Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up August: Blooms, Visitors & Adventures

Welcome to my August Garden!

Welcome to my August Garden! It has been an eventful month (to say the least) here in the Long Island northeastern garden. Tropical Storm Isaias arrived on a Tuesday afternoon on the 4th of August with high winds gusting to 60 miles per hour, followed by the power going out at 3 pm, and not returning until three days later. There were trees and branches down everywhere, and I cringed as I watched the garden with each gust of wind. Thankfully, the garden was spared. We are still in the process of cleaning up, but all is good.

Lillium 'Stargazer'

Before we visit what is currently blooming, here is a flashback from before the storm. A heat wave at the end of July sparked the Lillium 'Stargazer' to bloom a little earlier than usual. They were exceptionally beautiful this year, so I thought I would share.

Littlium 'Stargazer'

The plants were just loaded with fragrant blooms!

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

After several years of putting out a variety of hummingbird feeders, we finally have a regular visitor! This Ruby-Throated Hummingbird has returned for a second season and has made our home his feeding station. He flies back and forth all day between the Magnolia tree in the back garden, taking a momentary stop at the Hosta blooms, and then to the feeder right by our patio. I can hear the humming of his wings and little tweeting noises he produces as he enjoys the nectar. Seeing his presence is so much fun and we get excited every time our visitor comes by!

Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan) 'Little Goldstar'

Here is Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar', a dwarf form of Black Eyed Susan. It stays nice and compact (14-24 inches tall x 18 inches wide), blooms mid-late summer and stays where you plant it. In the foreground are  Hosta blooms, which are an attraction to hummingbirds and other pollinators.

Patio Garden-Buddleia 'Pugster Blue'

August is Butterfly Bush time and this Buddleia 'Pugster Blue' is showing off its fragrant deep purple-blue blooms. It is literally a butterfly magnet! Butterflies of various types are attracted to and visit the plant constantly. We even got a visit (for the second year in a row) from the hummingbird moth.

Swallowtail Butterfly on Buddleia

Here is a Swallowtail Butterfly visitor. He frequents the blooms several times a day and cannot get enough!

Pollinator!

Bumblebees are hard at work too!

Agastache 'Rosie Posie' Hyssop

New to the garden this year is Agastache (Hyssop) 'Rosie Posie'. Hardy in USDA zones 6-9, this is one of the longest blooming varieties of Hyssop and grows to a height of about 22 inches. I am hoping it does well and will become as a longtime member of the garden.

Platycodon (Balloon Flower)

Here is Platycodon (Balloon Flower) blooming in the August garden. This perennial never ceases to amaze me with its interesting "balloon-shaped" blue blooms. It is always a conversation piece for visitors too.

Waterfall Extension

What does one do during a pandemic and heat wave? An obsessive gardener like myself would go to the nursery with the pick-up truck and load it with hundreds of pounds of moss rock boulders. After too many complaints from hubby about soil getting into the pool, I did a renovation of the two sides of the pool waterfall using the moss rock to extend it on both sides. After ripping out a very stubborn and overgrown ground-cover shrub that had served its time, I placed the rock to prevent erosion from the slope. Mission accomplished and hubby is happy!

Astilbe 'Sprite'

Back to the tour! If you are looking for a variety of Astilbe that blooms much later after all the others, here is Astilbe 'Sprite'.  It displays delicate foliage and light pink blooms, that last for several weeks.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

It's Crape Myrtle season! Here is Lagersstroemia indica 'Sioux' with its deep pink blooms. 'Sioux' is one of the larger forms of Crape Mytle and reaches about twenty to twenty-five in height. I have had this tree for many years and was so worried about it during the storm. It had lost some major branches two years ago during a severe winter and has been recovering nicely, so I was concerned.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

Here is a view of the full tree. I have allowed the trunks to multiply, as I love the massiveness of the tree.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux' Peeling Bark

Crape Myrtles are also known for their exfoliating bark, exposing various colors as it peels away to uncover a new layer.

Sedum 'Brilliant' Almost Blooming!

As we stroll around to the southern garden, here is Sedum 'Brilliant' getting ready to bloom. It's a lovely plant for its foliage, even when it's not blooming. Watch for it in next month's garden tour!

Echibeckia Summerina 'Blazing Fire'

Here is another new addition to the perennial border for this year. Echibeckia is a new cultivar combining the features of Echinacea and Rudbeckia all into one! Echibeckia Summerina 'Blazing Fire' grows to a height and width of 16-24 inches high by 18-24 inches wide and prefers full sun. It blooms early summer to autumn. I hope this one does well in the garden!

Daylily 'Stella D Oro'

Last but not least is Stella D' Oro Daylily, still blooming with just a little deadheading! I love how this variety just keeps on giving!

Long Island August Sunset

With summer storms also come summer sunsets, and this one was one of the most beautiful views I have seen in a long time. 

