On and on the Hydrangeas bloom spilling onto the driveway from the heavy draping wall of grapes.
A few firsts (blooms) this month. A new Hydrangea – Quick Fire. I miss my Oakleaf and planned to replace it but wondered did it really die from moving or from the stretch of -30° below cold? It would be heartbreaking to kill another. Although not native, Quick Fire is hardy to zone 3! A struggling Ligularia, dentata ‘Desdemona’ Golden Ray, assures me it will adapt to its spot with first-ever blooms even as it wilts in too much sun and dry conditions. As the surrounding trees and shrubs fill in it will find itself relief in deeper shade. Finally, finally the Cimicifuga Black Snakeroot is sending up blooms. I’ve been waiting for three years! Gentian Violet is sporting big violet-purple buds. The Trumpet Vine creeping up the rustic arbor blares out its first-ever blooms.
Orange Jewelweed has made itself at home just beyond the screened porch where I can watch the hummingbirds sip from its flowers. Great Blue Lobelia siphilitica stretches through the Raspberry leaves. Persicaria Firetail contrasts with pink Yarrow through a veil of Prairie Dropseed and Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii.
I’ll be saving some seed from these beautiful Queen Red Lime Zinnias for hopefully, repeat blooms next year.
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month.
08/15/2012 at 11:35 pm
My garden is showing signs of Spring, so Autumn is surely on it's way for you. Your garden looks lovely, specially the first photo.
08/16/2012 at 8:46 pm
Kathy it is amazing to see so many blooms and ones I don't have anymore…of course that wall of grape leaves is amazing…I am hoping my one surviving grape will grow more in the next couple of years…happy GBBD.
08/16/2012 at 9:23 pm
Beautiful!Have a great day!LeaLea's Menagerie
08/16/2012 at 10:16 pm
Kathy, My garden also seems further along toward fall that would normally be the case at this time of year — perhaps because we had such an early spring and all the plants got started early?? One of my markers is my 'Orange Bounty' daylily which is usually still in bloom when I drive away to go back to Pennsylvania in late August; but this year, it finished blooming about a week ago. -Jean
08/17/2012 at 9:30 am
Since we had such an early start to Spring – our local Daffodil show was cancelled this year due to the fact that the daffodils were all passed by the planned date! – it is making sense that Autumn arrives ahead of schedule. But are we like a jet making time in travel – will we make it up somehow over the Winter?
08/17/2012 at 9:46 am
I agree Kathy, my goldenrods are flowering and the nights are getting cold! It's the change in light too that you captured so well.
08/22/2012 at 3:03 pm
Gorgeous post…just love it all..that first shot, with the Joe Pye Weed and the Rudbeckia is perfection! What is that grass in the photo with the Persicaria…I can't quite figure it out?