Saturday, August 15, 2020

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up August: Blooms, Visitors & Adventures

Welcome to my August Garden!

Welcome to my August Garden! It has been an eventful month (to say the least) here in the Long Island northeastern garden. Tropical Storm Isaias arrived on a Tuesday afternoon on the 4th of August with high winds gusting to 60 miles per hour, followed by the power going out at 3 pm, and not returning until three days later. There were trees and branches down everywhere, and I cringed as I watched the garden with each gust of wind. Thankfully, the garden was spared. We are still in the process of cleaning up, but all is good.
Lillium 'Stargazer'
Before we visit what is currently blooming, here is a flashback from before the storm. A heat wave at the end of July sparked the Lillium 'Stargazer' to bloom a little earlier than usual. They were exceptionally beautiful this year, so I thought I would share.
Littlium 'Stargazer'
The plants were just loaded with fragrant blooms!
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
After several years of putting out a variety of hummingbird feeders, we finally have a regular visitor! This Ruby-Throated Hummingbird has returned for a second season and has made our home his feeding station. He flies back and forth all day between the Magnolia tree in the back garden, taking a momentary stop at the Hosta blooms, and then to the feeder right by our patio. I can hear the humming of his wings and little tweeting noises he produces as he enjoys the nectar. Seeing his presence is so much fun and we get excited every time our visitor comes by!
Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan) 'Little Goldstar'
Here is Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar', a dwarf form of Black Eyed Susan. It stays nice and compact (14-24 inches tall x 18 inches wide), blooms mid-late summer and stays where you plant it. In the foreground are  Hosta blooms, which are an attraction to hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Patio Garden-Buddleia 'Pugster Blue'
August is Butterfly Bush time and this Buddleia 'Pugster Blue' is showing off its fragrant deep purple-blue blooms. It is literally a butterfly magnet! Butterflies of various types are attracted to and visit the plant constantly. We even got a visit (for the second year in a row) from the hummingbird moth.
Swallowtail Butterfly on Buddleia
Here is a Swallowtail Butterfly visitor. He frequents the blooms several times a day and cannot get enough!
Pollinator!
Bumblebees are hard at work too!
Agastache 'Rosie Posie' Hyssop
New to the garden this year is Agastache (Hyssop) 'Rosie Posie'. Hardy in USDA zones 6-9, this is one of the longest blooming varieties of Hyssop and grows to a height of about 22 inches. I am hoping it does well and will become as a longtime member of the garden.
Platycodon (Balloon Flower)
Here is Platycodon (Balloon Flower) blooming in the August garden. This perennial never ceases to amaze me with its interesting "balloon-shaped" blue blooms. It is always a conversation piece for visitors too.
Waterfall Extension
What does one do during a pandemic and heat wave? An obsessive gardener like myself would go to the nursery with the pick-up truck and load it with hundreds of pounds of moss rock boulders. After too many complaints from hubby about soil getting into the pool, I did a renovation of the two sides of the pool waterfall using the moss rock to extend it on both sides. After ripping out a very stubborn and overgrown ground-cover shrub that had served its time, I placed the rock to prevent erosion from the slope. Mission accomplished and hubby is happy!
Astilbe 'Sprite'
Back to the tour! If you are looking for a variety of Astilbe that blooms much later after all the others, here is Astilbe 'Sprite'.  It displays delicate foliage and light pink blooms, that last for several weeks.
Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'
It's Crape Myrtle season! Here is Lagersstroemia indica 'Sioux' with its deep pink blooms. 'Sioux' is one of the larger forms of Crape Mytle and reaches about twenty to twenty-five in height. I have had this tree for many years and was so worried about it during the storm. It had lost some major branches two years ago during a severe winter and has been recovering nicely, so I was concerned.
Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'
Here is a view of the full tree. I have allowed the trunks to multiply, as I love the massiveness of the tree.
Crape Myrtle 'Sioux' Peeling Bark
Crape Myrtles are also known for their exfoliating bark, exposing various colors as it peels away to uncover a new layer.
Sedum 'Brilliant' Almost Blooming!
As we stroll around to the southern garden, here is Sedum 'Brilliant' getting ready to bloom. It's a lovely plant for its foliage, even when it's not blooming. Watch for it in next month's garden tour!
Echibeckia Summerina 'Blazing Fire'
Here is another new addition to the perennial border for this year. Echibeckia is a new cultivar combining the features of Echinacea and Rudbeckia all into one! Echibeckia Summerina 'Blazing Fire' grows to a height and width of 16-24 inches high by 18-24 inches wide and prefers full sun. It blooms early summer to autumn. I hope this one does well in the garden!
Daylily 'Stella D Oro'
Last but not least is Stella D' Oro Daylily, still blooming with just a little deadheading! I love how this variety just keeps on giving!
Long Island August Sunset
With summer storms also come summer sunsets, and this one was one of the most beautiful views I have seen in a long time. 
August Sunset in the Garden
Nature certainly has its moments!
Thank you for visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my August garden. As always, I thank you for being here and enjoy hearing from you. Special thanks go out to our hostess 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. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday FotosMacro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Homestead Blog Hop and Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays. 

