I would end up blogging about gardening and was very careless about what varieties I was putting in the soil. Now, I wish I had been more attentive! Your post has helped me identify a few unknowns. I have 'Blue Paradise' and 'Shockwave' Phlox in the back circle garden. Thanks Eileen!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Jennifer,

I think I also saw Laura on one of your posts, purple with the white eye, long blooming.

Eileen