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

Welcome to my September Garden!

As the years pass by, the month of September has become one of my favorite times in the garden as temperatures moderate into the upper 70's, blue skies are frequent and humid days turn into less humid ones. There is a slight crispness as the cooler breezes rush in during the mornings and evenings and the landscape transitions from summer into Fall. Join me to see what is blooming in my late summer Long Island garden.

September Garden

Grab a beverage and come along!

Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) 'Sioux'

The end of July through September is Crape Myrtle season and this Lagerstroemia 'Siox' is showing off its bountiful blooms. Crape Myrtle are cold hardy to USDA zone 6, and growers keep working on developing stronger and more cold tolerant cultivars so they can be grown here in our zone 7a climate. I planted this tree at just a few feet tall in a large patio container some twenty-something years ago until it was transferred to this island bed. It now towers at over 20 feet tall and its deep pink blooms never cease to amaze me.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

Standing from the patio and looking out, you can see a long view of the island bed with Juniperus 'Gold Lace' to the left, Hydrangea and Skip Laurel in the backdrop and Blue Globe Spruce in the foreground. 

Dwarf Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) 'Pugster Blue'

Another favorite in the garden for September is dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue'. With its fragrant blooms, this shrub is a pollinator magnet for a variety of butterflies and bumblebees, and sometimes I even get to experience a hummingbird moth hovering around it!

Dwarf Maiden Grass Plumes 

At this time of the year, dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaki Jima' is showing its interesting plumes in the back pool garden. Beneath Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' is Sedum 'Brilliant' with its attractive light green foliage and deep pink blooms.

Stachys (Lamb's Ear) and Astilbe Late Summer

The Lamb's Ear bordering the perennial garden seems to look much brighter this time of year against the foliage of Astilbe, which is going into autumn mode.

Long Time Resident Tree

I had to show a view of this very mature Ash that was planted on our corner almost 40 years ago when it was just 10 feet high. It was planted by our neighbor down the street who has always had a love of horticulture like myself. He recently moved to South Carolina, but leaves his legacy behind!

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar

With the Ash in the background, you can now get a view of the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (foreground), Skyland's Oriental Spruce (right) and Coral Bark Maple (center). You may notice how the back (southern) portion of the Maple is already changing color. That is from the salty air that blew in with Tropical Storm Isaias in August. You can see this happening all over Long Island, as we are southern bordered by the Great South Bay. 

Sedum 'Pure Joy' and Dwarf Japanese Cedar 

Follow me along to the front! This is Sedum 'Pure Joy' in front of Dwarf Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria Globusa Nana) on the front island bed. Sedum 'Pure Joy' is hardy in USDA zones 3-9 and grows to just 12 inches high. Cryptomeria Globusa Nana is hardy in USDA zones 5-7 and grows to a compact height and width of approximately 2-3 feet.

Variegated Liriope (Lillyturf)

Here is another compact evergreen, Pinus mugo 'Slowmound' bordering the walkway along with Variegated Liriope. This combination is perfect for a narrow or small space.

Sedum 'Brilliant' and Mugo Pine

Here is another view of  Sedum 'Brilliant' in the front garden bed. This cultivar is smaller and more compact than 'Autumn Joy', standing at a height of 12-18 inches high.

Sedum 'Brilliant'

Pollinators love the Sedum this time of year!

Sedum (Stonecrop) Thundercloud

Here is another cultivar of Stonecrop, Sedum 'Thundercloud', in its second year in my garden. This variety grows in a low mound to just 12 inches tall by wide and displays jagged gray-green foliage and white blooms that resemble clouds. It is hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and blooms mid-late summer.

Hemerocallis (Daylily) 'Stella D Oro'

Here is 'Stella D Oro' Daylily sporting its last round of blooms. I love how this plant just keeps on giving! A little deadheading-rejuvenation is all it takes.

Hydrangea 'Tardivia' Tree Form

As we venture over to the northeastern side of the property, here is Hydrangea 'Tardivia' (hardy in USDA zones 3-8) with its fragrant panicle blooms that start in August and last through fall. It's lacy white flowers develop a pink hue as the season progresses. 

Hydrangea 'Tardivia' Blooms

I enjoy the beauty of the flowers and they are also excellent for putting into a vase to bring inside.

Coreposis 'Zagreb'

Here is a perennial that just keeps on giving from June until Fall. Coreopsis 'Zagreb' (hardy in USDA zones 3-9) is still blooming in the driveway border! 

Pollinators Love Coreposis 'Zagreb'

While the season is winding down, the pollinators are very happy!

Double Knock Out Roses in September

Double Knock Out Rose is still blooming! I absolutely love this plant as it blooms June through frost and can be seen right outside my window.

Double Knock Out Rose

Getting up close and personal to take in its mild fragrance is nice too!

Long Island Life

As our tour comes to an end, I'll leave you with a little Long Island life. The Great South Bay is just a couple of miles down the road south of us and I will often stop at the pier after working to take in the cool breezes off the bay and visit the seagulls that perch there. It's a wonderful way to top off a day and appreciate all that nature as to offer.

September Garden-Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my September 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 Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-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 Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays. 

~Sharing my knowledge and passion of gardening~

My Author Page and Books

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations 

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

As Always...Happy Gardening! 😊

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