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

Welcome to my Long Island Garden!

Tree of Life

As the summer winds down and the seasons are changing, there are slight hints of autumn with more comfortable temperatures in the 70's to lower 80's and finally some rainfall after seven weeks of drought like conditions. It was one of the hottest and driest summers I can remember here growing up on Long Island.  As the garden is officially in late summer mode, there are blooms to look forward to keep the garden going through fall, with more surprises in store for the winter months. Come along with me for a tour of  my zone 7a garden!

Weeping Norway Spruce and Sedum 'Pure Joy' (Stonecrop)

The first stop along the way is this Weeping Norway Spruce with a surprise below, that of Sedum 'Pure Joy', a more compact 10-12 inch form of Stonecrop with light pink blooms that appear in August and September. I love this compact form, as it stays low to the ground and blooms profusely, displaying a mound of  beautiful late summer color. 

Knock Out Roses

This vibrant red Double Knock Out Rose continues to bloom throughout summer into fall, and will continue to until the first frost. No deadheading is necessary, bit I like to keep the shrubs compact by pinching off higher growth. This encourages more re-blooming too.

Sedum 'Thundercloud'

Another form of groundcover Sedum is that of Sedum 'Thundercloud', displaying flat white blooms that resemble clouds, hence the name. It is low growing to just 10-12 inches high by wide and is an attraction to butterflies!

Liriope 'Big Blue' (Lilyturf)

While I often show Variegated Lilyturf in my garden, here is a look at Liriope 'Big Blue', which is really striking this time of year with its purple blooms. It certainly adds some color to the shade border.

St. John's Wort Late Summer

The St. John's Wort in the back shade garden is pushing out a few more of its yellow flowers along with its pretty red fruits, and next is Pulmonaria showing off its wonderful blue-green speckled foliage. 

Pulmonaria & Heuchera 'Caramel'

The Pulmonaria (Lungwort) resides next to the caramel foliage of Heuchera 'Caramel' (Caramel Coral Bells). Blooms will appear on the Pulmonaria in springtime and the Coral Bells are now finishing up their spikes of delicate pinkish-white flowers.

Shade Garden

Also in the back shade garden is a combination of Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass) with Leucothoe 'Axillaris'. Have I mentioned I love combining foliage?!

Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' and Sedum 'Brilliant'

On the sunnier side of the property along the pool is Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' with its late summer plumes, along with Sedum 'Brilliant', which is a compact, medium sized form of Stonecrop.

Spider Hosta Blooms!

Spider Hosta is always interesting to look at, especially when it is pushing out its deep purple blooms in late summer...

Pollinator!

and it's nice to see some pollinators enjoying the garden.

Daylily 'Stella D Oro' Late Summer

'Stella D Oro' Daylily is generating some new blooms after I rejuvenated it back in July. I love seeing the yellow blooms continue this time of year!

Sedum Groundcover Mix

The Sedum groundcover mix poolside has finished blooming, but the foliage is always interesting to look at. I will leave the dried seed heads for now, just for show and for the birds to enjoy too!

Back Island Bed

During this time of year, Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime' is still beautiful with its white blooms that fade to pink at the summer progresses. The Hydrangea is accompanied by Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta', Mugo Pine, Coral Bells 'Palace Purple' and Crape Myrtle.

Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime'

Here are the voluminous blooms up close!

Evergreen Garden

Behind the Boxwoods along the fence resides my mother's iris garden, which is done now for the season, but  evergreens such as Hinoki Cypress 'Verdoni' and Blue Globe 'Montgomery' Spruce keep the garden going through the fall and winter months.

Mandevilla Vine Late Summer

The Mandevilla Vine by the back entry is still going strong, and Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band' is doing beautifully in the 20 inch planter I have it in from last year.

Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band'

I am enjoying having this colorful and compact hydrangea right on the patio where all can see!

Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my September garden and as always, I look forward to your comments and visiting your garden too! 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, Friday Bliss at Floral Passions, 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 and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.  

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening In the News:

-It has been another busy season in the horticultural world and I am looking forward to retuning to virtual conferences in the fall and meeting up with like minded individuals. 

-My newest book on Shade Gardening is coming along and now undergoing the editing process...more news to come for 2023!

-In the reading world, a friend introduced me to a wonderful read for youngsters, called Garden Gruesome by Nelson R. Elliott. It touches on a different aspect of gardening through the eyes of a child as the author takes the reader through a day in the life of Gruesome Gus, as he explores his first time in the garden. There is a lesson to be learned, there are critters that lurk beneath the blooms! I enjoyed this adorable and educational book as an adult, so I think any child would enjoy it too! (Available on Amazon)

Looking for some gardening help and inspiration? Check out my Author Page & 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 

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden. 

"As Always...Happy Gardening!" 

 Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2022. All rights reserved.