Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up: Temperatures Soar & Blooms Galore!

Welcome to my Garden!

Welcome to A Guide to Northeastern Gardening and to my July Long Island garden! Remember the 1980's song "Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!"? Well, that is how it has been in our zone 7b garden. With humid days in the upper 80's and 90's with a record breaking day of 100 degrees, and frequent thunderstorms, the garden is thriving. Join me for a tour!

Feeling Hot, hot hot!!!

Let us start with the pool garden with Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' (Coneflower), a native to the northeast, in full bloom. Joining the blooms of Echinacea are the blooms of Sedum 'Angelina' (Stonecrop), a groundcover form of Sedum with spikes of yellow blooms in mid-summer.

Pool Border

Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' is a hybrid produced from Echinacea which produces many different colors of blooms on the same plant. Along the pool border you can see yellow, pinkish-red and orange colored flowers all in the same clump of blooms. Echinacea is known for its long lasting blooms that attract bees, butterflies and songbirds.

Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

Here are the golden-yellow blooms up close, which I think are my favorite!

Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' & Blue Globe Spruce

Behind the clump of Echinacea (Coneflower) is a Blue Globe Spruce to add some extra color.

Echinacea Pow Wow 'Wild Berry'

Here is another variety of Echinacea along the patio border. This one is Echinacea Pow Wow' Wild Berry' (Echinacea purpurea) and is one of the original Echinacea (Coneflower) native to the northeast.

Salvia 'Blue By You' & Japanese Red Pine

Along the patio border is Salvia 'Blue By You' along with Japanese Red Pine 'Low Glow' I am finding that this form of Salvia is producing earlier and much long lasting blooms. It's a keeper! 

Salvia 'Blue By You'

Here are the blooms up close. The bumblebees love it, but are a little shy about getting their picture taken!

Double Red Knock Out Rose

Double Red Knock Out Roses continue to bloom along the northern border (with southern exposure!) and will continue to bloom through fall. I do deadhead the spent blooms and the plants keeps producing new foliage and buds throughout the entire season.

 Twombly's Red Sentinel Red Japanese Maple & Spirea 'Candy Corn'

Twombly's Red Sentinel is doing nicely by the patio along with Spirea 'Candy Corn' If you remember, these were new additions two seasons ago as I renovated that section of the garden. It is much lower maintenance now with lots of color. 

Daylily 'Samuel Russell'

Here is the 'Samuel Russell' Daylily that I did save from the previous planting. I enjoy its bright orangey-red blooms with yellow centers.

Jacob's Ladder 'Golden Feathers'

With all the heat and rain, the Jacob's Ladder in the shade garden continues to push out new blooms...

A Little Garden Love!

and dwarf Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' is producing its blooms.

Golden Hosta

Venturing along to the front island bed, this giant golden Hosta now spans over two feet wide with white blooms.

Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue'

While the Rhododendrons had a very good season this year, Hydrangeas are not enjoying the heat, but are enjoying the frequent nightly thunderstorms and having a pretty good bloom this year as well. This one is old fashioned 'Nikko Blue', a Mophead form that blooms on old wood from the previous season. I have had it for many years.

Front Northeastern Garden

Along the front northeastern garden Coral Bells (Heuchera 'Caramel') are producing their spikes of delicate blooms along with Golden Hinoki Cypress... 

Veronica (Speedwell)

while Veronica Magic Show variety is producing its blooms along the front walkway.

Weeping Eastern Redbud 'Lavender Twist'

Here is Weeping Eastern Redbud 'Lavender Twist' with its large heart-shaped foliage that adds a bit of texture to the landscape. It is accompanied by Variegated Golden Boxwood and Blue Globe Spruce.

Visit and Read a Book!

Venturing along to the back gardens, you can perhaps stay a while and read a book...

Back Island Bed

or wander over to the variegated foliage of Weigela 'My Monet' along with Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta' in the backdrop and blooms of Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime'. 

Pool Border

Here is Astilbe 'Sprite', a variety you do not see very often. I planted it years ago and it blooms after all the other Astilbe have finished and has a more delicate look about it with light pink flowers. Also is another view of groundcover Sedum 'Angelina'.

Back Island Bed Northern Side

As we approach the end of our tour, here is the shadier part of the garden beneath the Crape Myrtle tree in the backyard with 'Caramel' Coral Bells, Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow' and Dwarf Andromeda 'Cavatine'. Get ready to see the blooms of the Crape Myrtle 'Sioux' during your next garden visit!

Dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue'

And last, but not least are the blooms of Dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue', which bloomed just in time for our tour!

Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my July garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your 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 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, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden. 

Other Places to Find Me:

You can visit my Author Page to learn about and Purchase My Books, each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape ideas, design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration and more. And also be sure to check out my newest publication, The Houseplant Guide, to guide you on your houseplant journey!

Check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe or you can pledge a donation to show support for my work and receive monthly updates right into your inbox!

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Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2025. All rights reserved.  

This Month in the Garden: Feature Flowering Shrub Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band'

Feature Flowering Shrub: Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band'

Welcome to This Month in the Garden! There's a new hydrangea in town and it is called Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band'. I have been testing this Proven Winners cultivar for two years now and it has proven to be cold resistant enough to thrive in a planter on my back patio, while maintaining an abundance of long-lasting blooms on a compact plant. 

Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band' Springtime/Summer

Growing to a mature size of just 2.6 feet tall by wide, this newer cultivar is hardy in USDA zones 5-9 and combines the best features of mophead flowers, displaying large colorful pink, blue or purple flowers (pink in alkaline soil, blue in acidic soil and purple in neutral soil) on a stronger plant that better withstands winter temperatures and reblooms from late spring until frost. 

Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band' Late Summer

For best performance, plant Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band' in a moist well-drained soil in partial shade. Morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal for this plant. This cultivar blooms on both old and new wood and may be shaped to keep more compact; however, all mophead hydrangea are best not to be pruned, as it can have a negative effect on the number of blooms. It is best to only prune out dead or damaged branches once the plant pushes out new growth in spring. To keep your plants healthy and to encourage more robust blooms, apply a slow-release fertilizer in early and late spring. Adding a layer of mulch around the base of the plant will help to conserve moisture and serve as protection from severe cold during the winter months.

Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band' Autumn

The default color for most mophead hydrangea is pink in a neutral soil (pH 7.0) and higher and will turn towards blue in a more acidic soil containing aluminum sulfate. In a soil with a pH of 6.5 or under, a bluer tone is present. I presently have my hydrangea in a neutral potting soil and am loving blooms that start off as a vibrant pink in springtime, then slowly change to deeper tones of pinkish red to welcome in fall.

Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band' Autumn

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden for October and if you are looking for a new compact, long blooming hydrangea, this one is a winner in my zone 7a garden! 

Let's Dance Hydrangea Series Size Chart (Photo Credit: Proven Winners)

Be sure to stop by on the 1st. and 15th. of each month as I continue to share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! For more information on Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band', visit the Proven Winners website. Until we meet again...be well, and as always...Happy Gardening!

 For gardening inspiration and design tips visit: 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

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

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

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up July: Mid-Summer Blooms!

Welcome to my July Garden

Welcome to my July Long Island Garden for Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up! Thank you for being here. IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you have missed my last post, Blogger has made an announcement that Feedburner will no longer be sending e-mail notifications of new posts, so I am using a new blog subscribe service called follow.it. It has an excellent reputation and is real simple to sign up if you haven't already done so. If you have already been following, you should be receiving a notification from follow.it with a link to accept if you wish to continue receiving posts. Here's more info.  Now, onto the tour!!!

Echibeckia Summerina 'Blazing Fire'

July is welcomed in with this new addition to the garden. It is Echibeckia, which I found at a local farm stand last summer. I tested it out and it is a winner! Echibeckia is a new cultivar derived from a cross between Echinacea (Coneflower) and Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan). It is hardy in zones 7-9, grows 16-24 inches tall, is more disease resistant and the flowers are a wonderful three inches in diameter!

Summer Perennial Border 

Here is a view of the rest of the perennial border with Salvia, Daylilies, Astilbe, Lamb's Ear and Echinacea. It provides me with blooms spring through fall.

Salvia 'May Night'

The bumblebees love the Salvia in the perennial border and it is so nice to view them working away doing their job. Tip:  Deadheading the spent blooms of Salvia will keep more coming for several months!

Back Island Bed Summer Blooms & Foliage

Here in the back island bed is the foliage of Sedum 'Brilliant' (blooms to come!), 'Caramel' and 'Palace Purple' Heuchera (Coral Bells) and more Saliva!

