September...ah, there I said it again. As much as it saddens me to see the summer wind down, I'll admit that there's a lot of beauty during the month of September. It's just a different kind of beauty, that's all. Many areas around here are beginning to show signs of leaves changing color and some are actually falling to the ground, little by little.
Despite 'fall' being 'typically' focused on oranges/yellows/browns, and some reds, my garden still has a lot of color in the pink, purple, white and blue range. Since we must face the fact that the 'S' word is here, let's get on with the show for September's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted on the 15th of each month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
Here are the majority of real blooms currently 'happening' in my northern Virginia garden. The pollinators are loving them all! *You can click on the photos to enlarge them at any time.
Agastache cana 'Purple Pygmy' (Hummingbird Mint)
Agastache foeniculum x A. rugosa (Hyssop 'Blue Fortune' ...a hybrid cross)
Verbena bonariensis (Purpletop Verbane)
Veronica 'Icicle' (Spike Speedwell)
Perovskia (Russian Sage)
Arabis 'Snow Cap' (Rock Cress)
Salvia greggii 'Wild Thing' (Autumn Sage)
Salvia greggii 'Flame' (Autumn Sage)
Helianthus salicifolius 'Low Down' (Dwarf Perennial Sunflower)
Lobelia erinus 'Techno Heat Electric Blue'
Coreopsis grandiflora 'Rising Sun' (Tickseed)
Carpet Rose-red
Platycodon grandiflorus (Balloon Flower)
Chelone (Turtle Head)
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago or Leadwort)
Corydalis 'Canary Feathers'
Caryopteris 'Longwood Blue' (Blue Mist Shrub or Bluebeard)
Salvia 'Mystic Spires Blue'
Digitalis alba (White Foxglove)
Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles' (Spike Speedwell)
Buddleia davidii 'Adonis Blue' (Butterfly Bush)
Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush--unknown variety)
Echinacea purpura 'Double Pink Delight' (Coneflower)
Nepal Cinquefoil (Potentilla napelensisa 'Melton Fire')
Phlox paniculata 'Nicky'
Phlox paniculata 'Andre'
Phlox paniculata 'Shortland'
Kalimeris pinnatifida (False Aster or Japanese Aster), given to me by garden-blogging-friend Janet, 'The Queen of Seaford'.
Commonelina communis (Common Day Flower)
Rudbeckia herta (Black Eyed Susan)
Fragaria virginiana (Wild Strawberry)
Another azalea bloom (!) on a different bush than the last one I posted about. It's really a spring-blooming azalea (non-native).
Kerria japonica (Japanese Kerria)...getting a second flush after cutting back last spring
Lagerstroemia indica (Crepe-or-Crape Myrtle) blooms
Liriope muscari 'variegata' (Variegated Liriope or Lily Turf)
Plumbago auriculata and Calendula officinalis (Marigold) from seed
Morning Glory (Patriotic Mix) from seed
A few varieties of Zinnia elegans and Cosmos bipinnatus from seed
Aster--2 varieties, not sure of the ID's, but I 'think' the deep purple is Aster novae-angliae:
Japanese Anemone (still making blossoms)
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
Rudbeckia laciniata (Cutleaf Coneflower) and Hylotelephium (Sedum 'Autumn Joy')
Phlox douglasii (Creeping Phlox)
Leucanthemum (Shasta Daisy)
'Purple Wave' Petunia in an iron kettle I purchased at an antique shop on vacation in Maine this summer.
I've been working hard on categorizing my garden plants by Native, Non-Native 'workhorses', other Exotics, etc. Soon I will be writing individual posts on each plant with more information to add to my 'Planting Native' page (above). *After this post was published, I had to open it up and add 8 more plants to the post. I've been looking through so many photos I somehow forgot to upload them...but they're here now, if you didn't see them the first time around;-)
Today I am thankful that there is a bounty of color in my garden, even in September.
Today I am thankful that there is a bounty of color in my garden, even in September.
Words and photos ©Thanks For Today, by Jan Huston Doble
Hi Jan, your September blooms are beautiful. I too and totally enjoying September. hugs, Gloria
ReplyDeleteHi Jan. I hope that you have been enjoying your summer. It is going so fast!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is just full of blooms yet. I cannot get over all of those butterflies on your agastache. Just a wonderful image.