August Sunset in the Garden

Nature certainly has its moments!

Thank you for visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my August 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 Homestead Blog Hop and 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.

Creating An Inviting Butterfly Garden: 15 Recommended Plants

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Painted Lady Butterflies with Nectar Flowers

Creating a butterfly garden can be fun and rewarding.  For starters, fragrance and color are the two factors that attract butterflies and basically two types of plants are needed; host plants, those that caterpillars feed on, and nectar plants, those that are a food source for adult butterflies.  For example, the host plants for the of the eastern black swallowtail caterpillar are members of the parsley family; especially dill, fennel and carrots while the Monarch caterpillar thrives on Milkweed.  Nectar plants on the other hand include a variety of plants for your garden that will supply a food source and inviting habitat for once the mature butterflies develop.   I have comprised a list of fifteen recommended nectar plants hardy in zones 3-9 with descriptions to guide you in building your own butterfly habitat!

Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High'(Purple Coneflower)

Hardiness: Zones 3-9 

Height & Width: 18-24"

Growing Conditions: Full Sun in Moist, Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: June-September

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum' (Black-eyed Susan)

Hardiness: Zones 4-9 

Height & Width: 24" Tall & Wide 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moist Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: July-September

Buddleia Lo & Behold 'Blue Chip' (Dwarf Butterfly Bush)

 Hardiness: Zones 5-9 

Height & Width: 3' Tall and Wide 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Moist Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: Late Summer - Fall (July-September) 

Gaillardia Goblin (Blanket Flower)

Hardiness: Zones 3-9

Height & Width: 12-18"

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Medium-Dry Soil

Bloom Time: June-Frost 

 Aster 'Woods Purple' (Michaelmas Daisy)

Hardiness:  Zones 3-8

Height & Width:  12" Tall & Wide

Growing Conditions:  Full Sun & Moist Well-Drained soil 

Bloom Time:  Fall (August -September)

Monarda 'Marshall's Delight' (Bee Balm)

 Hardiness: Zones 4-8 

Height & Width: 1-2' High By Wide 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun-Partial Shade, Medium-Moist Soil 

Bloom Time: July-August

Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop)

Hardiness: Zones 4-10 

Height & Width: 5' Tall and 2' Wide 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Moist Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: Late Summer (August-September)

Phlox paniculata (Tall Garden Phlox)

Hardiness: Zones 4-8 

Height & Width: 4' Tall,1' Wide

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: Mid-Summer (June-July)

Nepeta faassenii 'Walkers Low' (Catmint)

 Hardiness: Zones 4-8 

Height & Width: 2' High by 3' Wide

Growing Conditions: Full Sun-Part Shade, Medium Moist, Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: April-September

Coreopsis 'Zagreb'

Hardiness: Zones 3-8 

Height & Width: 18-24 " 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: All Summer (June-September)

Salvia nemorosa 'May Night' (Meadow Sage)

Hardiness: 4-9

Height & Width: 18-24"

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: End of May-July

Achillea 'Moonshine' (Yarrow)

Hardiness: Zones 3-9

Height & Width: 2-3' High by Wide 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Medium-Dry Soil 

Bloom Time: June-September

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Hardiness: Zones 5-9 

Height & Width: 3-5' High, 2-4 ' Wide 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Medium-Dry Soil 

Bloom Time: July-October

Liatris spicata (Gay Feather)

Hardiness: Zones 3-8 

Height & Width: 2-4' High, 1-2' Wide

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: July-August

Solidago (Goldenrod)

Hardiness: Zones 3-9 

Height & Width: 3' Tall by 3' Wide 

Growing Conditions: Full Sun, Sand/Loam Well-Drained Soil 

Bloom Time: Late Summer-Fall (August-October)

Monarch Butterfly on Buddleia (Photo: Richard Dressner)

All these plants have proven to be effective in luring butterflies to the garden and once your garden is established you will find that you have the same butterfly visitors on a daily basis. If you are looking to develop a full butterfly, wildflower or cottage style garden I would recommend choosing five to seven plants depending on the size of your space and combine both warm hues (reds, oranges, yellows, pinks) with cool hues (blues, purples, lavenders) as companion plants.  Group each of the same plant in masses for impact.  Another option is to choose a few varieties of nectar plants and place them in different locations throughout the garden.

Personally I have a combination of each.  In one section of the property I have several butterfly friendly plants in a cottage style perennial garden.  In other sections I have single focal point and mass groupings of dwarf butterfly bushes along with coreopsis, nepeta and salvia.  Depending on your location you may enjoy many species of beautiful butterfly visitors to your garden such as Swallowtail, Monarch and Painted Lady among others.   Your butterfly habitat can fit into any garden style you choose.  Simply select your favorite combination of host and nectar plants and the butterflies will be sure to come!

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My Books on Amazon:
A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9 

Landscape Design Combinations

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.