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Ten August Favorites

Ginger Lily ( Hedychium coccineum 'Tara') With the exception of a few hot spells, August has been tolerable. However, beginning tomorrow, we are in for a 5-day heat wave. Disgusting! August is the month for plants that really love the heat. I have to begin with the Ginger Lily 'Tara' which is blooming for the first time. I posted a few weeks ago about how excited I was to see the bloom stalk. They have slowly opened with a few flowers every day. It has been well worth the wait.  Other favorites - Continuing the orange theme is Lantana 'Miss Huff' which is growing in a pot (that is the heather 'Firefly' in the foreground). This lantana can survive in the ground if situated in a protected area and it isn't too wet. Previously, one grew in the back garden along the south foundation and got huge (about 3' x 5'). I finally took it out after a particularly tough winter and it was slow to bounce back.  Allium ' Millenium' is a small charme...
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Threshold to Fall

Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel'

Last night our weatherman said that from here on out, we would have fall weather. Summer left with a bang with an almost 100 degree day at the end of the August. The heat fluctuations are a nuisance, and I miss the days of consistent temperatures. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium anymore, it is either at one extreme or another. 

The older I get, the more sensitive I get to cold temperatures. This creates major conflict in our household with Michael being hot all the time. I swear he freezes me to death. So I celebrate the end of the noisy air conditioner kicking on right as I sit down on the deck for quiet reading and the constant drone of fans inside the house. 

I'm hoping for a mild autumn where temperatures hover around the low 70s. Is that too much to ask?

I love the fall season - the colors, the brisk clean feeling in the air and the way the sun starts casting odd shadows. 




Canna 'Panache'

Hydrangea 'Lemon Wave'

Alstroemeria 'Sweet Laura'

Crape Myrtle 'Dynamite'

'Dynamite' again and the rose 'Swany' on the right. It is blooming again!

One of the best pots this year and this is its second season. I've never had much success with Huechera (Coral Bells) but this one is a winner - 'Red Lightning'. The Cape Fuchsia above it was a gift from friends - it is Phygelius 'Colorburst Yellow'. It is a good idea to always grow the cape fuchsias in pots as they can be quite aggressive in the ground.

Jasmine 'Ogon Nishiki'

Unfortunately, I lost the name of this Japanese Maple that we have growing in a pot. I'm guessing that it is 'Viridis'.


Chinese Foxglove (Rehmannia elata)


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonSeptember 15, 2024 at 5:46 PM

    Late summer looks a whole lot better in your part of the country than mine, Phillip! I love that Hibiscus. Do you know the cultivar name for the orange-flowered dahlia? It's gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PhillipSeptember 15, 2024 at 5:54 PM

      No, I wish I did. I tried to find it but could not.

      Delete
  2. Ardith FergusonSeptember 15, 2024 at 8:15 PM

    Your photos are exquisite! I saw the Red Lightning Huechera at Yard and Garden on Saturday and really love it. Thanks for sharing these late summer scenes from your garden.

    ReplyDelete
  3. tz_gardenSeptember 16, 2024 at 7:57 AM

    Oh my these photos are so wonderful, your garden feels so lush and green! That dahlia is stunning.

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  4. Hoover BooSeptember 16, 2024 at 5:35 PM

    Gorgeous photos of beautiful plants. The light is so much better now--without the harsh intensity of summer.

    ReplyDelete

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