Garden Ideas for September Color

September Colors That Pop

"I've been looking at so much dirt and mud I forgot to look at why I garden in the first place ... pretty flowers in bloom!"




The variegated liriope is sending up lovely purple spikes in the September garden. And this stone has moss that is blooming from all the crevices.  Quite lovely.



Asters in shades of lavender are just coming on. I find asters are more reliable than mums in my garden.  I wouldn’t want a September garden without them.




The clematis has never bloomed this late in the season, and I saw several more buds yet to bloom.  (Hoping the weather doesn’t get too cold before they do.)




The few roses I have left are getting in one more show.

Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’ is a real bright spot in the garden and it has dozens of bees visiting. This is a relative to the native known as ‘Joe-Pye Weed’.

The yarrow, Achillea, is a ferny perennial that held up well in full sun, and little water.   After cutting it back by about half in mid-July, it is full of buds and color again.





Japanese Anemone (varieties unknown) are in full sun and are 4’-5’ tall.  They typically bloom in autumn and, they too, are loaded with bees.

  
 Sedum, Autumn Joy is simply gorgeous.
 
 The blue of the plumbago is not as full as previous years.  This is one plant I severely cut back in the garden renovation.




Black-eyed Susan are adding color here and there.  The Caryopteris is a shrub with a dainty blue blossom. It is getting more sun now that we took down a big ash tree, so I’m hoping that next year is will bloom more. 




Chelone lyonii, Hot Lips, or Turtlehead has a bloom that reminds folks of a turtle’s head and resembles a snapdragon.  Preferring moist locations, I am happy to see ‘Hot Lips’ looking so well after this hot, dry summer.  The spirea was quite satisfied with the summer sun., however.  I pruned about a third of the plant off earlier in the summer, and, as you can see, it is a  show-off!



The plant world never ceases to amaze me – this weigela ‘Wine and Roses’  a spring bloomer, is reblooming in mid-September.



Fading blooms of hydrangea are elegant and a beautiful shade of mauve.

Trictus, Toad Lily is tiny, about one inch in diameter, but I’ve seen humming birds hit on them all week. Dainty blooms are very pretty, and the foliage holds up nicely too. 

I really needed to see the garden.  Too often I get bogged down in the chores, and forget about the payoff of all the work – the flowers!
Thanks for visiting my September garden.  What is blooming in yours?

2fer Perennials - Easy Care AND Late Summer Color

Easy Perennials for Late Season

August 'dog-days' don't have to be.  I usually equate August with back to school, Labor Day, and the end of summer.  But as I was roaming my garden with my camera, I realized that a lot is going on and I didn't have too much to do with it.  These easy care perennials are putting on quite a show!

'Knockout Rose' double red

Buddlea - butterfly Bush

Veronica

I took clippers to these about six weeks ago and cut off about half of the plant.  Nice new flush of blue.

Hardy Begonia - blooms in my garden around Labor Day. I really like the red underside all season long. I've divided it many times to various spots in my garden. Some are in full shade, some in dry, part shade. They all do quite well. 

"Moonbeam' - Coreopsis

Light and airy, these little guys just do their own thing - no problem.

Echinacea purpurea, Zone 3-8

Purple coneflower, whether 'Double Decker', White, or Magnus, are the late summer work horses for color.  Maintenance is minimal.  I let the seed heads remain for the Yellow Finches that balance on them and chow down.

Pink Japanese Anenome glow. We have a stand of white Grape Leaf Anenomes too.  They haven't bloomed yet but I've had them in bloom through Holloween.  Sweet!

Chelone - Hot Lips

I pair this with Sedum, Autumn Joy.  The burgundy and pinks look great together!

Ornamental Grasses come in lots of heights, colors, and textures. They offer movement, shadows, and sounds. 

Plumbago - true blue ground cover

Ajuga still looks fresh.

Pumonaria- Lungwort, 'Majesty'

The foliage on these Pulmonaria give the late summer garden a refreshing texture. Even thought these bloomed in April, this perennial has more than justified its place in my garden.

The summer has really been hot, and I don't do 'heat' that well.  So even though I've been an absentee landlord for the last few weeks,  my garden is looking great.  I cut back the veronica, catmint, spiderwort,  yarrow, and cranesbill (hardy geranium) in mid July, and all have rewarded me with fresh foliage and blossoms. 

The forecast is for some rain and cooler temperatures starting Saturday. Maybe August isn't so bad after all.

Thanks for visiting with me today.