Sunday, September 23, 2012

The Summer Of Discontent

I really hate to call it that but for me it really was a summer I do not want to repeat.  My ideas of gardening have changed drastically and I am not totally sure it is warranted.

I have to rethink the amount of space I am giving to the roses, first the beetles, then mildew and rose midges.  It is recommended that all of the mildewed branches be cut off, bagged and put in the garden waste bag.  There is really no cure for it and spraying is a preventative not a cure.

I don't want to be burned again, and I use this term loosely!  I was like the mad waterer but I know many people lost large amounts of landscape material including some large evergreens and trees.

The south side raised bed has been redone (except for the Miscanthus Udine) with a move for Helopsis Loraine Sunshine and the rearranging of Chicago Apache Daylily with the addition of Eryngium Big Blue in the middle.

I have kept Miscanthus Udine in the middle of the raised bed but it is really getting too full, flops in a storm, so I will really have a decision to make in the spring.  I love the look, so if I can't keep it up away from the path I will have to find a more controllable grass.

This one is a keeper Cimicifuga Atropurpurea such a treat this time of year, adds a softness to the back border.

This is the opposite view facing towards the front of the house.  I love the way this is another see through plant that blooms in the fall.

Verbena Bonariensis will probably be back strong next year as it reseeds quite easily.  I don't mind because it is another see through plant that doesn't interfere with anything.

Our weather had turned cool in fact too cool in certain areas and I am hoping that fall does not go to the extreme as that we experienced in summer.

Even with the cooler weather Blue Paradise Phlox is getting ready to rebloom, hope it makes it before a frost.

Pink Knockout is reblooming and seems to have escaped the rose diseases.  Jack Frost Burnnera looks good until the end with just a few black spots on the leaves.  Bob's Blunder Geranium just loves to weave through whatever it is near.

Pulmonaria Raspberry Splash was cut back after blooming and it is rewarding to see all of this fresh new growth for the fall garden.

I am really beginning to love the dark foliage in the garden interspersed with greens and variegated foliage and especially the colors of the perennials flowers in the spring summer and fall.

Eupatorium Chocolate stays dark all summer and begins to lighten as it produces flower buds to bloom in the fall.

Weigela Wine and Roses replaced Helianthus Lemon Queen.  It just wasn't right for my small pathway, gave some to my daughter who has a much larger area to place it.

Geranium Bob's Blunder is a groundcover geranium which is dark leaved and winds its way through other perennials (Heucherella Sweet Tea) without overshadowing the plant.

Geranium Bob's Blunder produces both large and small leaves with the smaller leaves producing the abundance of flowers.  In my opinion this is a wonderful creeper!

This is a mum called Bedazzled Bronze which is bred to grow in a rounded shape by Yoder, who is a major mum producer.

Bedazzled Bronze
 
 
 
We forget about snapdragons but manytimes they come back and bloom from spring through fall.

11 comments:

Terra said...

I admire all of your plants. That decorative grass with the graceful bending tassles is pretty, and your plants have an attractive and wide variety of leaf shape and colors.

Beth said...

Hi Eileen, Your cimicifuga is lovely. I've not seen one like it. I like how the Bob's blunder flows through and around the pretty heucherella. Have you thought about staking your grass? I have one that kept falling over into the path, and we used two of those hoop-type staking metal items to surround it. It looks great now. It was a difficult summer but hopefully it will be cooler and we'll have adequate moisture next year.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks for visiting Terra.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Beth,

I am afraid I did stake the grass with large grids and even little fences underneath. During a storm it is just so top heavy that it pulls out the supports. It seems that tieing with a thin green plastic string works better on my Panicums than grids, but the miscanthus is another story.

Eileen

Lona said...

I am so over summer this year too Eileen. I still hated to see summer go but this is the first year I was tired of the garden. LOL! We had frost here this morning on the hill tops. Your Cimicifuga is so lovely. Mine is not going to bloom I fear. Have a great week.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Lona,

I have one Cimicifuga that hasn't bloomed yet so we will see if it makes it.

Eileen

Balisha said...

Dear Mad Waterer...
I don't feel so bad when I read that super gardeners like you and Lona were frustrated this summer. I sort of let up on my gardening and hope that the cool weather will give me the boost I need to do the fall cleanup. Your pictures are still lovely...
Balisha

Diana LaMarre said...

Bedazzled is bedazzling!

I have been ready to move on for the past two months. When my pampered containers don't do well, I know it's been a weird year.

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Your gardens are so beautiful, Eileen.

We lost some evergreens over Summer, new plantings, hoping to replace. J heard the winter is supposed to be rough. Wouldn't surprise me. We had a little frost over the weekend.

garden girl said...

love the cimicifuga, Eileen! In spite of the rough summer, your garden is looking very nice. Hopefully next year will be better - it got very tiring hauling the hose around this summer.

sharon said...

those mums are the best Ive ever seen! beautiful