Thursday, September 15, 2022

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 strongand 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 FotosFriday Bliss at Floral Passions, Macro 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 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)

20 comments:

  1. Enjoyed your late summer garden. I can get slightly envious of southern New York State gardeners (I live in the Southern Tier, zone 5b) for their ability to grow crepe myrtles. The mandevilla surprised me, though I see you have it in a container. I've never seen a St. John's Wort bloom - beautiful! I have a tree of life ring - I should start wearing it again. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    1. Yes…we are fortunate to be able to grow Crape Myrtle here in zone 7 and the Mandevilla will only survive outdoors in summer, so it is treated as an annual here. I have always admired the meaning behind the tree of life so I was happy to find this wind chime to add to my collection! Thanks for visiting! I’m headed over to visit you now!

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  2. Sedum 'Pure Joy' is well-named, Lee. That's one succulent (along with Sempervivum) that doesn't want to grow in my climate. I admire your Liriope too - the foliage of the no-name L. muscari I grow almost entirely hides the flowers. Happy GBBD!

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    1. Thank you Kris! When you say there are only a few blooms, that means there are still many! Your garden is spectacular in every season and I always look forward to the visit. Your Dahlia and Zinnia collection is amazing in my eyes!

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  3. Such pretty sedum, especially the Pure Joy.

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    1. Thank you Lisa and you do have quite a few blooms for late summer. I enjoyed the visit!

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  4. I always enjoy my monthly visits to your garden. Beautiful!

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    1. I enjoy mine to your garden as well! Your Crape Myrtle and Beautyberry are especially beautiful! I always enjoy the Callicarpa more for its brilliant purple berries in late summer into fall and someday will get one in my garden.

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  5. Beautiful garden in September, Lee. I like the spider hosta and hydrangea. They are really fall plants.

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    1. Your late summer garden is beautiful Nadezda! I especially love the Sedum and Ligularia blooms and that you have so many wonderful edibles, which all look delicious by the way. I am holding onto every second of summer until the first day of fall officially arrives, but am also looking forward to the beauty that the cooler temperatures have to bring. Stay well and it is always a pleasure visiting you!

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  6. I love your garden, a great mix of colors and textures.

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    1. Thank you so much for visiting and for your kind words. Have a great week ahead!

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  7. Beautiful! It seems what grows best in my garden this year is weeds. Yours is a stunner!
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2022/09/probably-coolest-carousel-ever.html

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    1. Thank you Sue and thanks for hosting. I always enjoy your photography!

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  8. Your beautiful photos of the outstanding garden fills me with joy. Even gave me a fun time as I was saying the names of the plants that I remembered from my garden years ago.

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    1. Aww…thank you and it makes me happy that this could bring back some memories!

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  9. That 'Knock Out' rose is luscious, as are all the blooms you feature here...along with the foliage. I'm glad your late summer weather conditions are pleasant. Ours have been, too. :)

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    1. Thank you Beth. We just experienced an abundance of rain here in the northeast, remnants from the hurricane over the past three days, so the drought is over. Also the fall colors are arriving earlier than usual.

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  10. I always enjoy my monthly check in at your garden after I publish my own monthly garden check. My mandevilla usually looks as full as yours, but this year, it faltered. You remind me that I also have Sedum Brilliant, but I think I have it sited poorly, and it gets overshadowed. I think I’ll move it next year so it can shine.

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    1. Thank you Robin. I always enjoy my visit to your garden as well. Happy Fall!

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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!