Thursday, September 08, 2011

Summer's Gone

I am a big fan of Paul Anka but I do not remember this song.  My guess is that as a teenager I would not have liked to hear the words of this song so I must have dismissed it.

However,  with maturity I am more realistic and know that the signs are everywhere announcing the forthcoming season.

Heliopsis Lemon Queen is the first sign that Fall is inevitable.

Autumn Fern is turning color more and more each day.

Vera Jameson Sedum is in full bloom.

Endless Summer Hydrangea is not in my good graces but its fall coloring is earning it some points.

Arnie's Choice daylily is fresh and green again surrounded by Plumbago and cabbages.

I used several Gerber Daisies in my plantings this year, most not successful.  These are the best looking planted by my front walk.  They will succumb quickly to the cool fall temperatures.


I have several Crotons and they will not do well below 50 degrees, so I will bring them indoors for the winter.  They do well inside and do not get buggy, etc.


My best petunias, Bubblegum, Bordeaux and Tidal Wave will stay around for awhile since petunias are cold tolerant.

Phlox will continue to bloom as long as it is deadheaded, Laura in foreground and Franz Schubert.

Blue Paradise Phlox in a shadier area

Miscanthus Udine is just beginning to send up its pinkish plumes with aster Purple Dome in the foreground with just a small hint of purple showing.

Autumn Fire Sedum is beginning to show its colors, more upright than Autumn Joy but not the same intense coloring.

The gauras love to peek out in the fall, both pink and white are beginning a profuse blooming period.  You can only wish they come back!

Agastache Blue Fortune in the alley garden tends to lean because of the fence behind it.  I will have to encircle it next spring to keep this from happening.  This plant has a wonderful licorice fragrance but is a bee haven so do not plant near a walkway.

Rainbow Knockout is a rose that fills the fall with blooms until November.  It was especially hard hit this year with the midges and Japanese Beetles, I had almost forgotten how beautiful it is.

Unique Hydrangea is turning pink which will eventually become rose colored.

The herbs will soon need to be cut and tied for hanging in the garage ready for use throughout the winter months.

All of the Heucheras are wonderful in the fall with their colors and blooms.  This is Heuchera Purpurea Villosa.

Home Run Pink, what can I say, it has weathered the insects has virtually no disease and has grown by leaps and bounds.  The pink is electric not purple/pink but a warm reddish pink.

Home Run Red with Kim's Knee High Coneflower and Rainbow Knockout

The Home Run Rose Red is a royal red with a gold center.

I have trialed these two types of Home Run roses this year in all areas of my garden even in part shade and they have all done very well.  I did fertilize them with my other roses with the Bayer 3 In 1 Formula Systemic.  There was some rose midge involvement but very little interest in them by the Japanese Beetles, no black spot or mildew.  They do not need to be deadheaded and will produce rose hips along with continual flowering.  Let's look for these next year distributed by Proven Winners Choice.

22 comments:

  1. Eileen girl all of your plants still look so fresh and vigorous
    That flowering cabbage as the header picture is so colourful too!
    I was just looking at some plants offered by one of my mail order places .. thinking about a few shorter day lily to edge areas up a little tighter/fuller .. I love the way your borders are like that .. so full and beautiful!
    My hyssop leans like that too .. usually I hoop those kinds of plants but missed out this year .. it is an OLD plat .. 9 or so years .. I didn't think it would last this long !! LOL
    Everything looks great over at your place girl : )
    Joy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Eileen, Your garden continues to look wonderful. My sedums are a bit behind yours and I am hoping, with some sun on the weekend, they will open and add a much needed boost of color. I admired an Autumn fern in a local garden and after seeing your picture want to add it to my plant list for next year.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Eileen, Your garden is still stunning! I can learn from you in terms of what's planted in your midwestern garden and blooming now. I did purchase some ornamental cabbages and am liking them. Have a great week!
    Beth

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your fall flowers are showing up and some of the others are still looking so good. The Home Run roses looks pretty. I love the changing of your Autumn Fern to its golden orange colors. So pretty Eileen.We have had drizzling rain for four days now and it feel so strange not to see browned grass and dragging the water hoses around at this time of the year.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Joy,

    I am actually beginning to pull out a few annuals in the border so I can see how the perennials are doing that are behind them. I will be buying more plant hoops next year as if I want to grow certain plants I am going to have to prop them up.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks Jennifer,

    The Autumn Fern was a surprise as they have really grown under the Chanticleer Pear and the color is great.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Beth,

    Phlox is probably my biggest winner as far as spanning two seasons if it's deadheaded. Coleus is another favorite but will not take the cooler weather.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Lona,

    So far the Home Run Roses look great. I am going to give a couple to my daughter next year and see how they do in her larger garden.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Eileen,

    I never have much luck with Gerber Daisies. I tried them again this year and still nothing to brag about. I have more “no bloom” time, then flowering time.

    Miscanthus Udine is quite lovely. I planted a few grasses this year, but so far none of them are sending up blooms.

    It looks like you still have a lot of interest in your garden.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Zoey,

    The Miscanthus Udine I bought online due to a recommendation for a tall slimmer miscanthus. I don't know about it being slimmer since I have three planted, but the plumes are lovely. I have never seen it in a nursery.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your Gerberas are stunning!! They make up for summer busy leaving us... Everything actually still looks very much summer in your garden...that beautiful yellowing fern is the only hint of a new season arriving..
    Ronelle

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Ronelle,

    The Gerber Daisies are just lovely but they do not bloom consistently for me. It has been a very hot summer again so this may be the reason.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  13. So impressed by your parade of garden color/interest and zest for blogging, Eileen. Kudos from a fan/friend who enjoys it all!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, everything in your garden looks beautiful, even the grasses. Your photos did good justice on them. It seems so wasteful if they will just succumb to winter again.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for visiting Andrea. The garden is putting out one last effort especially the roses.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  16. all the yellows and blues you share are so inspiring...I haven't had some of these...might add them to my list!!!
    since the summer is winding down here in Alberta, it will be nice to be able to see all the flaunts both past and present from all those who get to garden year round. I made FF open to photos from past gardens for those who are in climates that stink on ice like mine! lol
    Thank you so much for linking in this week...and for flaunting with me. I look forward to many more flaunts from you!
    Friday's Flaunts are a privelage for me to host. I love getting to be inspired by some of the most wonderful gardeners I have ever had the privelage of "knowing"
    (¯`v´¯)
    `*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
    ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks Tootsie,

    I used to like pink but now I tend to go with just about any color that's in nature.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow what a beautiful display of flowers. I think gaura is beautiful in the garden. Keep up the great work.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Good Morning Eileen:

    Your garden still looks amazingly beautiful! Your color still shining through and looking like summer is NOT OVER!
    England was unbelievable, just returned home. The gardens there were something to behold and so, well, English!!! I thought of you often and knew you would have gone crazy! (I am posting frequently, as I took over 800 photos! Yikes!
    See you soon.
    M.A.
    Mary Anne

    ReplyDelete
  20. Home from England and getting caught up. Your garden still looks amazing! I would never know that summer is gone by the looks of all the color you still have!
    Beautiful shots as always and so full of your wonderful knowledge!

    I thought of you often as I walked many English gardens as well as the charming cottage gardens. You would have loved them all! So much to share of my trip!
    See you soon Mary Anne

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks Patrick,

    Gaura was a surprise this year, just kept in the background most of the summer, finally broke loose and is flowering like crazy.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks Mary Anne,

    So glad you had a great trip, looking forward to your posts.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete