Garden Journal: August 16, 2009

After the horrific heat of last week we have had some cooler weather with no appreciable rain. The heat, especially warm night time temperatures, have made the perennials run through their bloom cycle at lightening speed and the annuals have stepped up to the plate and provide color and interest. I have prepared for this change in the garden by growing annuals from seed that I started late and have kept in a nursery area so I could put them into place as the need arose. The need has arisen!

The formal garden is the residence of most of the annuals. The cockscomb have especially profited from the heat and many are looking terrific.

This scarlet cockscomb (Celosia argentia var. c) and the scarlet portulaca at its feet are both volunteers from last year’s planting. I am grateful for their presence as the blue annual ageratum I planted there has never taken hold and has pooped out.

Another cockscomb, this one a lovely burgundy, complements the dark pink patio rose that grows nearby. It too is a volunteer from times past.

Another kind of cockscomb (Celosia cristata) is filling in the spot that was vacated by lilies and makes a strong statement with the Salvia ‘Victoria’ behind it and the hot pink vinca at its feet.

Another spot left vacant buy lilies has been filled with pink cosmos. I think the foliage is as beautiful as the flowers.

Pink vinca makes a pretty companion for Lamb’s Ear.

Boltonia asteroids ‘Snowbank’ is just beginning to show color. It comes into bloom slowly and is most beautiful as it does so.  The white is picked up by the white margins on the leaves of tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’)

White Gaura lindheimeri is reblooming and complements the yucca (Yucca filimentosa ‘Bright Edge’) that was hiding behind a large clump of iris that has been moved to a new location.  A white patio rose nestles in at their feet.

Another rebloomer is balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflora ‘Sentimental Blue’). Its foliage is beginning to take on its fall golden color that is echoed by the golden colored cockscomb (C. argentea var. plumosa).

In the hot border gomphrena ‘Strawberry Fields’ is paired with blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Goblin’)

The “hottest” plant in the garden is the annual Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia). I started these from seed late in the season and they just started blooming. I am a bit disappointed as the flowers are small in proportion to the plant and they all face upward so you can’t see them from rest of the garden.

On the other hand, when you look at the flowers of Tithonia close up they are really a knockout! Have you ever seen a more intense orange in the garden? Or anywhere else for that matter?

Even though I have a large vegetable garden I planted patio tomatoes in large pots in the herb garden immediately outside my kitchen door. It was just an experiment. The herbs are all in identical decorative pots on plinths and I usually plant grasses and colorful plants in larger pots to give the whole area color and interest. This year I decided to see if tomato plants could fill that role. Looking at this pot, I would say yes. Several of the pots look good like this one but some look terrible especially the one the deer liked.

Before making a decision on this I think I will wait and see what happens because you really never know about plants.

That is really the fun of gardening; it is never the same, there is always opportunity for improvement, and new possibilities always beckon.