~Sharing my knowledge and passion of gardening~

My Author Page and Books


Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2020. All rights reserved.

42 comments:

  1. Happy to see your lovely garden and to know it was spared too much damage from the hurricane! Lovely blooms!

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    1. As always, thank you for hosting Carol. I always enjoy celebrating on the 15th of each month!

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  2. Beautiful sunset shot. I must have 'Little Goldstar,' I have a few black-eyed Susan plants that are small and short like that. Seeds are sometimes just labeled "Black-eyed Susan," which isn't enough. I have never seen balloon flower in person. It certainly is odd.

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    1. Thank you Lisa! I enjoyed all your lovely blooms, and the pineapple mint sounds interesting! Thank you for stopping by and Happy Bloom Day!

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  3. It is good to hear that you and your garden avoided damage from the storm. My Stargazer lily fizzled from a heat wave so it only was pretty a few days. I love that little astilbe.

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    1. Phillip-your gardens are spectacular and I love your combinations of color and texture. The Persicaria 'Blackfield' with Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Redhead' combination is perfect!

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  4. Every time I think your garden couldn't get any better, Lee, it does! You took my breath away with those lilies. I just ordered some lily tree bulbs to plant in my own garden even though they never last long in my climate. Your crape myrtle is fabulous too. My California native toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) abruptly died recently, probably of the pathogen that causes "sudden oak death," and I'm now wondering if I can squeeze in a crape myrtle in once the toyon comes down. I'm glad you missed the worst of Isaias too!

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    1. Kris-you always make my day with your kind words. Your gardens are always so beautiful and visiting them virtually always gives me a smile. Your Amaryllis and Zinnias are breathtaking as are all your combinations of colors and textures. We got that heat wave a few weeks ago and it was brutal. Is is now being followed by cooler temperatures and frequent rain showers.

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  5. Beautiful!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

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    1. Happy Bloom Day Lea! Your Crape Myrtles are beautiful and I love your captures of the varieties of butterflies enjoying the blooms.

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  6. What an incredible collection of blooms Lea .Although I loved your lilies and platycodons but still that sunset shot took my breath away completely. It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to Gardening here http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2020/08/garden-affair-link-up-party.html
    Thank you

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    1. Thank you Arun and thank you for starting up a new link party! In my opinion, the more gardens I see the better!

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    1. Thank you Maristella. I have always has a fondness towards roses and your tea set is beautiful. Thank you for visiting and for your kind words!

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  8. Oh, your stargazer lily is absolutely stunning! and the balloon flower, will it pop open eventually? your summer flowers are so beautiful!

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    1. The variety of Balloon Flower that I have is called 'Komachi' and it stays as a balloon! Most Platycodon do open, but not this one, which makes it so unusual. All your blooms are so beautiful and I love the bat flower. It is so unusual and intriguing!

