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| Variegated Black Cotton Flower |
It's hard to believe it's September already, last week the temperatures were sweltering! My garden had been very dry until last Friday, when we got a couple of showers, so it's a wonder there are any flowers. The tropical Salvias in pots are producing some nice blooms, and the hummingbirds love them.
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| Salvia 'Faye Chapel' and Brazilian Blue Salvias beyond |
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| Hummingbird savoring the Salvias |
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| Array of potted plants along the front walk |
After the rain the temperatures have finally become more seasonable and a hint of fall is in the air. The Seven Son Flower tree in the back is still blooming, and the blue and white Lobelias on the east side woodland. This year it appears that my Japanese Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' will have some decent bloom, with one beautiful flower open and lots of buds.
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| Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' |
'Tis the season for goldenrods to bloom--my narrow-leaved goldenrod and the cascading Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' in the Little Indians bed are not very large, but hopefully will grow over time to cover more area. The ordinary Canada goldenrod sprouts spontaneously in other parts of my garden. The Sedum 'Autumn Joy' flowers are starting to turn pink.
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| Narrow-leaved goldenrod |
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| Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' |
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| Sedum 'Autumn Joy' |
The Prairie Blue Sage in the Badlands is blooming--I wish this one would cover more area too, seems to be very slow growing, but the sky-blue color of the flowers is lovely.
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| Blue Prairie Sage |
The garlic chives have held their bloom for a long time and the surrounding flowers in this bed too. The Blue Lake green beans are producing huge amounts this week--they were so tall I had to get Herb to reach some of them for me.
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| Garlic chives in bloom |
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| Summer harvest with Blue Lake green beans |
The rain stimulated another round of bloom in the California lilac (Ceanothus 'Glorie de Versailles). The white Cleomes on the west side of the house are looking good, I hope they'll re-seed themselves next spring.
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| Ceanothus 'Gloire de Versailles' |
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| White Cleomes |
My porch baskets have recovered from the heat of July and are now looking nice and full.
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| Front porch baskets. |
Soon the Swamp Sunflowers will be opening and the Autumn-flowering crocus popping up, but it's nice to be able to enjoy the last glory of summer flowers!
Last weekend I visited a couple of gardens in Sperryville as part of a garden festival, and was gifted a lovely bouquet of flowers with two amazing Dahlias from one garden. I painted my bouquet mostly from photos I took after I got it home--the flowers last such a short time and I'm a slow painter. Here's a photo of my painting.
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| Summer Bouquet, watercolor painting. |
