Climbing Rose "New Dawn'.....
I can't believe it's September and the summer months of July and August are already over!!! Today was the first day of school for many. Unbelievable how time flies.
This has been a rotten year for my garden. Partly my fault, partly the weather. I'm still working full time and all our weekends were booked this summer! I mean it - every single one! We were away more than we were home. I know that's a poor excuse for not caring for the garden and not watering but being too busy and having a summer that was dry as a bone = a sad, dried out backyard and front.
I realized that I had missed writing an August diary so I made sure I have a September entry.
As usual, as I walked around, some thing were still blooming despite the heat and drought. (Good old Mother Nature!)
Here are some of my garden's better moments at the present time:
I planted 3 of my small pots with Sedum and even if I forgot to water, they always look plump, juicy and healthy.
For my birthday, my Dad gave me a Bouganvillia. The instructions said that after blooming, I should cut all the branches back, place outside and it would come back. Hah! Leaf after leaf fell off until it was just a skeleton. In frustration I put it in a shady spot on the deck and literally forgot about it.
Look: the instructions didn't lie!! It DID come back! I'll take it back inside later this fall, fertilize it and see what happens.
The ever-faithful Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is beginning to turn pink, and then later - burgundy. The bees love it!
Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) are a late summer staple. They even look OK when all the petals fall off and just their little black heads remain!
One little Explorer rose is still blooming!
The shrub roses have developed hips. They bloom in June as a single pink-white blossom but only once. Then in September (now) the hips are all in their glory. I have never tried making rose hip tea, but I might.....
Years ago I grew Sweet Peas - that old-fashioned, fragrant climber. I never took care to collect the seeds but one set of them comes back year after year on the fence between us and the neighbours. It's lovely. I never disturb it knowing that way, it will come back again and again.
Even though they are not big and fluffy this year, annuals like impatiens at least provide colour right through til frost.
The Oak Leaf Hydrangea - in spring, big green leaves - in summer, even bigger green leaves and beautiful white conical flowers - in autumn, the white first turns pink, then bronze. Later the leaves will go shades of red, yellow and orange. The perfect all-season plant!
The small shrub rose beside the deck is coming back for its last hurrah! So so pretty.
Next weekend the plan is to buy new bulbs for spring. Connon's and Terra - here I come!
