Sunday, September 26, 2010

What's Bloomin' - September '10


Here are some photos of what's blooming in my garden this month.  

Enjoy!

 

Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) is so versatile. 
It's a native plant that blooms in sun or shade, and the hummingbirds love it!




Salvia greggii
(Autumn sage), probably my favorite perennial of all, is in full bloom.  Another hummingbird magnet.






This Autumn Joy Sedum looks like pink broccoli!



The Knock-Out Rose is putting on its fall flush of blooms.
The Russian Sage behind it has bloomed nonstop all summer!




Zexmenia, another nonstop summer/fall bloomer, is very drought tolerant.





The 'John Fanick' Phlox blooms are hanging on for a little while longer.


 
Rain lilies are always a sweet surprise









The huge, fragrant, trumpet-like blooms of Datura attract pollinating hawk moths at night.  Also known as moonflower and jimsonweed.



Lycoris radiata (red spider lily) is a perennial bulb that blooms each fall.  Its strap-like leaves appear after the blooms fade.



'Black and Blue' Salvia (Salvia guaranitica) blooms all summer into the fall. Hummingbirds love the tubular blooms.



Senna (cassia) grows at least
6 to 8 feet tall and wide. 

The hotter it gets, the more it blooms!







Mexican Butterfly Weed
(Asclepias curassavica) 
is an essential larval and nectar plant for attracting Monarchs on their fall migration to Mexico.






Another Monarch magnet for the fall garden is Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha).  This is the dwarf form called 'Santa Barbara,' which grows about 3 feet tall and wide.



 Katie's ruellia (Dwarf Mexican Petunia) is my "go-to" plant for a small filler at the front of the perennial garden.




Bright foliage and lavender blooms make
Variegated Liriope indispensable at the edge of the perennial border, as well.  
Even the fading blooms of the hydrangea are still beautiful.  
The variegated foliage of the common spider plant and the purple foliage of the wandering jew create one of my favorite color combinations.



Rose of Sharon (Althea)
is still blooming strong.   Althea can be grown in tree form, or it can be cut back drastically in February to keep it as a shrub.



Annual Hyacinth Bean Vine's fragrant blooms will soon give way to decorative burgundy seed pods.    








Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea)
                                in pink or red are reseeding annuals.





 Purple Coneflower (Echinacea),
'Snow Hill' Salvia (Salvia nemerosa),
and annual Melampodium
make a cheerful combination



'Henry Duelberg' Salvia (blue)
 and 'Augusta Duelberg' Salvia (white)
 (Salvia farinacea) 
bloom nonstop from spring until
the first frost.    




'African Blue' Basil buzzes with bee activity all summer long.  A 4-inch bedding plant will reach
3 feet tall and wide very quickly.  




Chocolate Plant or
Pseuderanthemum alatum
was given to me by a fellow
Master Gardener.   

The tiny lavender/pink blooms are an added bonus above the bronze and silvery foliage.





I  hope you have enjoyed your stroll through my September garden.  As you can see, there's lots going on this time of year!   Recent rains and the cooler temps that have finally arrived make for some happy plants -- and gardeners!

Fall is THE time to plant any of the perennials I've highlighted in this post.   Nursery stock may not be as abundant as it is in the spring, but you can usually find some good deals on plants.   So I hope you get some time to dig in the dirt and add some great perennials to your garden this fall!

Until next time...happy gardening!

Toni :-)

1 comment:

  1. Oh lovely every one! I'm quite challenged in gardening because of my shade Toni. We bought our house in the woods in April 09. Before that I lived in the sunny tundra of northern NY. Quite a change!! I'm learning about southern gardening, bugs!!, and shade. It's a tough go! There is hope tho, I have a sunny field down by the road. And I have plans!! Thanks for the inspiration Toni!

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