As fall hurtles towards my gardens, the zinnias continue to hold center stage. Ever year at this time I'm amazed at their abundance and colors. I'm so thankful I spend time in the spring sowing the seeds in trays, putting them under grow lights, then planting the seedlings in the Cutting Garden. So much reward for such an easy task.
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| Zinnia Zinnia elegans 'Zowie! Yellow Flame" |
The cutting garden and kitchen garden share the same space; there the chocolate mint is blooming. Named more for the color of its stems than for it's flavor, this mint adds a refreshing hint of chocolate to drinks and desserts.
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| Chocolate Mint |
Also in the Kitchen Garden, the monarch butterfly caterpillars are continuing to grow as they munch on the milkweed leaves. I hope they make it in time for the Great Monarch Butterfly Migration.
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In the Cottage Garden many plants I featured in my last posting (click HERE ) are still blooming, so I haven't included every one, such as the hydrangeas. Those iconic cottage garden flowers: foxglove, delphinium, hollyhock, and rose continue to bloom in the herbaceous borders. I'm especially thrilled the delphiniums are blossoming again and the foxglove never stopped.
Top left: Foxglove 'Foxlight Plum Gold.' Top right: Delphinium 'Magic Fountain Sky Blue'
Bottom left: 'Red Knockout' Rose. Bottom right: Hollyhock and Russian sage
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| Top: Perennial geranium 'Roxanne'. Bottom: Yarrow 'The Pearl' |
I'm pleased with the potentilla shrub I planted last fall. It's yellow flowers bloomed all season. My English mother called it 'Cinquefoil.'
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| Potentilla flowers starting to fade but still loved by bees. |
In my previous posting, I mentioned and showed many of the plants in Abundance Garden including Joe pye and my giant lobelia. They are still lovely and in addition pretty fall asters are just starting to bloom.
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| Left: New York Aster. Top: Supertunia 'Vista Silverberry.' |
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| Some self-seeding snapdragons refuse to give up. |
In Serenity Garden, as turtlehead blooms fade, the Japanese anenome buds are beginning to open at last. (Gardening teaches us patience they say!)
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| Japanese Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' |
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| Annual Fuscia |
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| Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is found in most of my gardens. |
In the Woodland Walk the beautiful native snake root appears in drifts of white. We removed this plant from around the pastures as it is poisonous to grazing animals, but we allow it to grow freely in the Woodland Walk.
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| Snakeroot Ageratima altissimo |
In Kat's Field the goldenrod is blooming. A sure sign that fall is upon us.
Noticeably absent are two large features: the stand of sunflowers in the Kitchen Garden and the zebra grass by Froggy Pond. I noticed the sunflowers were drooping and broke open a stem to find it full of the sunflower stem borer lava. This happened last year also -- no, I didn't plant in the same spot and I even used a different variety of sunflower. I wont grow sunflowers for a couple of years, researching what will get rid of the pest. We removed the zebra grass because it began to go to seed and, while I love its cool plumes, I don't want it to spread. It is on the Pennsylvania invasive species watch list. Mine had grown enormous and messy and had to go. Now I like the openness that reveals both the pond and my beloved miniature weeping spruce. But I'm sad to see the sunflowers go.
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| Click HERE for picture before we removed the sunflowers. See title picture above for the grass |
Finally, I've chosen two plants with striking leaves for Foliage Follow-up.
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| Left: Canna 'Striatta.' Right: Smokebush Cotinus coggygria 'Royal purple.' |
I'm linking with Carol's blog May Dreams Gardens for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Pam at Digging for Foliage Follow Up. Now I'm going over to Carol's blog to see what is blooming today around the world and to Pam's to see what is happening in Texas. Wont you join me?
Fall is in the air in the northern hemisphere. Enjoy the change of season in your part of the world!
Pamela x
I love reading your comments. I hope you leave one so I’ll know you visited!
I look forward to visiting your blog in return.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLove the Zinnias, and 'Autumn Joy' is magnificent!
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
Oh, those zinnias are just glorious! I never got around to planting any this year. My loss.
ReplyDeleteAlways something new on the invasive or pest lists, isn't there. Still lots of beautiful things happening in your garden.
ReplyDeletePam, I always enjoy tours of your gardens. Your zinnias are beautiful. Where do you buy your seeds? Happy gardening!
ReplyDeleteJoanna, my favorite supplier is Annie's Heirloom Seeds. I also buy from Burpee and Park Seeds.
DeletePam, you garden always looks explendid, The display of zinnias is stunning! Here the springtime is just around the corner and I've seen some monarch Butterflies in the garden, I love them so much!(they don't migrate in warmer South America) Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to have monarchs all year round!
