Saturday, August 11, 2007

The Slow Farewell to Summer

I don't want to admit it, but our summer will be over soon. There will be no more transplanting perennials as if it were a botanical game of musical chairs. I've made some fall bulb orders and am waiting a while until I order the rest, so at least they will be spread out on two different credit card bills.

Butterflies and bees are loving the Liatris spicata "Floristan violet", Echinacea purpurea and Monarda didyma at this time of year. I cut my delphiniums back to the ground and they are producing new foliage. Last year they rebloomed in September.

You can click on this photo to see it enlarged!

A elegant-looking white Echinacea purpurea.

Echinacea purpurea "Ruby Star", remarkable for its dark red central "cone". I also noticed the stems on this plant to be dark red.
Monarda didyma (Bergamot, Bee balm) in full bloom, buzzing with bees! This clump was started from seed two years ago.
Zinnia "Profusion cherry" along with other annuals in a barrel planter.










I am getting bored with some of the perennials I planted in large numbers last year. I ripped a few out, leaving spaces as an excuse to grow some new ones from seed. Sound silly? I suppose it is. I really need some more flowerbeds! The need to garden is getting out of control and I am already plotting some new plants for mom's yard.

5 comments:

kate said...

I am feeling the same way - it seems as if my morning glories nicely start blooming before they are felled by a frost. Hopefully this year, we won't experience one for a while longer. After mid-August here, you never know.

Linda said...

I've been cutting down some plants already, as they seem ahead of the usual bloom and finish time. So many plants are dried out due to lack of rain, even the drought tolerant plants look wilted in the hot sun. I don't want to think about the end of the season yet ... however, it is coming.

Nan said...

I think at least part of my garden is zone 2 (in the US) and I can't keep bee balm over the winter. I've just found your blog from a list on Thyme for Herbs sidebar. I'll come back often.

the Red Scot said...

When is your garden normally zapped with frost? We have anywhere from 1 to 2 months left in the growing season here in Central New York...

Gardenista said...

Thanks for the comments Kate, crafty, nan, and the Red Scot...we usually get real killing frosts in October, but first frosts in September are usual. According to the weather network archives, the coolest day in October of 2006 was Oct 22 when it was 11.1 degrees below zero Celsius. That would have killed off all the greens!