Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up September 2016: Late Summer Views

September 2016 Garden

Welcome to another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up! The month of September has arrived and there are subtle signs of the seasons starting to change.  After a week with Hurricane Hermine lingering off the eastern coastline, we have finally received the much needed rainfall that we have been waiting for all summer. It's much more comfortable in the garden now, for the temperatures are stabilizing in the 80's after a long, hot and dry summer. There is a combination of new growth and continuing blooms in the landscape, along with seed heads of past blooms and grasses pluming for autumn. Come along and walk with me in my Long Island September garden.

Pool Garden

Many of the blooms by the pool garden are done for their season, so now its time for the foliage to shine, as evergreens along with deciduous trees take front stage.  The Dwarf Maiden Grasses are starting to form their plumes (which we'll take a closer look at later), and the foliage of Weeping Japanese Maple and Caramel Coral Bells is looking more prominent.

Perennial Border

The perennial border is starting to look a little fall-like as Echinacea 'Pow Wow' and Astilbe 'Pumilla' show their seed heads and Lamb's Ear displays its upright flower spikes. Dwarf Fountain Grass 'Hameln' is forming its plumes in the backdrop in preparation for its autumn show. As the garden changes throughout the seasons, I always enjoy the new views.

Northwest Garden

Here is the northwest garden with Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Gold Mop Cypress, Dwarf Butterfly Bush Low & Behold 'Blue Chip' and Heuchera 'Caramel'...

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux' September

and the voluminous blooms of  Crape Myrtle 'Sioux', which takes center stage on one of the island beds in the backyard.

'Stella D Oro' Daylily September

Daylily 'Stella D Oro' has all new foliage and is re-blooming in September after I did a rejuvenation on it in August.  

'Stella D Oro' Daylily September next to Peony Foliage

Here are some of the blooms close up!

Bumble Bee on Dwarf Butterfly Bush

Speaking of up close and personal, this little bumble bee visitor had no issues with me being in his face with the camera.  He was too busy collecting pollen from the butterfly bush and was covered in it...making for one happy bee!

Double Red Knock Out Roses September

Along with Butterfly Bush blooms are the blooms of Double Knock Out Rose, which continue throughout the entire summer from June until frost. We are looking at the red variety here, while the pink is below.

Pink Knock Out Roses September

They continue to be one of my favorite long-blooming shrubs in the garden. 

Garden Visitor

Besides blooms, there are many visitors to the garden, including this little sparrow who frequents the birdbath. He's enjoying his solitude for now, for later on there will be a massive bathing frenzy, with water splashing everywhere as others join in.

Shade Garden

As we approach the back area of the property, there is a hidden shade garden with a path leading to it. A collection of plants known for their foliage thrive here, with selections such as Leucothoe, Boxwood, Yew, Hosta and Japanese Hakonechloa Grass.

Front Walkway

Along the front walkway, Variegated Liriope is now in full bloom with spikes of bright purple flowers that appear from September through frost...

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and Sedum

and Sedum 'Brilliant' sports its bright pink blooms as well.

Updated Southwest Lamppost Garden

As we move back along to the front driveway entrance, we pass by the newly renovated lamppost garden. The tall grasses that had resided there have been replaced with Spirea 'Magic Carpet', which will produce blooms all summer, along with Salvia 'Caradonna' and Agastache 'Kudos Yellow'. So far the plants seem to be happy in their new home.

Southeast Lamppost Garden

On the other side of the driveway is the established cottage-style garden with coreopsis, nepeta and coneflowers.

Front East Garden

To the left of the lamppost garden is my mature Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, one of the two that are on the property. This particular one spans approximately twenty feet.

Hydrangea 'Tardivia' September

Along the north side is Panicle Hydrangea 'Tardivia' with its creamy white elongated blooms. This variety blooms later than many of the other hydrangeas, creating interest for the later part of the summer and into fall.

Variegated Liriope September

Let's take a look at some more foliage. Here is Liriope, which displays its wonderful variegated foliage all season long with blooms as an added punch...

Weigela 'Spilled Wine'

Weigela 'Spilled Wine', with its lovely burgundy foliage...

Heuchera 'Caramel' with Golden Japanese Sedge

and another glance at Heuchera 'Caramel', along with Golden Japanese Sedge. The Weigela 'Spilled Wine' is my newest additions to the garden. Not only is the foliage wonderful, but it also produces bright pink blooms in spring. Hopefully it will overwinter well so I can look forward to the blooms next year. 

Still Enjoying the Birdbath!

As our garden stroll comes to an end, I believe the same little visitor is still enjoying his alone time at the birdbath.  As we exit, we pass by some familiar foliage...

Leucothoe 'Auxillis' and Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'.

and some new, as we view the plumes of Dwarf Maiden Grass very close up.

Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' September Plume

Add some garden whimsy...

Garden Whimsy

and some sunflowers in a vase...

Sunflowers In a Vase on Monday

and our tour is complete.

September Garden 2016

I  hope you enjoyed your stroll through my September garden. Special thanks go out to our hostesses Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Pam at Digging for hosting Foliage Follow-Up.  I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Today's Flowers, Floral Fridays, I Heart Macro, Macro Monday 2, and Nature Notes at Rambling Woods.  Also check out What's Blooming This Week Garden Update, In a Vase on Monday at Rambling in the Garden, Garden Bloggers' Foliage Day and Saturday's Critters.

For more gardening tips and design information, you may be interested in my published book, A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer (Gardening in Zones 3-9).  If you have read my book and found it to be helpful, please consider leaving a short review on Amazon. Your help would be very much appreciated!

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2016. All rights reserved