DeleteYour gardens are beautiful Pam and the photo of Kat's Field with the goldenrod is stunning! Your still have so many blooms for September and even though fall is approaching, there is so much beauty to be seen. Happy Bloom Day!
ReplyDeletePam, I will definitely be adding zinnias next year. I love the way you have them grouped.
ReplyDeleteI do recommend zinnias. Because they are in the cutting garden, I don't give too much thought to the grouping, except to put the tall ones together or at the back. I don't worry about the arrangement of colors either.
DeleteI love zinnias too! They are so rewarding - and all for the price of a packet of seeds and a little effort. Chocolate mint? I like the sound of that. It doesn't look as scrawny as other mints. Of course, my interest may have been piqued by the idea of adding its chocolate loveliness to drinks and puds! I'm sorry to read about the stem borer larvae - I hope that giving sunflowers a break helps to resolve the situation. Your garden is looking lovely as always - it's wonderful to see so many bee flowers!
ReplyDeleteAs you probably know, Sarah, the mint has to be contained or it will take over the garden. I have mine in a raised bed/container.
DeleteWow, those zinnias are fabulous, and as you say, definitely worth taking the effort to sow the seeds in spring. I've got sedum flowering at the moment too, I don't think I ever look at it without it being covered in bees and butterflies, such a lovely plant to have in the garden.
ReplyDeleteAs I've said before, Jo, I think sedums in all their forms are my favorite plants!
DeleteFall is my favorite season, and I love seeing the fall flowers starting to bloom. Your zinnias are amazing! That is one flower I struggle with growing, probably because the soil in some of my beds really need much more amending. That is too bad about the sunflowers. I've never heard of that borer before! Your garden still looks so lovely, though, with so many beautiful flowers!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Indie. I love fall too but must confess that I am rather tired by now and ready to take a rest from gardening. I still have a great deal of cleaning up to do out there.
DeletePam, your zinnias are so beautiful! Last year I started mine inside and they looked really nice like yours, but this year I had so many other seedlings that I just sowed seeds outdoors. They don't look nearly as good this year, I'm afraid. Next year I'll start them inside again. Thanks for reminding me to do so -- and for sharing all your lovely fall flower scenes! Best, -Beth
ReplyDeleteI agree, Beth, that any annuals started early indoors do better than direct sowing seeds outside. I don't start my vegetables indoors though, and find I have plenty of produce when needed.
DeleteHi Pam,
ReplyDeleteIt's always so delightful to visit your garden on bloom day. It must be a lovely place to visit. Happy GBBD!
Your zinnias look great! I started mine indoors this year and put them out a little too early so only a few made it but the ones that did are doing great. Marigolds didn't do so well for me and I'm still trying to understand my new zone 6 environment, though it seems like my south facing front yard needs plants that do better in warmer zones. Sorry to hear about your sunflowers, mine finally bloomed but they just weren't getting enough sun I think, next year I'll try them in my front yard and see how they do.
ReplyDeleteMy marigolds didn't do well this year. Too much rain I think.
DeleteAhhhh, it's lovely Pam. I wish I could walk through it with you. Still trying to get my GBBD post up today, and it may not happen. Still, I put a lot of blooms in my last post you saw. A popup thunderstorm is making noise above my roof and a little rain is falling. Happiness.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteHow I would love for you to visit my garden, Dee.
DeleteI have never heard of the sunflower stem borer but spent time researching it on the internet. If there is a new horrible bug out there, it will certainly find its way to my garden some day. Sorry about your sunflowers, they were beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing on GBBD.
Jeannie @ GetMeToTheCountry.Blogspot.com
Ironically, my sunflowers took Best in Show at our local fair, so it was doubly disappointing to see them go.
DeleteI just love zinnias! By the way, I have never seen yarrow like the white variety you have. I'll have to keep an eye for it. What a beautiful time of year, isn't it? Happy Bloom Day to you!
ReplyDeleteYarrow 'The Pearl' is wonderful in cut flower arrangements.
DeletePam such a delight to see your garden any time of year.....love those zinnias especially. Too bad about the sunflowers. I hope you can eliminate the pests. The squirrels usually take seed I plant or flower heads....they are my sunflower pest.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful garden!
ReplyDeletePam, what lovely zinnias! I didn't grow any of the tall ones this year with the exception of the new-to-me 'Queen Red Lime' which was a good performer. I did have my usual 'Profusion' and 'Angustofolia' shorter varieties, though. I'd given up a bit on the taller zinnias due to having mildew problems at times, but next year, things will change. Your cannas are striking. I can only grow the red ones to any great height (and this year, with our wet summer, they were over 9' tall, which has to be some sort of a record.) I also could never get zebra grass to overwinter, either. I always love to tour your gardens. :-)
ReplyDelete