What's Blooming: Maestro & Perilla

After this hot, dry summer many of my perennials, especially Bee Balm and Purple Cones, have already donned their seed heads for Winter. Their rusty brown and black forms contrast nicely with the fall palette of blooms. In the Bird & Butterfly Garden, perennial sunflowers, always reliable, bloom through Miscanthus Morning Light and peek from beneath Switch Grass Dallas Blues, Black-eyed Susans pop against Purple Perilla. An annual that reseeds itself, Purple Perilla pops up everywhere in my garden. It is also especially nice combined with the silver leaves of Lambs Ears.

In the Woodland Edge, Persicaria Firetail's blooms are now in flame, burning through the puffs of Prairie Dropseed and Nodding Onion.

A purple haze of not-so-Obedient Plants drifts throughout my garden.

Out front, Russian Sage and Walker's Low set off the dark foliage of Elderberry Black Lace. Sedum Maestro sings from a bed of Lambs Ears. Sweet Autumn Clematis perfumes the front porch.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month.

What's Blooming

We have had beautiful warm weather so far this September with just a few cool, rainy days. Plants are just beginning to turn to autumn and there are still plenty of blooms to be found in the garden.

Volunteer Golden Rod.

Perennial Sunflower, Helianthus Microcephalus blooms among Miscanthus.

'Orchid Frost' lamium beneath Blue Spruce.

Common Beggar Ticks, Bidens Frondosa, and wild aster.

Unknown Veronica (lost tag).

Sedum Maestro

Beefsteak or Shiso, Perilla Frutescens in the potager – great sauteed!

Nasturtium in the potager.

Rose Mallows that reseeded themselves.

Borage that has reseeded ... and reseeded ... and reseeded.

What's not blooming is Exotic Love Vine and Morning Glory 'Scarlet O'Hara,' although both have just about covered the rustic trellis in the potager. I planted these for the humming birds but the blooms will be too late since the birds will be migrating any day now. I have planted two trumpet vines instead for next year, a yellow and a red – perennial vines that should offer flowers by mid summer. The red will cover this arbor, the yellow, the trellis by the driveway.

Exotic Love Vine and Morning Glory 'Scarlet O'Hara' on rustic trellis.

Sweet Autumn clematis is just about to bloom on the front porch.

Moon Flower has been blooming on the front porch for weeks.

Purple Hyacinth Bean is blooming along the drive and on the front porch.

Purple bean pods.

Also blooming are susans, sunflowers, cone flowers, obedient plant and a variety of asters and grasses. I think I'll feature the grasses in a separate post. Garden bloggers' bloom day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month. Add your blog to the growing list so all can see what's blooming in your garden.

Sun, Snow, and Shadows

1.29.2011 The sun shines today. It says to me pause, no matter how busy you are, and admire the beauty of this garden. Pay attention, it is not dead. Even though it is sleeping, it is full with life and sparkles in my light. Do you see spring? Stretching shadows, longer days.

Black Eyed Susans

Shadow from Arbor

Sea Holly 'Blue Glitter'

In the Potager

Sedum Maestro

Front Porch

Eastern White Pine

Astilbe Japonica 'Montgomery'

What's Blooming

Out front Sedum Maestro is attracting a lot of attention from passersby - of the bumble bee variety.

The Cardinal Climber has reached its tendrils up to the of the porch lattice and is finally in bloom. Sadly, the hummingbirds have already moved on, but maybe those on their journey from further up north will chance upon its blooms.

In the butterfly garden Autumn Joy has taken the stage behind the blooms of Switch Grass 'Dallas Blues' whose blades will turn a beautiful gold color come the winter snows.

In the pollinator garden the Cosmos and Zinnias are still blooming in full force and are frequently visited by bees and Monarchs.

In the new woodland edge border, asters left wild are a cloud of tiny white blooms and new spontaneous, irresistible purchase Little Lemon golden rod seems to be a hit.

Along the drive, more Switch Grass but cross Ruby Ribbons in full bloom and whose blade tips are just beginning to turn red. The obedient plant is always abuzz with bees and Monarchs. Another spontaneous purchase Clematis 'Comtesse De Bouchard,' and one I do not regret. She has not stopped blooming since being planted.

An all time favorite just added this year is Coreopsis Moonbeam. And a first for me - my Moonflower is in bloom. Each morning I am greeted with another full moon at least 6" across.

Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month. Visit Carol's blog and if you'd like, add your blog to the list so we can view your blooming blog.