Fall Is In The Air

It is hard to believe that we actually might be in for some cooler weather, an overheated and drought filled summer will finally be over.

Panicum Northwind is filled with seed heads.

I have already planted my front planters for the fall.  I am using many perennials this year that will go into the garden in November, very good luck doing this with the sedums.

I kept the Dichondra added some perennials like Sedum Bedazzled and Sedum Matrona, along with Ruby Perfection Cabbage and the annual flame grass. 

The mums are getting ready and according to the nursery have been delayed this year because of the heat.  They need cool weather to bloom, so here's hoping that the next few weeks are cooler.

The coleus I will leave until the frost comes, looks so good in a fall garden.

I am not adverse to replacing some of those little mums that are blooming now since they were only 88 cents at Home Depot and there are early, middle and late blooming varieties.

Autumn Fire is not supposed to flop and it is totally upright in the alley garden.  I think these had too much water from the sprinkler system.

Ramona is a Type II clematis that I cut down after blooming, rewarding me with another bloom cycle.

Comtesse de Bouchard was a new one on the north side that just fried in the heat, so I cut it down and now it is reblooming.

Gerald Darby is a great iris even without blooms.  It is purple in the spring with bright green arching leaves later in the summer.  I have it against my Ninebarks on the north front side of my home.

Right now I am not liking the cordyline that I moved from the front to the back planters.  I think they lost too much of their root system to survive, but we will see.

The cordyline didn't make it so I put in a Kale in the background that is supposed to get about three feet high.  I bought new containers on sale at a local nursery, very deep, so I hope I will not have the watering problem I had this year.

Miscanthus Little Kitten is getting ready to show its plumes.

 

Panicum Ruby Ribbons

 

Pennesitum Piglet

 

Amsonia Northwind Select is getting ready to put on its gold autumn show.

 

I replaced my Helianthus Lemon Queen with Weigela Summer Wine.

 

I was given Anemone Robustissima Pink at the Midwest Groundcovers Workshop last fall and it is going to bloom beautifully this fall.

 



 Chelone Hot Lips

 

 

Unique Hydrangea was not as large this year and less blooms but the blooms it has are very large.

 

Hydrangea Limelight had the same problems this year, more floppiness, less bloom and very large flowers.

This is definitely a coleus I would plant again.  Trusty Rusty is a heat lover!  Don't trim your boxwood now.  In zone 5 and colder any new growth will freeze and turn brown.

This is Home Run Rose Pink, just about full grown from my small four inch pots that I trialed for Proven Winners Choice last year.  They were just about devoid of Japanese Beetles and I am going to let them produce rose hips this year.  As you can see they continue to produce flowers along with rose hips.

The Mariachi Peppers love the heat and I have made a few batches of them already this season.

I wasn't too thrilled with the Sunpatiens earlier this year, but I found they are top performers out of the pot and in the garden with just a little shade.

The Nasturtiums have just gone crazy.  I may have to pull them in order to let the peppers and parsely survive.

 

I always say that I am not going to buy too many mums, but I just can't resist once they come into the nurseries.  Cabbages, Kale, , I know there is a genetic difference, but who cares, they look great this time of year and they actually take the heat.