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  9. Beautiful garden photos. Happy Monday

    Much🌻love

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  10. Just breathtaking! All are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing all this glory! Have a wonderful week!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words and also for hosting. I enjoyed tagging along on your journey!

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  11. What a stunning garden! Amazing feast for the eyes!
    Thank you for sharing the beauty with us at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-end-of-line.html

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    1. Thank you so much Sue! I enjoyed your post...so interesting and such a great capture. Thank you for sharing and hosting too!

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  12. Gorgeousness abounds in your yard. The colors are so brilliantly rich. We haven't had many butterflies to drink the nectar from the butterfly bush, so I was happy to see visiting birds snacking on the plant. Cheers!

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    1. Thank you! I just read your post about the wildfires and I feel for all of you who live in California. Stay safe and well and thank you for visiting my blog.

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  13. WOW! The lilies are breathtakingly beautiful!!

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    1. I am glad you enjoyed the blooms Veronica! I enjoyed your post...such wonderful memories and the noodle soup looks delicious! I love how the vendors came right down the street! We have ice cream trucks, but that's all!

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  14. Hi Lee :) I'm glad to hear your garden was spared! Scary stuff. Your flowers are gorgeous, I love the colours of that Stargazer! Oh the balloon flowers are so amazing! The sunset photo is beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing such lovely photos! :)

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    1. Thank you for commenting and letting me know that you enjoyed them. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  15. Lee - how I relish these tours of your garden. There is always something new to see - such as the balloon flower - I have not heard of that before. I can imagine how you cringed as the storm raged. Cows are now grazing within a mile of our property and we had to do some emergency fence repair to ensure they don't get on our land. I am still nervous they will break through! Thanks again for sharing your luscious landscape with everyone at Mosaic Monday!

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    1. Aww...thank you so much Angie. I really appreciate your feedback and it makes me so happy that you are enjoying my photos. I enjoyed all your wonderful captures, especially Clements Mountain. It looks as if it were right out of a painting!

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  16. Gorgeous flowers. I love stargazer lillies.
    Dawn aka Spatulas On Parade

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    1. Thank you Dawn! Your photos are really fun! I have always had a fascination with these interesting plants and am in awe over the red topped Amanita jacksonii. I will often walk down by the local pond to capture some interesting fungi, then look up their names to learn more. Sometimes after a good rain they will mysteriously pop up overnight in my garden as well.

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  17. I am in awe of your flowers. The balloon flowers are the most amazing. I have never seen them before.

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    1. The Balloon flowers really are a lot of fun! Your harvest is wonderful and there's nothing like home grown! Thanks for stopping by my blog to say hello and enjoy those veggies!

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  18. Thanks for inviting me into your colorful garden!

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    1. You are welcome and I am glad it gave you a smile! I always enjoy your wonderful photography.

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  19. Lee, you have a beautiful garden, and I'm glad your garden was spared during the storm. Love daylilies and Buddleia. Does Buddleia grow in a tub?
    The sunset photo is awesome, the shot is great.
    I tried to grow Platycodon, but to no avail, they did not winter here. Yours is pretty!

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    1. Thank you Nadezda. I love your August garden. The roses and hydrangea are beautiful and your greenhouse is bursting with those wonderful tomatoes! I enjoyed the visit. Stay safe and well.

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  20. That lily really is stunning, wow! Echibeckia, what a funny name! I’ll be curious to see how it does. I’m having a banner butterfly and sunset summer myself. Funny but I just posted much the same today.

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    1. The Echibeckia was love at first sight! I hope it does well. I loved your post. Butterflies, sunflowers and sunsets are three of my favorite things! Enjoy the remainder of the weekend!

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    1. Thank you! I love all your wonderful succulents and combined so beautifully!

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Thank you for visiting. I love reading your comments and knowing you have been here, and will try to reciprocate on your blog. If you have any questions I will try my very best to answer them. As always...HAPPY GARDENING!