Boy time is flying past too quickly.
I just love these Cone Flowers (Echinacea) These are called Secret Affiar from the Secret Series. There are similar versions by other suppliers but I happen to think this one is the best I've seen. They have an added bonus of a light scent too! The yellow flowers are a Heliopsis called Tuscan Sun. The white flowers are another variety of Cone Flowers.
This is from 2014 when I planted these.
The lilacs have gotten a lot bigger and I've lost all the lilies you can see on the right.
This is it in 2016
The Cones on the right are weak mainly because of the big blue spruce nearby that creates too much shade for them. The Russian Sage struggles too looking for more sun. There is a Helenium plant (Sneezeweed) on the left that's just about done blooming. I was ready to dig all this out and forget it because it looked pretty crappy early on this summer. We gave it more attention with the sprinkler and it kicked right in gear and got going.
I refer to this as my "forgotten garden" because it is hidden by the big blue spruce.
There is a small plant growing by the spruce that I'm convinced I planted many years ago and has come back from extinction. If you recognize the leaf and know what it is let me know!
This hibiscus- Rose of Sharon is blooming a little bit earlier than previous years. I looked back at a couple of older posts and it showed it blooming as late as September 12th. It will look a little fuller in the coming week.
I cut this Limelight Hydrangea back quite severely last year because it had become quite wide and interfered with getting by it when Dan mows the lawn. I wasn't sure how it would react but as you can see it did great. The center seems to have grown tall and left a middle area with few blooms.
It was very sunny and I used the spruce tree to get away from the glare but it made for a darker shot of the hydrangeas. This one gets a fair amount of sun as compared to the ones out back.
I'm going to cut a bunch of these blocking the path and send my daughter home with them when she visits this weekend.
In November of 2011 I purchased this little Christmas Cactus.
It's done a lot of growing and I decided it needs to be transplanted it into a larger pot. I ordered the pot on-line and it's quite a bit larger. I am going to re-pot it right away so it can get comfortable before it comes back in the house. I've kept it outdoors all summer in the shade and it's healthy as can be. The planter is a bit large but the plant should be able to survive in it for many years to come.
These are the last of the hostas that are flowering. The hummingbirds enjoy them so I let them grow. I took this in the evening.
Everything is kind of shaggy now. The plants are at their fullest. The Annabelle hydrangeas have turned green and are just about perfect to cut and dry. The boots found a new spot to hang out.
You'll find me sitting here in the evenings relaxing and watching the sprinkler watering the plants. It's been a wonderful summer here. We've had a fair amount of hot days and warm nights but no complaints!
It's lovely walking through your garden, Liz. I'm not familiar with the cone flowers you have. I've have the purple ones but unfortunately I need to give them up because of the shade. The leaves next to the spruce looks like it might be a foxglove? Happy gardening, Liz! ♥
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tour - the cone flowers are among my favorites (I have a hard time picking just one)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, as always, Liz! When I need a garden tour, I always pop over here to see what you have blooming. Your gardens just make my day.
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving us a tour of your late summer garden. We have had a lot of rain here this summer and things are growing much better than in normal summers, but nothing like your beautiful gardens! I just love your hydrangeas. Your daughter will love your bouquet! Have a great weekend, Liz!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, what a joy to tour your garden and see views from year to year. I imagine evenings are special to sit outside and take in the gorgeous blooms. Love your hydrangeas.
ReplyDeleteAlways an inspiration. Have a great weekend. xo
thank you for sharing
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