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Tuesday 7 January 2014

August 2013 Parade of Plants

By now the garden and I are both getting dry and tired ... so my plant kids are looking not quite at their best.
However I have tried to catch what I can when it is looking not too bad !
Casa Blanca is my favorite oriental lily .. there is just something about how her all white petals glow in the shade garden. I don't have many .. I hate the lily beetle with a vengeance but I have to have at least one of her .. I might get brave this year and plant a few more .. I just have to wait and see what kind of a year it will be !

 Other plants glow in the darker areas of the garden .. some as common as can be .. but when I find a silvery gray one that stands up to the relentless humid dry weather, I make a note of it.
Silver Brocade artemisia ... a few gardeners may groan at this because it is so common and can become invasive .. BUT... I have a specific use for it mixed with my Provence lavender in that big circle.
So rather than buying Dusty Miller every year I now have a perennial that fills the bill ... for as long as I like?
The ally way garden has filled in nicely .. and a few touches of "white" from the Gooseneck Loostrife is another touch of "brightening" a shady area .. besides how cute are those flowers ?
 Coneflowers and pollinators ... August is totally all about this buzzy time of year  !




Planting dill among the flowers .. especially the roses helps ward off the bad bugs and it is very pretty !
I have Black Eyed Susans dotted all over the gardens for that hit of colour.
I really love having herbs inter twined with the perennials .. and this was the first year I planted annuals among them to ... for that hit of colour and I like petunias even as old fashioned as they are.

Nanho Blue Buddleia , butterfly bush is one of my oldest perennials .. it has wonderful tough silver gray foliage that puts up with our abusive summer weather and pumps out gorgeous honey scented flowers.
I played with a "dry" stream bed last year and I want to work on it to make it look a little more appealing.
I have two Fire Island hosta on either side of Pinot Gris heuchera .. but I think I will change that planting to something a little more natural for the scenario ... maybe mini ornamental grasses ?
You can't see the Tiger Eye Sumac just above the planting ... one of my favorite mini me trees !







And so the seasons move on .........

8 comments:

Patty said...

The chill has left my toes after seeing all the lovely warm colours in this post. I think your garden looked really fresh despite the August date.

Barry said...

Joy:
I have to say August is a wonderful month in your garden. The colours are spetacular. Love all of the Heuchera.... I don't have the space to let them create the wonderful living edge that yours do! I am still only finishing June in my year that was posts. Got waylaid with reading this past month...... hope all is well with you!

Rose said...

What a treat to see all these colorful blooms on this cold and gloomy winter day! I love the combinations of plants you have, Joy, especially all the different foliage of the heucheras. 'Casablanca' is one of my favorite lilies, too; such a beauty! I'm going to have to remember to try some dill among the flowers--I like the contrast in texture there.

This is a great time to think about plans for spring and summer--I have a pile of garden books on order from the library, a great way to get through the winter. Stay warm!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Patty girl !Thanks !
Yes .. come to think of it, August wasn't as bad as some have been, that year. Looking out there now makes it very hard to believe it can look this good again though ? haha

Barry sweetie!Thanks ...I have changes to make .. hoping to get some logical plans make and carry them out. I have to go over to your place and see what you have been up to!

Rose girl : ) thank you so much!
Yes do try dill, fennel and other herbs with your flowers .. I think it makes a difference and I also like the contrast in style and colour of them all.
Yes .. this is the time of year to make changes in garden plans etc ... keeps us from going completely bonkers ? haha

Jennifer said...

I had to scroll down through both parades so as not to miss anything. I am always so impressed to see how much you cram into a relatively small space and how well behaved it all looks. Unlike my own jungle nothing seems to be running wild. I have eyed Silver Brocade a few times and wonder if it might do okay in a pot. I love the sumac. Hmm...I wonder if I could squeeze one in somewhere.

Barbarapc said...

So much fun to see your garden grow through the summer. Water feature is excellent. Really enjoy seeing the texture/colours/mixtures of leaves - a great demo showing you don't always have to have flowers. And a good reminder to me that I could be spending a little more time looking at and sorting my photos and not watching Netflix……B.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Jennifer girl I love your "running wild " garden!! .. I want some of that too in fact .. you can certainly squeeze Tiger Eye Sumac in your garden some where .. I might even try a second one too.
I love that artimesia even if it is common, it withstood some really harsh treatment and still looked wonderful in my circle .. I need more to finish the circle enclosure!

Barb girl(thanks very much!)
You are allowed to watch as much Netflex as you want during these ghastly winter months .. I just drove myself to look back at garden pictures so I can figure out what the heck I am doing this year!haha

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

I just love the richness of August with the buzzy bees and fruit starting to blush. Your garden captures it perfectly. And I love, love the dill your roses--clever lady!! :)