Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up October: Autumnal Blooms & Views

Welcome!

Welcome to Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (and Foliage Follow-Up) for October! Autumn like temperatures have arrived suddenly as daytime temperatures turned from 80 degrees one day for the last hooray, now moderating into the steady 60's  The skies are mostly clear with a slight chill in the air, which makes one feel alive, and the surrounding landscape is transitioning into what soon will be an array of changing colors. Join me in my Long Island garden for some autumnal blooms and views!

Seasonal Planter

The first view is of a planter that I had to own once I had passed it at the local farm stand. It just called to me...if you know what I mean! The combination of ornamental grasses and Rudbeckia should hopefully last for some time!

Montauk Daisy

Along the back walkway are Montauk Daisies, which bloom every October. I had always admired them from across the street and decided to add some to my own garden a number of years back. It was one of my neighbor's favorite plants and they remind me of him whenever I look at them. He was like a family member to me as I had known him my entire life.

Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime'

This Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime' joined the garden three years ago and has been a wonderful addition for summer and fall interest. Its' greenish-white blooms turn to a deep pink as the temperatures cool.

Kousa Japanese Dogwood

Along the northern side of the property is the bright red fruit of Japanese Kousa Dogwood which highlights the tree in autumn. Although the fruit has a bitter taste, the birds love to eat it and it can be sweetened into a tasty jelly.

Kousa Dogwood Fruit

Here is the interesting pattern on the fruit close up!

Allium 'Millenium' Seed Head

New to the garden this year is Allium 'Millenium'. Besides its purple blooms in later summer, I am loving its flowers dried!

Dried Peony Seed Head

In the perennial border, this seed head of Peony 'Bartzella' just exploded wide open, making for an excellent autumn display! I love to admire nature's artwork, especially during this time of year.

Perennial Border Autumn-Lamb's Ear and Astilbe

In the perennial border is the soft fuzzy white foliage of Lamb's Ear with the dried flower stalks of Astilbe Pumila...

Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' Autumn

while along the pool border, Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' is displaying its plumes against the greenery of Weeping White Pine.

Sedum 'Brilliant' Autumn

Here are the dried flower heads of Sedum 'Brilliant' once the pink blooms fade following a late summer bloom.

Patio Border

I am happy to share the latest new addition to the patio border! It was time for the Weeping Pussy Willow to go after many years of enjoyment, but trees do have their life span. It gave me the opportunity to revamp the space, which we all know is one of my favorite things to do. After much thought, I decided on a Rhode Island Red Dwarf Japanese Maple, which I had my sights on after including one in a design at one of my client's properties. This specimen tree has slightly larger burgundy leaves and maintains a more rounded compact shape, reaching a mature height and width of just 6 feet tall by wide over many years, making it very low maintenance.

New Addition-Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple

I am in the process of including additional dwarf evergreens, transitioning this space into a dwarf conifer-specimen garden.

Double Red Knock Out Rose

Now onto some blooms. Double Red Knock Out Rose is a stable in the perimeter garden as it continues to bloom throughout summer into the first frost of autumn... 

Dwarf Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar'

and Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar' still hangs on as it refuses to stop blooming, for now anyway!

Dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue'

Dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue' never ceases to amaze me as it too does not want to give up blooming. Just when I think it is done for the season, it sports another pop of color to admire!

'Stella D Oro' Daylily

'Stella D Oro' Daylily is another candidate that never disappoints. I deadhead and rejuvenate it in late summer and it comes back strong into fall while producing more blooms...

Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'

and along the back walkway, Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' has been blooming since last month with its delicate trumpet-like flowers. 

Weeping White Pine Seed Cone

Other fall interest in the garden are the seed cones of various evergreens. The Weeping White Pine is producing an abundance of them this year. I am wondering if this is the tree's way of preparing for a rough winter.

Mugo Pine Seed Cone

The pine cones on Mugo Pine are interesting as well and there seems to be quite a few of them.

