Garden Bloggers Bloom Day August 2010
- The back yard seen from the deck. Other than the dead spot in the lawn, it’s doing well.
I write this post a day late and from the opposite coast. As I ran around the garden yesterday snapping shots of the various plants in bloom, I hardly had time to think about how the garden looks now that it’s mid-August. But now, looking at the photos, I think it’s doing pretty well 
- Bright colors provide contrast
My garden is designed to be in bloom from late February (when the early crocuses emerge) until mid-November (when cold weather finally puts an end to the colorful display). Strong, bright colors provide interest in August and hold their own in the heat and bright sun.
- Rosa ‘Mary Rose’, Heliopsis ‘Lorraine Sunshine’, and Echinacea ‘Green Jewel’
Bumble bees love the anemones
The garden is abuzz with the sound of flying insects all summer long, but it reaches a crescendo in late summer when the anenomes and sedums start to flower. Although they’re generally solitary creatures, it’s not unusual to find several bumble bees ‘sharing’ an anemone blossom.
Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
Although the crocosmia are nearing the end of their summer show, ‘Lucifer’ still provides a splash of cherry-red in the center of the garden. The hummingbirds love this plant and have been busy feeding at it all summer.
Clematis 'Betty Corning'
Clematis are one of my favorite plants but I have a particular fondness for ‘Betty Corning’. In my garden, she’s been blooming since May and has happily scrambled up the side of the garden shed, covering the vinyl siding (thankfully!) with a blanket of green, punctuated by dangling blue bells.
Panicle Hydrangea in full bloom
White is a wonderful color at any time of year, but I particularly like to use it in the late summer garden to tone down the bright yellows and pinks. This tree-form hydrangea is so heavy with blooms that I worry it’ll fall over! In the background you can see the Rhus ‘Tiger Eyes’ that has grown a little out of control, despite some pretty heavy pruning. I’m debating removing it this fall – particularly since it’s started to put up suckers around the garden.
Zucchini - lots of flowers buy no zukes
One of the most reliable bloomers in the garden over the past month has been this hybrid zucchini. Huge flowers all over – but only one zucchini so far. I’m not sure what’s going on (it’s not as though there aren’t enough critters to pollinate it) but at least the flowers are pretty.
Hibiscus seed pods
Finally, although they’re not exactly blooms, I like the seed pods from the white hardy hibiscus that has travelled with me from Michigan to Illinois to Connecticut. They’re almost as interesting as the flowers.
And that’s it from me today. Don’t forget to take a look at all the other beautiful garden blooms posted at May Dreams Gardens!
Happy gardening from Mountain View, CA!
Monica
Your garden is amazing in August! Dang, girl … that first picture has me in a swoon! Maybe I’ll come visit you next August … the weather has to be cooler and more pleasant than it is here in Houston. I’m laughing that you posted a picture of your hibiscus seed pods: I posted a picture of my okra mallow buds, which I thought were as pretty as any bloom.