What Happens Next?

Well, this is a question we all ask this time of year.  The answer is we are going to THINK!  We are going to think about what worked, what didn't, what are we going to do differently next year.

I already know, there will be no dahlias in my garden, but there will be phlox and more phlox, gaura, clematis, daylilies, lilies, grasses, sedums, certain coneflowers, the roses will be back but they had a difficult summer.

The dahlias just never took off in the heat, had to redo this hayrack mid summer.

Clematis Fireworks and Bee's Jubilee, both type 2

Phlox Blue Paradise

Gaura, impatiens and coleus

Orienpet Lily Lavon and Tiger Lily Halloween

Chicago Rosy

Coneflower Magnus with Panicum Northwind grass in background

My favorite annuals were impatiens, coleus and some petunias, like Bubblegum.  Pretty Much Picasso was a dud and should not come back again unless in another form.  My Dura Cage was a failure, breaking and falling over when the tomatoes became large.  The metal color coated cages from Gardeners Supply held up as usual.

Supertunia Bubblegum

Pretty Much Picasso just never did fill out, pulled it out mid-summer and replaced with another Supertunia.

The Dura Cage is in the middle and just did not hold up as the Beefsteak tomato grew taller.

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The ferns, hostas, astilbies, solomon's seal all did great in the heat this year.  My dianthus Firewitch did not.  The Gailldaria did great but it grew totally out of bounds on the south side of my house, I had to move it.

Astilbe Maggie Daley

Hosta Frances Williams

Japanese Painted Fern, Heucheras and impatiens

Gailldaria Arizona Sun