"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Friday, September 17, 2010

Last Fertilizer Friday of "summer" 2010.

I can't believe a week has already gone by since I last posted.  I've been looking at my garden as I drive away or out the window while I do housework or am on the phone scheduling appointments.  I've barely had a chance to just walk around the garden and enjoy it.  Luckily earlier in the day yesterday I was able to get a couple of planters planted and did a little clean up before the rain started - again.  It's been a frustrating year of gardening around here (click here to read about the actual stats, especially if you live in the PNW).  I was listening to NPR on the radio the other day that has a garden show in the morning.  They were telling the listeners that if this was their first year gardening here not to give up, "you're probably a better gardener than you think you are."
There are lots of garden chores to be done this time of year.  I usually start cutting back some of my perennials now.  I've started on the job of cutting my Clematis group C's down, and have thrown out a tomato plant that is obviously not going to have any tomatoes ripen.  The yard waste bin was quickly filled with pine needles and annuals that were "done".
There isn't really much new blooming, many of the same plants continue to bloom and look pretty.

Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud'

Rose of Sharon is attracting lots of hummingbirds.

Geranium 'Rozanne' hasn't stopped blooming all summer.  I just added a new one to the front yard.

I bought this fuchsia many years ago as a container filler, it probably cost 79 cents.  It comes back bigger and better every year, it's now planted in the ground near the deck.

Toad Lily (Tricyrtis) 'Empress' is finally planted.

This could be my favorite rose now.  I've shown this a few times recently but wanted to show how many buds are still coming.  It's a David Austin rose 'Lady Emma Hamilton' and just planted this summer.

The buds start out orangey-red then as they age they become more of a lighter apricot color.

Calendula

Bugbane (Is it Actaea or Cimicifuga now?).  It's supposed to keep insects away, but the flowers smell good to me.  The little American Beautyberry is behind it and covered in little green berries that I hope will turn purple soon.

Will I ever see flowers on my Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) 'Golden Delicious?  It's probably an annual here, so I planted it in a container and plan to bring it in over winter.  I love the color of the foliage.

Fertilizer Friday is hosted each week by Tootsie.  Be sure to visit her and see what she and other gardeners have blooming.
Pin It

37 comments:

  1. Beautiful post and photos!!!
    Kisses and nice weekend.
    Zondra Art

    ReplyDelete
  2. That toad lily is like none I've ever seen before. Very impressive colors!
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have some real stars there. I particulary love the orange rose. Never heard of a bugbane but it looks pretty. Does it work?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Catherine, What pretty pictures today. The roses are amazing and I recently posted about Thomas Jefferson and the American Beautyberry. Keep us posted when your berries turn purple! I love the fragrance of pineapple sage. It's a favorite of hummers here. I have a couple of other blog friends in your area. One is having an outdoor wedding tomorrow and they are so worried about the rain.

    Hope you and your family have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love all your pretty flowers. That toad lily is striking
    *hugs*deb

    ReplyDelete
  6. Catherine despite that poor weather you've had I think your garden has looked great all summer. I had forgotten the name of one of my clematis until I saw yours and remembered that mine is a Bouchard aswell. Mine only starts to flower in September but never has that many flowers.

    Your toad lily has the most amazing colour of flowers. I do like these plants but the first ones I planted never lasted their first winter - but I would love to try again.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Catherine, I keep seeing the little icon for RAIN up in the Seattle region. It's become rather redundant. And you're probably thinking, "You're telling me?" LOL It's been cloudy here, not nearly as much rain but cool enough that the ground isn't drying out. I guess we need an oddball year now and then to keep us appreciating the good years--which are many. Despite the weather your garden photos look great. Our plants are so resilient aren't they? I suppose we could take that lesson from them. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful! You are lucky to still have so much color. Frost is forecast for tonight ~ my summer flowers will be gone soon. :( So sad!

    Hope you have a lovely weekend!
    xo Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  9. All of these flowers are so gorgeous, but I especially like the toad lily.

    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  10. You are in the same of frame of mind as me with the pineapple sage. It seems like it will never bloom! I take cuttings to winter mine over-I do so love it. That orange rose is a stunner! I moved the only David Austen Rose I have (Falstaff) to a sunnier spot and it is rewarding me with good foliage and two blooms! Yeah. Sure love that orange one. Does it have a scent? I bet it does.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Catherine, lovely photos and one of my favorite flowers this time of year is the Tricyrtis and the .

    Our "greens" have excelled, but tomatoes most disappointing with the exception of the Sun Gold and Sweet 100, and without those we would have had few. All my heirlooms are laggards and only a few slowly ripening. A most unusual summer indeed, and I'm hopeful that next year will yield more.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Catherine ~ As usual, wonderful photos of beautiful blooms. I really love the toad lily and your rose is gorgeous. I can almost taste the pineapple sage. I love the blue blooms of Rozanne too.

