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Fall Bloomers in the Heat and the Drought 19 Sept 2025

It’s hot again. It’s dry. Very dry. It’s a test to see which plants do well in these conditions. I have no butterflies or insects to show you today. The butterflies are there in abundance except for the Monarchs. They are said to be migrating south but I have seen none in my yard.

I am spending most of my time watering and removing dried up leaves. I have some shrubs that I bought at the Fall Plant Sale at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens but I am not yet ready to plant them.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. Come join us. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The azalea is in it third blooming for the year. It is a magnificent color.

The Physostegia is also in its glamour. It is slowly spreading but it is definitely controllable. A good friend characterizes it as ‘Disobedient Plant’.

The Gaura has appeared. I had two but the other has completely disappeared. This is a crowded corner of the garden with rudbeckia, Shasta daisies and obedient plant being very competitive.

The Lycoris has also appeared. It is commonly called surprise lily which is an appropriate name. It completely dies back and shows no trace until a week before it blooms.

I have shown these two recently but in the morning light they really caught my eye.

The Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is in a concrete container which really shows it off.

The limelight hydrangea is now 8 feet high and the mophead panicles are turning green and bronze. It is by far my favorite hydrangea.

Happy Gardening to all!!

Plants that bloom well in fall 12 Sept 2025

The summer blooms are dwindling, but some plants remain vibrant. Hot, dry conditions require daily watering, especially for newly planted shrubs. The Clethra alnifolia and Euonymous americanus are highlighted as native species benefiting from increased sunlight after the removal of a dogwood. Butterflies thrive, and a Mediterranean Gecko is residing in the mailbox.

The best of my summer bloomers are exhausted. There are some that are still blooming. There is some other colors that are from seed structures.

It is hot and dry now. I have needed to water sufficiently to keep plants from becoming crispy. I have planted some small shrubs this month and I am busy watering them daily.

I hope to join the Six On Saturday group in the morning. If you are curious, here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

On the left is the Clethra alnifolia or Sweet Pepperbush. It is a North American native which tends to sucker forming clumps which have fragrant little flowers attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. This plant was shaded by a dogwood (Cornus florida) which I had to cut down recently since it was a casualty of dogwood borer.

On the right is Euonymous americanus or Strawberry bush. The fruit has this cracked open look so that another common name is ‘Hearts a’busting’. This native North American shrub will also benefit from more sun after the removal of the dogwood.

This coleus is self seeded from last years parent which was grown from seed. It is crowding a Dragon Wing Begonia in a small container. Since both are thriving, I will enjoy the combination.

The Rudbeckia triloba or Brown Eyed Susan is another North American native which is doing very well in the garden. It is acting as a tender perennial and it is tolerating the heat and drought extremely well. It will be used in more locations in my garden.

The gulf fritillary has thrived in my garden this summer. They are by far the most abundant butterflies. They have passionflowers as a host plant of which there are plenty in my yard. This one is nectarine on a golden buddleia.

I have mentioned the lizard in my mailbox which is located at the street. The mailbox is covered with a Sweet Summer Clematis. Here is a close up. The iNaturalist app identifies it as a Mediterranean Gecko. Hmm. It seems quite happy and harmless so it is being allowed to continue squatting.

Wishing you Happy Gardening!

6 Plants for Early Fall Color 29 Aug 2025

The Great Pollinator Southeast Census was a success. I completed my 15 minute observation period and submitted my results. I have not yet seen an analysis but I am hoping that participation has climbed and that the census shows improving numbers of pollinators.

I am happy about the approach of fall. Today, my photos have glimpses of fall color. Our temps are noticeably cooler so I am accomplishing many more outside tasks. A little more rain would be appreciated.

I will join the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. If you think about it, come join us. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk

This liriope always catches my eye in the fall. The lavender colored flowers are so attractive. It clumps beautifully and looks so fresh after a morning rain.

The beauty berry (Callicarpa Americana) began to show the purple berries. This large shrubby plant is a native here and reseeds very nicely. There is a cultivar that I have which has white berries.

This Cornus florida has begun to change leaf color. It is a cultivar which is expected to have pink spring blooms. It has not yet done so but maybe next year. For now, I find the leaves to be very attractive.

The coral honeysuckle is blooming again this month after having put on a good display this spring. It is a very pleasing color. The plant is a vigorous grower so I have had to prune it.

The clematis grows around my mailbox. It just began blooming this week and does have a sweet fragrance. I have mentioned the Anole lizard which lives in my mailbox and frequents the clematis vine. He is just as cute as the Geico lizard.

The lily is new to my garden this year. I successfully grew 4 plants from seed purchased from Monticello. Monticello, located in Virginia, was the home place of Thomas Jefferson. He was quite a gardener in addition to his many other achievements.

I hope you are enjoying this most beautiful time of year. Happy Gardening!!