Spirea 'Limemound' and Weeping Norway Spruce

Some foliage combinations for fall include the yellow-green foliage of Spirea 'Limemound' against the deeper green foliage of Weeping Norway Spruce... 

Front Walkway with Weeping Eastern Redbud

and the large heart-shaped leaves of Weeping Eastern Redbud 'Lavender twist' against the foliage of Weeping White Pine, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and Coral Bark Maple (far left), which should soon be putting on a colorful show!

Thanks for Stopping By!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my October garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and look forward to seeing what you have blooming 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 had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will 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. Wishing all with gardens that thrive!

 Plan your Garden for Next Spring: Purchase My Books!

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Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

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Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2023. All rights reserved. 

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up August 2019: Welcome Late Summer Blooms!

Welcome to My August 2019 Garden

Welcome to my August Long Island garden! I am glad you could join me, and do come by often. As the month of August has set in with temperatures in the 80's and 90's with humidity and occasional thunderstorms, the garden is going through its fourth round of blooms. For Bloom Day the temperatures have cooled into the lower 80's and it is very pleasant in the garden. Come along with me to see what is blooming for the later part of summer. The dragonflies are out and abundant. You may even get to see some!

Echinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry

As we start the tour, one of the most prominent of blooms during the month of August are those of Echinacea. Here is Echinacea Pow Wow 'Wild Berry' in the front garden along the street.

Rozanne Geranium (‎Cranesbill)

New to the front island bed this summer is perennial geranium, Geranium 'Rozanne' with its ongoing blooms from late spring into mid-fall. I always wanted some of this long-blooming perennial for my garden, and having to do some re-vamping of the front berm allotted me the needed space to put them. They seem to love the location with the perfect combination of morning shade and afternoon sun.

Backyard Island Bed

Now, moving along to the back garden, here is Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta', Mugo Pine, Palace Purple Coral Bells and a combination of annuals Amethyst Verbena and Raspberry Rush Petunia on the edge of the island berm. It's funny that I was never much of a fan of annuals, but Proven Winners has me hooked with this welcomed dash of color in late summer!

Back Pool Garden with Weeping White Pine and Astilbe

The Weeping White Pine in the back pool garden gets more majestic with each passing year and Astilbe 'Sprite' blooms beneath it during late summertime.

Backyard Pool Garden with Stargazer Lilly and Weeping Norway Spruce

During early August, the Asiatic Lilies are in bloom! This one is the well-known 'Stargazer' Lily with its combination of vibrant colors and deep fragrance. You can get a detection of its perfumed aroma with the slightest breeze. Their blooms arrived a little earlier this summer and are finished now, but since the tour is virtual, they certainly needed to be seen!

Perennial Border August

Watching the perennial border change throughout the seasons is a favorite pastime. There is quite a bit blooming during August, including the blooms of Stachys (Lamb's Ear), Echinacea (Coneflower) and Hemerocallis (Daylily).

Patio Surround Perennial Border

Follow me around to the patio side where you can get a long-view of the garden. 

Playtcodon (Balloon Flower) along patio garden

Here is the infamous Platycodon grandiflorus 'komachi' Balloon Flower. This variety does not open up like the others, but remains as a true balloon. As you may have read in previous years, guests love to pop the blooms once they dry out. It's makes a similar sound as popping bubble wrap, which you may have done as a child, or adult!

Driveway Border with Coreopsis, Nepeta and Echinacea Blooming

Now that we've passed by the Balloon Flowers, lets take a quick detour to the front to the driveway border. Here are Weigela 'Spilled Wine', Coreopsis 'Zagreb', Nepeta 'Walkers Low' and more Echinacea, this time being 'Cheyenne Spirit'. The low lying evergreen is Japanese Garden Juniper.

Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit

The Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' changes a little bit each year. This summer the brighter oranges and pinks seem to be more prominent.

Skylands Oriental Spruce in Back Border

Back around to the western portion of the property is the newest Skylands Oriental Spruce, which has grown several feet since last year. It seems to like its new home.