Beautiful post of blooms Jan! Your photo of Anise Hyssop is amazing with all the Tiger Swallowtails! ;>)
ReplyDeleteReally beautiful, Jan, the photos, the flowers and the wildlife!
ReplyDeleteFrances
Dear Jan, You have an amazing array of blooms in your garden still. I love all the 'blues' particularly.
ReplyDeleteYour wildlife pictures are stunning, as always. We have quite a few monarchs, but I just ordered four milkweed plants ... we had no luck growing them from seed. I used the link you provided some time back... Thanks again for that. Love, Pam x
Wow, I can tell the bees and the butterflies are very happy in your garden. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much everyone, for stopping by and leaving me your nice comments. If you happen to read this note, I just added a BUNCH more plants to the post...I literally forgot about them. I had them ready to upload to the blog and somehow they got left out. So, I've now added EIGHT more plants to my post...all of them are currently in bloom.
ReplyDeleteYou put a LOT of effort into this post! But then, you had a lot of subject material. :-) Love the fact that you seem to have followed the bumblebee from flower to flower, and were able to take beautiful photos of the "flying flowers!" Happy September, even though it's hard to believe and/or say the word. ha.
ReplyDeleteHi Jan, Gorgeous photos of the flowers and pollinators! I love that you've got such great photos of the pollinators going about their business on your plethora of blooms!
ReplyDeleteSorry September isn't one of your favorite months like it is for me...we're fortunate enough to get to celebrate 7 family birthdays in the month!
Happy (end of season) gardening!
~Aerie-el
What a collection of blooms! The bees and the butterflies seem to be very busy in your garden. I'd love to read your posts on individual plants. Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteI am with you on not being anxious to see Sept. It looks like you are not the only creature enjoying your garden; the bees seem to enjoy it as well.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, Jan - that's a lot of color for this time of year. Good for you! Your collages are fantastic, too. I love the way you used a larger photo of the same plant as the background: such a pleasing effect. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat pretty portraits of so many flowers. I keep seeing anemones on other blogs and wonder why all three of mine are dwindling or already dead. Sigh. Yours are lovely.
ReplyDeleteYou have orgies going on in your garden! How wonderful. It's been so hot and dry here, we've just been doing what we can to keep things alive.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a lot of blooms! Just gorgeous, Jan. Like Nancy, everything is crispy here, & we're deciding what we can feasibly keep alive with watering, as there's no rain in the 10-day forecast. Good job!
ReplyDeleteJan, what stunning photos---great color and clarity. I loved my visit. I'd like to extend an invitation to share my garden, please take a stroll. www.mysisterdalesgarden.com look in photo gallery 1 where you will find lots of flowers.
ReplyDeleteMiriam
Wonderful photos ... your September blooms are just beautiful! This post was a real feast for the eyes ... loved the butterflies too! Isn't it amazing just how quickly this year is flying by ... over here it's Spring and we're on our way to the horrid Summertime!!!
ReplyDeletewow! So many delicate and perfect little blooms!
ReplyDeleteI have purple pygmy agastache as well and am so happy with it right now.
Hi Jan
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning array of blooms you have shared with us. I couldn't even begin to pick a favorite. And so many wonderful insects too! Wonderful photos, all!
Beautiful post Jan! I always love your collages. They are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSuch spectacular flowers and insects. Awesome on all the swallowtails on the hyssop!
ReplyDeleteSo many lovely blooms in your garden, Jan! But I was just as taken by your flying visitors as the flowers. You've reminded me that I mustn't forget to plant some agastache next year. It's hard to believe that September is already half over, but it's so hot here that it still seems like summer.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I don't really welcome September's arrival, even though it's usually brings such beauty. Summer's departure is always sad for me. But I see your garden is full of skippers, butterflies and bees, just like mine. It has been a banner year for them here, and I've added many new varieties of "guests" to my list. Yesterday I saw my first preying mantis, and was thrilled till I saw him eat one of the skippers!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I made it to your bloom day post. You have a nice variety of blooms, and one would never know how much you've been away from them the last month or so. I love all the critters, too. How cool that you got, was it 3 or 4 swallowtails in one photo?
ReplyDelete