    Enjoy the end of your summer garden.

    Hugs ~ FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  13. Catherine, it's amazing to think that summer is over. WOW! It doesn't look like it in your garden, though. Each bloom seems to be more spectacular than the last. Your roses are really lovely...great photos! And the toad lily is fantastic! I'm always a fan of clematis, so I like that bloom too. Nice show for the last summer FF!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Catherine, your roses look great! Mine have essentially stopped blooming, even my red Knockouts. The Rainbow ones keep going so I am not sure what is going on with my other varieties.

    You mentioned that you cut you type C Clematis in fall. I wonder if I could do this without a problem. I have always read that I couldn't do this until spring. It sure would look a lot neater.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love that spotted toad lily! My oh my!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Catherine, I think you had a summer like we had last year in New England, very cool and very rainy. Then, this year, it has been unusually warm and very dry. Maybe next year we'll all just get a normal summer. (Wouldn't that be nice?) I think your toad lily is just extraordinary. -Jean

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Catherine. This has been the strangest summer for all the states it seems. Too wet and cool or too hot and dry.
    I love the new Toad Lily. It is so pretty with its blue spots. The rose is gorgeous.
    My favorites this summer is the Easy Does it and the Iceberg. They have had a few blooms all summer.
    I hope the birthday party went off with a happy little gardener.
    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh my, you have so many beautiful blooms! I love the clemantis - so lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I am sure that I have said this before, but...rain or not, everything looks great.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

    ReplyDelete
  20. Catherine, Your photos are always so beautiful. :-) Happy September!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Catherine--my pineapple sage always seem to bloom about November! I'd given it up for dead this year, but hadn't gotten around to digging it out, and lo and behold, out pops one sprig of life--about the end of June.

    Your garden is so pretty! It inspires me to get out and get my own more organized..

    ReplyDelete
  22. I don't think I've ever seen your Bugbane before - I love it! And the Toad Lily is so different. I wish I could keep a hardy Fuchsia for more than a year or two.
    Strange weather all summer I guess we're lucky we saw anything bloom.
    I worked outside all day, partly in the rain. What a mucky mess but I have so much to plant. Came in and died. I have to quit working so hard! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  23. Stunning photographs of gorgeous blooms! I planted pineapple sage for the first time this year-love the striking foliage.
    Looking at your photos I just realized another positive aspect of our rain here...your plant photos look amazing with water droplets here and there.
    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  24. The blue geranium is beautiful. I have never seen one here. The toad lily is also very unusual. All your flowers are special.

    ReplyDelete
  25. *sigh* I'm so jealous of roses that don't have blackspot...

    Beautiful pics, as usual. :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Everything so pretty as usual.. I love that David Austin.. Wow! It's so Gorgeous! Love the peachy orange color..I see why it's your favorite.

    Have a wonderful day!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Everything in your garden is so lovely and healthy...I am in awe. We have had a record-breaking summer for rainfall too and it was so difficult to get much of anything done.

    'Lady Emma Hamilton' is so pretty, what a bud count! I'll have to look for that rose for next year. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  28. You have the most amazing flowers! I would love to have your garden!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I just planted Lady Emma Hamilton this year and it might be my favorite now, too! The flowers remind me of sunsets. I love how the colors shift as the flowers age - they really seem to glow. Your shrub is larger than mine, despite the rough weather for your garden this year! Most of us in other climates are used to rough weather - mild Seattle gardeners might be kind of spoiled in a usual year ;-) But that mild weather is one reason your housing prices are so high, so I hope you get good weather again soon.

    ReplyDelete
  30. All of these are gorgeous, the rose of sharon, the fuschia but the toad lily - OMG! I have never seen one before and it is amazing, I want one :) Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Love the toad lily and the geranium! And I'm happy to see the calendula :o)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love the toad lily! I need to get one, along with better roses than the silly rite aid ones I bought while renting.
    I cant wait to have a garden like yours!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hello
    i like the Geranium.....the Krötenlilie Lily is so wonderful!!
    Green greetings Sandra

    ReplyDelete
  34. As always, you gardens look so lovely! I really like your toad lily and am so impressed with your new rose...wow! What a stunner! Wishing you a great week~Jenni

    ReplyDelete
  35. Just found your blog via someone else's, somewhere! You must have a fabulous camera as these photographs are beautiful. Ree from Down Under...

    ReplyDelete
  36. So nice, Catherine! Makes me want to get out and photograph what's left of our garden in the fall.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Your roses are beautiful, whats the secret? I have one that must love the spot it's in as it always does well but I can't plant all my roses there!
    The toad lily is something I've not seen before, what a great flower to have.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and leave a comment. I try my very best to answer any questions you may have, but usually don't have time to respond to each comment. Please leave a link to your blog so I can visit you in return.