Endless Summer Hydrangea Twist & Shout

The Hydrangeas are having a good year as well. Here is a lacecap form of Endless Summer Hydrangea known as 'Twist & Shout', with a combination of blue and pink blooms.

Rudbeckia (Dwarf Variety)

Here is Rudbeckia, 'Little Goldstar', a dwarf variety of Black Eyed Susan, which is more compact and clump forming. It resides in the back border beneath the Kousa Dogwood, which you saw blooming back in the spring.

Sedum Sunsparkler Lime Twister

New to the poolside border is Sedum Sunsparkler Lime Twister. I love the foliage on it and it also gets pink flowers late summer into early fall. I am looking forward to seeing the blooms!

Stargazer Asiatic Lillium

I wait all summer for these Stargazer Lilies to bloom, so we need to take in another view, this time up close! I cannot get enough of them! Let's venture to the back of the pool area. Oh my...a visitor!

Dragonfly Visitor

I have always had a fascination with dragonflies and even dedicated an entire chapter to them in my latest book, Dream, Garden, Grow! They are so prehistoric looking and yet so beautiful. They are known throughout garden folklore and hold various meanings to different cultures.

Dragonfly Visitor

This one loves to hang out by the Rhododendron and will stay for several minutes.

Dried Allium Flower

A garden possesses much beauty and sometimes it can be as simple as a dried Allium flower once it has expired. I leave them as interest until they can no longer stand up in the wind. I like to think they add a certain artistic touch.

Variegated Boxwood in Shade Garden

As we come to the end of the tour, here is a perfectly rounded Variegated Boxwood that my husband brought attention to just the other day. I never do anything to maintain it and just take its presence for granted. I now have a new appreciation for the big Boxwood ball, seeing it through my husband's eyes!

Variegated Boxwood Another View

Here it is from another view! You can get an idea of its size.

(Lagerstroemia) Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

It wouldn't be August without the blooms of Crape Myrtle 'Sioux', so here they are. The blooms started at the end of July and go through September, one of the many joys of late summer in the garden.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

Here's a close up of its voluminous deep pink blooms!

Hydrangea 'Tardivia'

Another late summer joy are the blooms of 'Tardivia' Hydrangea. Fragrant elongated while panicle flowers cover this large shrub in early to late August.

2019 August Long Island Garden

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoyed the tour of my August garden! 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, Dishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled Rose, 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.

For more gardening tips and design inspiration along with horticultural musings, you may be interested in my books. You can click on the author page or visit each book individually to find out more about each one.😊

Visit my Amazon Author Page 

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 2010-2019. All rights reserved.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow Up September 2018: Autumn is in the Air!

September 2018 Garden

Welcome to my September garden! I can hardly believe that summer is ending with fall just around the corner. After a hot and humid start to September with several days in the upper 80's to lower 90's, a cold front has set in bringing showers and cooler temperatures. The garden is starting to look autumn-like as late summer blooms set in, along with a few lingering raindrops on roses. There may be more prolonged rain in the future as hurricane season has arrived. Before we start the tour, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by hurricane Josephine. I hope you are safe and out of harms way. 

Patio Planters

As we start the tour this month, here is the patio garden with one of the new Dwarf Butterfly Bushes thriving in a large planter. The fig tree to the right is getting full of ripening delicious fruit.

It's Fig Season!

September is fig season and it is a good year for them! I planted this fig tree for my husband a number of years back and  the fruit keeps getting better and better. 

Monarch Butterfly on Butterfly Bush

It seems to be a much better year for Monarchs! This one frequents the Butterfly Bush on the patio.

Dwarf Buddleia 'Pugster Blue'

Dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue' is a dwarf form of Buddleia, growing to just 2-3 feet in height and width, yet having the same large fragrant blooms of a full-sized butterfly bush.

Garden Love!

Another trip out east and end of summer sale at the nursery made it hard to pass up this new decor to add to the garden. Late summer blooming Dwarf Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar' surrounds the new addition with Hosta 'Patriot' behind it.

