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| August 2017 Garden |
Welcome to my garden and to another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-up for the month of August. It's time once again to come along with me to see what is blooming in my Long Island garden!
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| Dried Allium Seed Head |
The month of August has brought a combination of warm days in the 90's, followed by rain showers and cooler days in the 80's. Overall, it has been a relatively comfortable summer season for both the garden and its visitors. With a cool start to the summer season, I have noticed that some of the later blooms have have been a bit delayed, but only by a couple of weeks. Some of the newer additions over the past couple of years have brought even more blooms to the late summer garden, complementing the more mature plantings.
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| Back Patio Garden |
As we start our stroll, the patio garden is alive with blooms of Platycodon (Balloon Flower) and Echinacea. There are subtle signs of summer ending and autumn on the way as hosta finish their blooms and ornamental fountain grasses start to form their feathery plumes.
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| Balloon Flower (left) and Echinacea Pow Wow 'WIld Berry' (right) |
The variety of Balloon flower seen here is Platycodon grandiflorus' komachi'. The blooms on this cultivar remain as puffy "balloons" and do not open like other varieties you may be familiar with. The recent addition of Echinacea 'Wild Berry' behind the Balloon Flowers makes for a great color combination during the late summer months.
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| Platycodon grandiflorus' komachi' Balloon Flower |
Here are the large blooms of the Balloon Flower close up as we pass along the walkway area towards the patio.
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| Mandevilla |
This beautiful potted Mandevilla was given to me by a dear friend. I have never had one before and am enjoying its lovely blooms that just keep on giving.
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| Mandevilla Close Up |
Here are the blooms close up!
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| Dwarf Butterfly Bush and Bumble Bee Visitor |
The garden is full of pollinators during the month of August, as this Bumble Bee enjoys some nectar.
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| Back Raised Garden Bed Long View with Dwarf Butterfly Bush (center) and Roses (right) |
Dwarf Butterfly Bush, Buddleia Lo & Behold 'Blue Chip' is in full bloom for August, and will continue throughout September with its fragrant purple flowers.
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| Dwarf Butterfly Bush with Painted Lady Butterfly |
As you can see, the shrub attracts many pollinators such as this 'Painted Lady' butterfly, that has been hovering around the shrub for days.
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| Hemerocallis 'Pardon Me' (Daylily) |
Hemerocallis 'Pardon Me' has been blooming for a few weeks now in the western garden. I just rejuvenated my 'Stella D' Oro' Daylilies, so they should be re-blooming into September and October.
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| Dwarf Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar' (Dwarf Black Eyed Susan) |
I added these Rudbeckia to the northwestern border garden last summer. They started blooming back in July and will continue for quite sometime into mid-fall. Because they are a dwarf variety, they stay at a compact height of just 12-24 inches. Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar' is hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and prefers full sun.
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| Echinacea 'Pow Wow' Wild Berry |
Looking for some bright late summer blooms? Here is a new improved variety of Echinacea named for its darker non-fading berry-pink blooms (as the name implies). Plants stay compact at a height of just 12-24 inches tall, prefer full sun, and are hardy in zones 4-9.
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| Garden Boy and Gal |
A garden needs some whimsy and this adorable pair have resided here for many years. I get a smile each time I pass them by.
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| Hydrangea Tardivia August |
Around to the front northern side of the property, Hydrangea 'Tardivia' displays its blooms and this tree form never disappoints! Voluminous pure white semi-fragrant blooms start in late July and last throughout August and sometimes into September.
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| Colocasia (Giant Elephant Ear) |
New to the patio area is Colocasia or Giant Elephant Ear. I bought the bulb while picking out some plants for a job at the nursery and thought it might be fun to try. The plant keeps producing giant three foot long leaves that look like they are from prehistoric time. The plant that now stands at a height of about six feet tall and is starting to look like "Audry 2" from Little Shop of Horrors, and I love it!
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| Morning Glory |
In the same planter is purple Potato Vine and Morning Glory trailing over the edge. The Morning Glory Vine just presented its first delightful bloom, right in time for Bloom Day!
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| Dianthus 'Raspberry Surprise'August |
Dianthus 'Raspberry Surprise' is a new addition that replaced some aging Heuchera back in early June. It bloomed profusely for about a month, and after some deadheading, it is re-blooming for the month of August. It's delicate light pink blooms are also fragrant!
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| Crape Myrtle Sioux |
For more late summer blooms, Lagerstromeia (Crape Myrtle) Sioux is starting to display its beautiful deep pink blossoms. This tree has been a member of the back raised garden bed for over 20 years and continues to amaze me every time it blooms. Let's get up close and personal with its large fragrant blooms!
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| Lamp post Garden |
Yellow Coreopsis 'Zagreb' and bluish-purple Nepeta 'Walkers Low' continue to bloom throughout the summer and into fall, as Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' displays its variety of differently colored blooms all on the same plant in late summer. White the Coreopsis and Nepeta stay at a height of approximately 18-24 inches 'Cheyenne Spirit' grows a bit higher and reaches approximately 2-3 feet.
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| Lillium Stargazer |
Here is Stargazer Lily. It is located in the back pool garden and although it is just about done with its bloom, it is worth sharing. The blooms are short lived from the end of July through the first week in August, but are worth the wait, and their fragrance is amazing.
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| Pool Garden |
Here is a long view of the pool gardens with a mixture of weeping and dwarf evergreens, perennials and grasses. Dried Allium 'Globemaster' seed heads (photo far right) remain as a reminder of the earlier summer months gone by.
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| Double Knock Out Rose Pink |
In the back garden bed Double Knock Out Roses continue to amaze with their beautiful double fragrant blooms, that will continue through to the first frost.
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| Double Knock Out Rose Red 'Radrazz' |
'Radrazz' is the original member of the Double Knock Out Roses and was the first variety of Knock Outs that I introduced into my gardens. Did I mention how much I adore their blooms?
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| Sedum spirium 'Dragon's Blood' (Dragon's Blood Stonecrop) |
Last, but not least is the late summer blooming Sedum 'Dragon's Blood'. Green leaves with red margins become brilliant red in cooler temperatures, with vibrant deep pink blooms in August that last for months. This ground cover variety of Sedum grows to approximately four to six inches in height and is hardy in USDA zones 3-9.
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| August 2017 Garden |
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Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2017. All rights reserved
