In denial that it's already the middle of August and almost time to go back to work, I totally spaced GBBD today. Having taught a class last night, I had a Wednesday Vignette lined up and was about to push the publish button when I looked at the date. So, out to the garden with the camera just before dawn to snap some shots of some of what's blooming in my garden this month. In my zone 8 Northwest Washington State garden, there's far to much to show it all and still there are too many pictures so I won't do too much commenting.
This year, I've had a horrible problem with powdery mildew on my begonias. PM scars and even kills off leaves and makes it difficult for the plant to continue growing and blooming. I've been spraying regularly with organic fungicides but alas, the begonia bloom is not what it has been in past years. Fortunately, I've so many of them that some were not victims of mildew and continue blooming beautifully.
Roses
Pelargoniums (Geraniums)
Clerodendrum bungei
Cannas
The one dahlia plant that keeps surviving over the winter.
Origanum ‘Kent Beauty’
Agastache
Someone needs to deadhead the Dianthus!
A few Romneya coulteri are still going even though the big show is over.
Clerodendrum trichotomum var. fargesii 'Carnival'
Lathyrus latifolius. I rather like the bluish color of the fading flowers.
This Ceanothus reliably booms twice a year; once in the spring with the others and again in August.
Fuchsias
Japanese Anemone
Hydrangeas
Ligularia
Lobelia cardinalis
Abutilons
Brugmansia
Pansies from last fall have bloomed through the winter and now all summer. Will they continue through this winter as well?
Monardella macrantha
Roscoea
Double impatiens.
Hardy cyclamen are just beginning to pop up.
Hibiscus syriacus
Calibrachoa, a teacher appreciation gift from the PTA last spring blooms continuously.
Angelica purpurea
Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Golden Arrow' would have golden foliage with more light.
In the greenhouse - Tillandsia something or other.
Echeveria
Bougainvillea
Bromeliads.
Thanks, Carol, for continuing to host this wonderful meme!
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt is the flowers that hang their heads down that I like the most
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
The date surprised me too. I realized as I was going to bed last night, and really wasn't much looking forward to going out in the smoke to take pictures. I feel like I'm living in Victorian London (cough, cough). I'm so glad some of your Begonias have been spared, I just love those luscious flowers, they cheer me up so much.
ReplyDeleteThose begonias are just glorious, as indeed are all your other blooms.
ReplyDeleteLove that emerging orange-y Canna flower with the rosy pink above it. Amazed that your Pansy has lasted through hot weather. All your pinks and blues make me think spring rather than August.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of backwards in the color thing. In the spring I love the zing of warm colors to help wake up my eyes and in late summer, softer colors appeal. Maybe it's part of my denial about the academic year starting again. All of the fall-planted pansy plants have done this after disappointingly just spitting out a few flowers at a time all winter. You'd think that the heat would have done them in.
DeleteYour pre-dawn photos turned out really well! Yes, powdery mildew or not, you have a LOT of beautiful begonias - and fuchsias, and hydrangeas and and and. Pansies in summer is taking things a little far, though, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThe fall-planted pansies were just supposed to fill pots for the winter while their perennial contents were dormant. I've been as surprised as anyone that they're continuing to bloom.
DeleteEither you do a lot of crouching when taking photos, or half of your blooms are overhead! (I'd prefer to think that they're overhead)
ReplyDeleteThe garden is so overplanted that everything is scrambling to compete for light. Makes taking bloom pictures a lot easier.
DeleteAfter almost missing last month, I set a calendar reminder for the 13th of each month. thanks for getting outside earlier than you originally planned and sharing your blooms!
ReplyDeleteI had to rush around early this morning as well ! I think I destroyed every spider web on my way ..sorry spiders !
ReplyDeleteI feel for you and the smoke in your skies. I've had problems growing many begonias to the point that I have stopped and am again taking my chances with impatiens (off limits for several years due to a deadly wilt that struck our area). Thank you for your last minute post!
ReplyDeleteSuch a colorful array of blossoms. Happy GBBD.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll go back out and visit my garden again and pay attention to what is actually blooming, but maybe I'll wait until this evening. The August afternoons are a time to stay in the house lately.
ReplyDeleteI always love seeing all of your blooms.
You always have so many blooms. It is a pleasure to tour your garden every month.
ReplyDeleteJeannie@GetMetoTheCountry
Those begonias are gorgeous! Unfortunately I've never had luck with them so I don't buy them anymore :(
ReplyDeletePre-dawn photgraphy suits your garden! Oh and that Monardella macranth, I’m jealous. That was a one season wonder here in my garden.
ReplyDeleteWe got a start of Harliquin Glorybower at the locks - in fact four of them that we shared with a neighbor and some relatives. Now we have three in our back yard - two replaced apple trees we had to take out. We planted those two along the fence so people walking by could enjoy the scent when they bloom.
ReplyDeleteWOWEE!!! It's all wonderful!
ReplyDeleteLove all your colorful blooms and it is such a pleasure to visit! Happy Bloom Day!
ReplyDeleteAnd those aren't even all the pictures. That's a lot of blooms. I must ask about the first hydrangea pictures: do the pink blooms turn to green, or are there 2 varieties in that picture? Do you remember the name?
ReplyDeleteSuch a staggering variety you have, Peter. How do you maintain so many plants? I'm amazed!
ReplyDeleteYou have an amazing collection of begonias we cant grow these varieties in our hot climate but their blooms do resemble to adenium plants.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week .
Lovely photos! I live in a zone 3 - our gardening season is so short so it is wonderful to see the gardens elsewhere. We actually had a night of 2C (about 36F) one night about a week ago. No frost but a reminder it won't be long.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your Begonias. So far the PM here has not been so bad, but that could quickly change. Love that blue Ceanothus, wish we could grow them around here.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness - your garden is afire with blooms! What an impressive abundance...
ReplyDelete~Anna K