Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Some August Beauties


Some of these flowers have been blooming all summer, while others, like the great blue lobelia, Hosta, seashore mallow, Formosa lilies, hardy ginger and ironweed, wait until August to strut their stuff.

Rose 'Nasturana'


Ironweed and seashore mallow



4 o'clocks and Formosa lilies -- both have a wonderful fragrance, which can waft 30' at least.


Formosa lilies and seashore mallow


These August lilies beside house are very old hand-me-downs from my grandmother.
I believe it to be Hosta plantaginea or 'Royal Standard'. The flowers smell like honeysuckle.



The bed beside the neighbor's pasture, with seashore mallow, hardy ginger, a 'Knockout' rose, and Panicum 'Cloud Nine'. Not as many Bidens came up this year as last year, but there will still be enough to put on a show next month.



Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) is a recent addition to the garden. Cardinal flower and downy lobelia grow wild on the farm, but I haven't seen great blue lobelia. The cardinal flower tends to pop up willy-nilly in the big ditches and sloughs, flowering beautifully in a spot one year and then showing up several yards away the next. We find a lot of downy lobelia in the shallow ditches and in the floodway fields.


The larger Mexican cousin of our lovely native Ruellia caroliniana, R. brittoniana, with Verbena bonariensis and seashore mallow.


Blue porterweed (a tireless workhorse) and Phlox 'Robert Poore'


IMO the most beautiful of the milkweeds, swamp milkweed


A rose-of-sharon that my MIL didn't want and gave to me. I'm not the biggest fan of Hibiscus syriacus, since Japanese beetles are, but this one is exceptional to me. I love the color of the flowers.


These flowers just about make suffering through the heat and humidity of August worth it. :)


23 comments:

  1. That Rose of Sharon is beautiful Sweet Bay. I've never seen a double bloom like that? I also love the close up shots of the ironweed ~ they flower like Joe Pye, don't they? I bet the bees do love it. I might have to check into growing some here. You have such an expansive garden, it always makes me a touch envious. So many beautiful flowers just growing wild (like the lobelias etc.) I'm glad you share it with those of us confined to a small space. btw, the macro shot of the hosta with rain drops is fabulous!

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  2. Those Formosa Lilies are just stunning. I love anything white, particularly if it is scented. The Rose of Sharon from your MIL is really very nice as well. I would keep it! :)

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  3. Great photos of your garden. I love the iron weed. I'll have to see if it is hardy here. Wonderful color. Your right the Rose-of-Sharon is pretty. Like artfully torn paper, nice color too.

    I've never heard the term August Lilies. What a pretty name, much better than hosta;)
    Marnie

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  4. I love your sunny borders...When I see how happy the sun lovers are, I have fantasies of cutting down half a dozen trees! Oh, the possibilities! But how would I get that great moist soil that supports clethras, lobelias, swamp milkweeds and even Joey Pyeweed! I love ironweed...mine won't bloom this year...I just added it. gail

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  5. The Hosta with waterdrops is a really nice !! and all your flowers, lovely. August can't be the end of the summer and as your garden shows, I'm right :)

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  6. Wow, what wonderful combinations! And if you're keeping track, ironweed blooms here about the same time; mine's done actually. :)

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  7. Sweet Bay ~ Your pictures are always a wonderful treat to see. I loved the hosta with the waterdrops. Just lovely. And the purple rose of sharon and the sweet swamp milkweed and the iron weed. I love them all. Those purple hues just do something to me.

    FlowerLady

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  8. I always see several plants here that I've never heard of before. I love the Formosa Lilies, they look tall.
    I was wondering if my blue lobelia was the type you have, but now that I see pictures I think it must be another kind. It sure is pretty.

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  9. You have such an amazing array of flowers. I love your Grandmother's lilies and the lobelia.

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  10. Hi Sweetbay,

    You have so much blooming in your garden that to compliment you on them would sound like a speech!

    If I had to pick out one, well it's the Iron weed. But wait, that Hosta, a hosta with nice blooms and of course the Seashore Mallow, oh and the .....

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  11. What a lovely garden you have! I will tell you if this is one of the first years with Great Blue-- it reseeds in soooo many areas. I am not sure if the birds do this or what, but I end up getting rid of some of it.
    Been collecting seeds of my Seashore Mallow. Nice plant.

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  12. That ironweed is really a pretty color. I'd like to get some established here at some point.