Back Island Bed Evergreens & Flowering Shrubs

Other members of the back island bed include Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta' (center), Mugo Pine (two sides) and dwarf Variegated Weigela 'My Monet' in the foreground with 'Palace Purple' Heuchera to the right. Weigela showed its dainty deep pink blooms back in spring and the Coral Bells are producing their spikes of Baby's-breath-like flowers now.

Western Pool Garden

In the western pool garden, this little statue of children playing leap frog can be spotted tucked away among Sky Pencil Holly and Coral Bells.

More Foliage Combinations

As you probably know, I love foliage combinations and this is just another one to add to the list. Here is the deep green foliage of Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta' (backdrop) with Sedum 'Brilliant' (to the right-light green foliage, pink blooms late summer), 'Palace Purple' Coral Bells (to the left-burgundy foliage, blooms now in mid-summer) and 'Gold Standard' Hosta (in the foreground-blooming now). 

Dwarf Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan)

These Dwarf Rudbeckia 'Little Gold Star' is starting to bloom in the back northern garden bed. Kousa Dogwood is behind them and forming its fruit, which will become a bright red hue later in the summer. 

Pool Garden-Daylily 'Sammy Russell Red'

Daylily 'Sammy Russell' is blooming along the waterfall in the pool garden with its bright crimson red blooms with yellow centers. This daylily starts its blooms a little later, following immediately after 'Stella D Oro', which started last month.

Back 'Secret' Garden

Peeking through the Viburnum and behind a Kwanzan Cherry tree is this bird bath, which I turned into a planter this summer with Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus) and 'Platts Black’ Brass Buttons (Leptinella squalida). Hosta 'Shadowland' is on each side of the planter.

'Secret Garden' Planter

Here is the planter up close!

Back Perimeter Garden Double Pink Knock Out Rose Blooming!

The Double Pink Knock Out Roses are blooming in the back perimeter garden. Knock Out Roses are easy to care for and I get prolonged blooms throughout summer into fall with a little maintenance deadheading.

Back Perimeter Garden

While the roses are blooming on each far end of the perimeter garden, in the center is Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, bordered by Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Palace Purple' and 'Caramel'.

A Little Garden Whimsy!

Around the bend on the opposite side of the garden towards the southern side of the property is this little gardening boy watching over things...

St. John's Wort

as St. John's Wort starts blooming in the northwestern 'Secret Garden'. It will continue to provide interest through fall.

Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue'

July is Hydrangea time as this old fashioned 'Nikko Blue' produces its vibrant deep blue blossoms in a more acidic soil. To the left of 'Nikko Blue' is Hydrangea 'Tokyo Delight' with its pinkish-purple lace-cap blooms.

Hydrangea 'Endless Summer'

On the opposite side of the property is 'Endless Summer' Hydrangea. Located in a more basic soil, its blooms are pink. It's nice to enjoy the variety of both colors, and sometimes there is even a little hue of purple to be seen!

Driveway Border

Follow me along to the front of the property as we take a look at the driveway border. Here is 'Skylands' Golden Oriental Spruce, accompanied by yellow Coreopsis 'Zagreb', bluish-purple Nepeta 'Walkers Low' and the burgundy foliage of Weigela 'Spilled Wine'.

Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

Also in the driveway border is Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit', producing its array of multi-colored blooms, all on one plant!

Front Entrance Garden

Here is a view of the front walkway with evergreens Weeping White Pine and Blue Atlas Cedar, along with Japanese Garden Juniper, Variegated Liriope (purple blooms later in summer) and Golden Sedge. Coral Bark Maple and 'Skylands' Spruce are in the backdrop.

Front Island Bed

Osmanthus Goshiki (Fasle Holly) is doing well in its second season on the front island bed. It is accompanied by Hosta and Weeping Norway Spruce, with Weeping Japanese Maple and Blue Atlas Cedar, each seen in the distance.

Herb & Vegetable Planters

Last, but not least is the herb and vegetable planters on the back patio. An assortment of  Parsley, Basil, Spearmint, and two types of Cherry Tomatoes are grown for our enjoyment and for cooking too!

Thank you for Visiting!

Thank you for visiting my July garden. As always, I enjoy 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 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 Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden. 

A GUIDE TO NORTHEASTERN GARDENING NEWS:

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 3-9, Landscape Design Combinations, Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener and my latest Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden. If you have read and enjoyed any of my books, please share with a friend, plus reviews are greatly appreciated!

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

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