Sedum 'Mr. Goodbud'

The Sedum 'Mr. Goodbud' I planted last summer is doing well and I am enjoying the bright neon blooms that are lasting through a couple of months. The pollinators are enjoying them too!

Hemerocallis 'Stella D Oro' September

Here is one of the most reliable perennials in my garden, Hemerocallis 'Stella D Oro', blooming again after its August rejuvenation. It blooms from June throughout fall with some simple maintenance.

Spirea and Variegated Iris

The Variegated Iris, which was added to the garden last year has also proven itself. Its variegated foliage can still be enjoyed once the blooms have faded.

Blue Atlas Cedar Forming Cones

Now that summer is winding down and fall is on the way, focus comes back to the evergreens in the garden as they form large attractive seed cones...

Skylands Golden Oriental Spruce

and display their colorful foliage. The Blue Atlas Cedar and Skyland's Oriental Spruce with its golden hue are two of my favorites.

Tree Hydrangea 'Tardivia'

Along the north side of the property, Hydrangea 'Tardivia' is showing off its panicle blooms and its mild fragrance can be enjoyed by passers by.

Tree Hydrangea 'Tardivia' Individual Bloom

Here is one of the panicle blooms up close. Each bloom measures approximately six to seven inches in length.

September Perennial Border

Let's venture back around towards the west facing perennial border, where the garden is starting to look very fall-like. Lamb's Ear with its tall stalks of pink blooms look much brighter against the fading blooms of Astilbe and Balloon Flower (right of Astilbe) can still be seen displaying its blue blooms as it towers above evergreen Blue Star Juniper.

Sedum 'Brilliant'

In the southern border, Sedum 'Brilliant' and Salvia 'May Night' are blooming. When your Salvia finishes its first/second major bloom, a little deadheading will encourage blooms to continue into Fall.

Salvia nemerosa  'May Night'

Come along and follow me to the back of the property. This will be the last chance to glance at the pool, since it will likely be covered by the next Bloom Day.

Pool Garden

As you can see it is starting to sprinkle again as some rains pass through. The pool garden consists mainly of evergreens, which creates wintertime interest while it is cold outside.

Double Knock Out Roses

For interest through the first frost, Double Red Knock Out Rose continues to bloom in the south facing garden. There have been some "raindrops on roses" this past week.

Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves'

The Kousa Dogwood is starting to lose its leaves as Hosta starts to yellow in front of Dwarf Black Eyed Susan.  Autumn is definitely in the air.

Baby Bunny Visitor

We've had some baby bunnies this season as one friendly visitor comes to say hello for Bloom Day! I must say they have been very respectful of the garden.

September Succulent Planter

Last, but not least is one of my favorite container plantings consisting of combinations of succulents in a strawberry planter. Succulents are drought tolerant, extremely low maintenance and colorful to look at. They even bloom in mid-late summer!

Sunflower Love!

Do you enjoy sunflowers? I have always had a fascination with sunflowers and every year we would ride past the fields out east here on Long Island. Each time, I had high hopes of stopping to take pictures with the beautiful flowers, but the farms were never open to the public. This year a local farmer opened up his land to visitors. As we spoke with the farmer, he never realized what an attraction the vast fields of sunflowers would create. I must say I was one happy camper because I finally got to achieve my dream!

My Motto!

I am signing off with a little gardening humor. Here is my new tea mug for morning wake-up and gazing out at the garden. Since I am referred to as the "Goddess of all Blooming Things" by some of my colleagues, it could not be more fitting! 

September 2018 Garden

I hope your visit to my September garden brightened your day. Please feel welcome to stay for a while and check out some of my other posts. 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, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Dishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled Rose, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party on the 17th with Everyday Living.

It's always a good time to plan a garden, so if you're looking for a little guidance and inspiration, you may be interested in checking out my two books! Click on the Amazon links below for a preview and more information.

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

Landscape Design Combinations

~As Always...Happy Gardening and Be Safe Everyone~

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.