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  13. I meant to say I loved the first photo of your last post with the butterflies... this one too is lovely... so fresh in the heat! Your gardens just go on and on! Gorgeous Lilies. I think the Hosta plantaginea flowers are much larger than other Hostas. I used to have it but seem to have lost it in my jungle. Those and Honey Bells and Royal Standard are all my favorites. Your borders with the pastures in the background are stunning and I can only imagine the horses running and grazing from time to time. LOVE the swamp milkweed. Have you had many monarchs this year?

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  14. Absolutely beautiful..each and every flower! Love the shades..pinks and violets my favorite colors Monet inspired for sure!

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  15. Wonderful flowers you show us.
    Hugs
    Annika

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  16. I want the swamp milkweed! I have a new interest in milkweeds since my Furr Ball plants have developed. What an amazing plant full of an array of varied uses both good and bad.

    Lovely pictures and your meadow is prettiest I've seen.

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  17. Nasturana is lovely! My New York Ironweed didn't return this year:( I have planted Vernonia lettermanii from Plant Delights and am anxiously awaiting blooms from it. I love the Formosa Lily and Four O'Clock combo:)

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  18. Your native flowers are the prettiest...Jimsonweed is a workhorse for sure. I think it is very pretty . The Ironweed is outstanding. So many bugs love it.
    August has been cool and wet here. I am happy we did not have the normal heat and humidity. So enjoyed catching up. Thank you.
    Sherry

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  19. Thank you everyone for your comments!

    Whitney, thank you. :)

    Kathleen, yes, the Ironweed flowers do look just like a bright purple version of Ironweed. I love that shade of purple.

    The Garden Ms S: I will definitely keep this Rose-of-Sharon! I love the blue and purple colors in the flower.

    Marnie, August Lily is a lovely name, isn't it?

    Gail, your garden is gorgeous as it is, and your sun lovers look very happy. Believe me, right now I wish I had a little more shade! lol

    Mia, August and September are truly peak months here, especially for the wildflowers on the farm. In many places spring is the peak, but here it's early fall.

    Thank you Monica. :) That's amazing that your Ironweed finished before mine, isn't it?!

    Flowerlady, I love purple too. It's my favorite color and goes with everything.

    Catherine, the Formosa Lilies are tall, about 7' in height. There are shorter Formosa Lilies too, but I like their towering aspect. I haven't had trouble with them falling over, which may be due to luck, lol. I looked at your Lobelia and I think it's Downy Lobelia. I'll take pictures of the DL here and post them.

    Thank you Janie. It's nice to have a family heirloom in the garden. :)

    Thank you Rob. This is the first year the Ironweed has bloomed. I'm not even sure which species it is, whether the seed came from the Ironweed in the floodway fields or from the Botanical Garden. It's been a really good year for the Seashore Mallow.

    Janet, I would *love* it if the blue Lobelia seeds in. I have accepted just letting the Cardinal Flower and Downy Lobelia seed where it will, as I haven't had much success cultivating them myself.

    Tina I can send you seed if you want. It'll probably be ready in about a month.

    Carol, I have seen a lot of Monarchs and Viceroys this year. It's peak butterfly time right now, which is truly delightful. In additional to the Skippers and Monarchs and Viceroys and Swallowtails, there are dozens and dozens of Sulfurs floating everywhere.

    The horses aren't doing too much running right now, although they ran like mad the other night (the pony especially had a wild hair), and then they looked like they regreted it. lol It's so muggy here right now. At least September is just around the corner, for which I am grateful... with humidity this high it's not possible to go outside without getting soaked.

    Naturegirl, pinks and violets are my favorites in the garden too. Monet did have beautiful gardens, something to aspire to for sure!

    Thank you Annika. :)

    Flowergardengirl, I can send seed if the plant I have left produces it. As long as the Blister Beetles don't find it first!

    Littlewing, that's a shame your Ironweed didn't come back! It looked so good in your garden. I'll have to check out V. lettermanii.

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  20. Lovely!! I like the fact that you published lot of beautiful photosfor inspiration.

    Marit

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  21. More beauties. Absolutely love the four o'clocks and the tall Lillies together. Such a happy, pretty combination. A delightful shot the buds with the tear drops.

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  22. rose of sharon old fashioned glory I did not realize four oclocks had such a magnificent odor until last week - caught me off guard

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