Wednesday, September 15, 2021

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

Welcome to my Garden!

It's September 15th and time for another walk in the garden for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. As the temperatures start to moderate into the mid to upper 70's, there is a slight feeling of autumn in the air. While some of the mid-summer blooms continue their display, the next set of seasonal interest is underway. Come along with me for a tour of my Long Island zone 7 garden.
Thanks for Visiting!
Let's start the tour with the newest welcome sign that I found on a trip out east this past week. I saw it and could not resist, for as most of you may know, I have a love of sunflowers. The sign was purchased on the way back from visiting the North Fork sunflower maze here on the island in Mattituck, a favorite on my go to list each summer.
Double Knock Out Rose 
While the sunflowers are blooming out east, my Double Red Knock Out Roses continue to thrive and push out blooms along the back patio garden. The blooms are continuous through fall.
Yaku Jima Maiden Grass & Sedum 'Brilliant'
Along the pool garden, September brings Sedum blooms. I have several varieties and this one is Sedum 'Brilliant'. It lies against a backdrop of  'Yaku Jima' Dwarf Maiden Grass, which stays upright and compact, reaching a height of about 4 feet tall with its plumes. This particular Sedum stays at a compact size of just 12-18 inches tall.
Simply Purr...fect!!
On the other side of the patio is this garden statue that my mom had bought for me many years ago. I love it, as it reminds me of  her and the smile she had the moment she saw it.
Sedum 'Brilliant'
Here is another look at Sedum 'Brilliant' up close. The blooms are exceptionally vivid this year.
Daylily Still Blooming in September!
What is this...Stella D' Oro Daylily still blooming? After a total rejuvenation (one which I perform every year), it has formed new foliage and blooms to bring the garden through fall. This one resides along the back patio.
Back Shade Garden
In the back shade garden, Liriope muscari 'Big Blue' is blooming with its spikes of vibrant purple flowers.
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue' (Lilyturf)
Its blooms are also very vibrant this year. We have been getting a lot of rain and this plant thrives on that.
Back Shade Area-Secret Garden
To the right of the liriope is a path which is somewhat hidden until you come up to it. At the end of the path is a miniature bird bath with two sparrows and the saying "Look at the Sparrow as he holds tomorrow". This part of the garden has been known as the "secret garden" when visitors come to visit.
Back Shade Garden
Here is another view of the shade garden with Leucothoe 'Axillaris', Variegated Boxwood and Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass).
St. John's Wort Late Summer
On the opposite side of the path is Hypericum (St. John's Wort). It produces yellow blooms in summer, but I think I am more fascinated with these berries it produces late summer into fall. 
Echibeckia Summerina 'Blazing Fire'
Echibeckia is still blooming for the third month in a row. Love this new plant!
A Little Garden Whimsy
Come along to the opposite side of the pool garden. If you take a peak behind the Sky Pencil Holly, a stature of a girl and boy playing becomes visible among a planting of Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Caramel'.
Kousa Dogwood Fruit Late Summer
Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves' is producing its bright red fruit for late summer into fall...
Sedum 'Thundercloud'
and Sedum 'Thundercloud' is displaying its soft pinkish-white blooms that resemble fluffy clouds in the late summer sky.
Mandevilla Still Blooming!
Along the patio, Mandevilla continues its non-stop blooms into fall. This has been the best season I have ever seen with this tropical vine, which I wish would survive all year in our climate!
Front Entrance Garden
As we get towards the end of the tour of my September garden, let's stroll along the front of the property to see what blooms we can find.
Front Walkway-Evergreen Walk
The Variegated Liriope is now in its bloom season, producing spikes of purple flowers against its variegated green and white foliage.
Liriope 'Variegata'
Here is a closer look!
Foliage Combination Front Garden
A foliage combination I often use is that of Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Palace Purple' with the blue foliage of Blue Star Juniper, golden foliage of Hinoki Cypress 'Verdoni' and the variegated foliage of the liriope.
Blue Atlas Cedar & Hydrangea 'Tardivia'
Here are the late summer blooms of Hydrangea 'Tardivia' against the blue foliage of Blue Atlas Cedar in the backdrop. 
September Long Island Garden
Thank you for visiting my September garden. I hope you enjoyed your visit and as always, I look forward to hearing from you and seeing what's growing in your neck of the woods! 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 Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden

A GUIDE TO NORTHEASTERN GARDENING NEWS:

I recently had the pleasure of joining Kathy Jentz from Washington Gardener Magazine on her GardenDC Podcast and it was like talking with an old friend. We discussed the low maintenance garden and every thing else to do with gardening, including an into to my newest book. Thank you Kathy for having me! If you would like to listen to her podcast, visit here at GardenDC Podcast.

If you haven't already done so, and would like to stay informed of new posts, there is a new follow.it subscription service at the top right side of this page to replace the feedburner app which will no longer send e-mail notifications in the future. You may have already received an e-mail to confirm your subscription to continue receiving posts. 

If you are a gardener or wanting to learn more about garden design and maintenance, you may enjoy my books. To learn more, visit 
My Author Page. I have written four books to pass along my knowledge and experiences as a landscape designer and gardener, which I have been all my life! They are A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9Landscape Design CombinationsDream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener and my latest Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

Be well and As Always...Happy Gardening! 😊

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Feature Shrub: Hydrangea Fire Light Tidbit-Compact, Long-Blooming and Fabulous!

This Month in the Garden
Welcome to This Month in the Garden! There's a new hydrangea in town and it's the tiniest panicle hydrangea yet! Developed by the growers at Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs, this new dwarf cultivar, Hydrangea, Fire Light Tidbit, reaches a size of just 2-3' tall by wide! Hardy in USDA zones 3-8, 'Fire Light Tidbit' produces large, lush panicles of white mophead flowers from mid summer to fall on a compact plant that can fit into the smallest of spaces!

Hydrangea Fire Light Tidbit Mid-Summer

Initially, lime green blooms mature and turn to white. As the summer progresses, blooms begin to develop bright pinkish-red tones near the end of August, which keep the interest coming right on up until the first frost.
Hydrangea Fire Light Tidbit Late Summer (Photo Credit: Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs)
Another special attribute is that this new cultivar produces an array of colorful autumn foliage, an unusual trait in panicle hydrangeas. Stems are sturdy, creating a neat, mounded shrub that's a perfect fit in foundation plantings, flower gardens, landscape borders and even containers!
Hydrangea Fire Light Tidbit Fall Foliage (Photo Credit: Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs)
PLANTING & MAINTENANCE: Plant this cultivar in full sun to part shade in a moderately moist, well-drained soil. Blooms of the upcoming season form on new wood, so pruning can be performed by cutting back the main branches by one-third in late winter or early spring. Pruning can also be performed in late fall, once the plant has gone completely dormant. To encourage robust blooms and a healthy plant, it is recommended to feed your hydrangea in early spring using a slow release granular fertilizer. 
Hydrangea Size Comparison Chart (Photo Credit: Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs)

I have this hydrangea growing in my garden and it was love at first sight! As a designer, I am always looking for new cultivars that are compact, colorful and low maintenance, and this shrub has it all.

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden for September. Be sure to stop by on the 1st. and 15th. of each month as I continue to share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! (Linking with: Floral FridaysMacro Monday 2Ruby Tuesday and Image-in-ing Weekly Photo Link-Up.

 My Author Page and Books


Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2021. All rights reserved.