Extending The Season

In the cooler climates it is all about enjoying our gardens as long as possible.  It takes a little forethought to make this happen.

 

 

Front Border

 

Grasses and Sedums

Great fillers to keep the garden going

 

Miscanthus Udine

 

Blue Paradise Phlox is the first to bloom and keeps on going until the first frost if it is deadheaded.

 

Franz Schubert, Pink Thai Jade and My Mystery Phlox all responded well to deadheading.  Bubblegum and Lavender David did not respond as well.

 

Fireworks Type II is reblooming as are many of my other clematis.  I trim them by one half after blooming.  I am going to trim them down further next year and see what happens.

 

Rainbow Knockout will bloom until November, also the first of my roses to bloom in the spring.

 

Actaea

Wonderful surprise in the fall border

 

Anemone Robustissima

 

 

 

Kickin Asters

A new variety that is more compact than previous introductions

 

 

 

I love this red Pennisetum, however, it is an annual in my zone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The zinnias are a great fall flower, still going strong up until a frost.

 

Magellan Coral

 

 

Orange Sunpatiens

These were a surprise, much hardier than other impatiens varieties, held up to temperatures below forty degrees.

 

 

 

 

Hello Fall!

Fall is coming in slowly this year and supposedly will last longer than normal.  The Limelight Hydrangea in the header is more rose colored than ever before.

A new variety of Aster, "Kickin Asters" in the foreground, daylilies resprouting green leaves after trimming.

The large containers in front have been redone for fall.  However, the ivy and cordyline have been kept from the summer - both will tolerate cool weather.

The fall colors have not taken over yet in the front garden but will soon look like a fall collage.

Deep Red Swiss Chard With Mums, Kale, Petunias And Ivy

Comtesse de Bouchard is reblooming, trimmed back by one-half after blooming in the summer.

Little Lime Hydrangea is behind the stone wall in front where I used to have the Rhodies.  They love the east exposure and will take water much better, also have a longer cycle of bloom and color for four seasons.

Miscanthus Udine with Rudbeckia Subtomentosa

Rudbeckia Henry Eilers and Zinnias vie for attention on the south side.

Panicum Ruby Ribbons is not as full as other Panicums but it does add a deep red color to the fall garden.

Allium Summer Beauty in the background can remain standing for fall if they hold up.  Some of mine hold their seed heads and some don't.  Usually by late fall I have cut them down.

Sedum Matrona And Amsonia Northwind

This is an upright sedum, starts out pink and turns a chocolate color for fall and winter.

 

Sedum Pure Joy With Plumbago

 

Sedum Autumn Fire

 

Ninebark Summer Wine

Four seasons of interest, flowers, leaf color changes and peeling bark for the winter.

 

Pennisetum Piglet with Amsonia Northwind Select

 

I spy only one tree in the distance turning color, hope it is not diseased as the one next to it was just cut down last week.

Winners

Some winners for the summer of 2014:

Supertunia Bordeaux

This one even out performed Bubblegum in my garden, not as leggy and continues to produce lots of new blooms.

 

Supertunia Bubblegum

This was in its glory in July, now has few blooms and very leggy.

 

Suncatcher Petunia Purple Rose

This is one petunia, trailing, outperformed any trailer I have every had!  It is growing with Sweet Caroline Sweet Potato Vine, Calliope Lavender Rose Geranium and Red Pennisetum Grass.

Flame Petunia with Ipomoea Sidekick Black, Verbena Lanai Bright Rose

Combo ordered from Parks as starter plugs

 



Calibrachoa Superbells Yellow Chiffon

One of the best performers, still going strong in August, not always easy to find.
 

 

Caliente Geranium Hot Pink

No deadheading required to set bud, strong grower, can become large enough to trail, withstands the heat.

Whopper Bronze Leaved Dragon Begonia

 

Angel Wing Dragon Begonia

 

Coleus Henna

Almost three feet tall and wide

 

Henna in between the raised bed boxwood bordering the patio, makes quite a statement!

Coleus Redhead
This is one plant!



Sunpatiens Spreading Carmine Red

Trailing habit 20 inches wide, 18 inches high

 

Sunpatiens Spreading Corona

Planted between Max Frei Geranium

 

 

The Sunpatiens were also ordered from Park Seed Company as plugs.  They will flourish in full sun or part shade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back At The Pond

I try to make a yearly summer visit to my brother's and sister-in-law's garden which has a main feature, "the pond."

It is a little less clear this year, and we are not sure if the cold winter was the cause.  This is a concrete in-ground pond constructed in the 1930's.  You can see asters in the front (not blooming) and Persicaria Polymorpha in the background.

Capone, the Boston Terrier, is the trooper who guards the pond.

 

Behind the Persicaria are glass art tiles.

Addie is Barbara's mother and there is a garden dedicated to her.

Addie Branch Smith Daylilies

Faux wreaths encircle containers

Plants in drawers on the deck

The Magellan Zinnias were started indoors from seed and are all around the pond in a variety of colors.

 

 

 

 

We are on our way out to the front of the house with plantings and vintage milk pails flanking the side door.

 

 

 

 

Birdhouses have been added to the front planters.

 

 

The original pond posting is at the bottom of this blog (2011) with subsequent ones last year, and 2012.