6 Great Pollinator Plants 22 Aug 2025

Today is Day 1 of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. It’s a simple task. You spend 15 minutes counting the pollinators seen of a particular pollinator. In my case, I was watching a zinnia and lantana combination. You use the dedicated website to upload your observations. This can be repeated as often as you like. This was originally a project in the adjoining state of Georgia but this year my state of Alabama is included. The website is https://gsepc.org

I submitted my observations but took 6 photos at the same time for today’s blog. Of course, it is zinnia and lantana. It is a departure from the norm, but I know you will appreciate the photos.

I will be posting them on the Six on Saturday blog tomorrow. https://gardenruminations.co.uk . Look for the group on that site hosted by Jim Stephens.

My zinnias have been magnificent this year and here is a swallowtail enjoying them.

Next, is a ‘fuzzy butt’ bumblebee on a small white zinnia.

This gulf fritillary is on the ‘Miss Huff’ lantana.

The cloudless sulphur is on another simple zinnia with wonderful color.

The ‘shiny hiney’ carpenter bee is on a chaste tree ‘Vitex agnus-castus’

Hope you have as many pollinators in your gardens as I have in mine this year.

Happy gardening!

6 Beautiful Late Summer Bloomers Aug 2025

It is late summer and the summer bloomers are fading. There are still some new beautiful bloomers to catch the eye. Some are blooming again after a summer break.

It is still quite warm but the diminishing daylight hours have rejuvenated some late summer bloomers.

I will be posting tomorrow on Six On Saturday. Come join us with your morning coffee. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk

I had 3 hardy hibiscus in the same location. a few years ago. The ‘Midnight Marvel’ is the only one still surviving. It has been really putting on a show this month.

The Blackberry lily is a misnomer. It is Iris domestica. It is also know as tiger lily. It seeds with small black bulbils. I thought it was done since the spring but it is renewed and blooming again.

The Obedient Plant is a favorite of mine (Physostegia Virginian). It has just begun blooming and will gradually climb up the spike until it’s done. A native of these parts, it can be a little pushy as it grows and spreads.

The golden buddleia shall be nameless but still beautiful.

The male and female Tiger Swallowtails are on ‘Miss Huff’ lantana and a buttonbush (Cephalanthus Occidentalis).

The Crape myrtle is also nameless but ‘Watermelon’ seems to come to mind. This shrub grows 10 to 12 feet high. In some years, it is covered in blooms but it is much less showy this year.

I am glad to show you some bloomers that are still doing well in my garden.

Happy Gardening!!

6 Beautiful Garden Photos that Inspired My Planting This Week 8 August 2025

This week in the garden; 6 inspiring photos of flowers, plants, and garden beauty from my home gardening journey.

The hot spell is over. We have had rain so the sun-loving perennials are still bright and cheery. Chores in the garden are numerous but I am able to spend a few hours each day in the garden.

We spent last week on the Atlantic Coast on Amelia Island near Jacksonville, Florida. We stayed at a quaint B & B in Fernandina Beach. Shops and restaurants were within walking distance. It was hot last week there but we were able to duck into air conditioned buildings regularly in order to keep cool.

I have some long-blooming summer perennials to show you today.

Aesclepias tuberose with milkweed bugs — Milkweed bugs

The milkweed is past its bloom and the prominent okra like seed pods are covered in milkweed bugs. The pods will soon open and disperse their little parachute equipped seeds.

This purple coneflower was growing in the gutter. It was dug up today and transferred to a more hospitable location. It is truly a tough plant.

The tickseed is almost past blooming. I think this is a native Coreopsis pubescent. It is a reliable reseeder.

The ginger lily began blooming this week. It is Hedychium sp but it was gifted to me as a tuber so cultivar unknown. It is near a water source and it is thriving.

The Salvia farinacea is very drought tolerant. It has a common name of mealy cup which is rather coarse sounding so I will just all it blue sage.

The Rose of Sharon is loved by humming birds and the seed pods are loved by goldfinches. It is an old classic shrub needing no care. Blooms are sun loving and come in white, pink and rarely blue.

Does anyone use the iNaturalist app? I find it extremely helpful to identify wildflowers, bugs and butterflies.

I am joining the SixonSaturday group in the morning. https://gardenruminations.co.uk

Happy Gardening!!

Pollinator Tracking

Three Days in the Life of a Milkweed Patch

Summer Doldrums II 25 July 2025

It is hot! I have said it before and I will say it again for several more weeks. I am now having to irrigate regularly and spend time watering the containers. It is mundane task but the flowers continue to be beautiful.

This summer there has been an abundance of butterflies and pollinators. There has also been some unusual type of insects that I have spotted.

If you happen to be viewing this today and you enjoy gardens, you should be aware that I will be joining the SixonSaturday group tomorrow. For more photos of private gardens, come spend some time there. It will be worth your while. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk

The Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has changed its foliage to late summer bronze. This four season native is a favorite of mine.

The Stag beetle is a large beetle. It feeds on decaying wood but here it is just laying on the concrete of my driveway. It must have lost its way. It is a mean looking specimen.

The imperial moth is a looker. The host plants are pines, maple, oak, Sweetgum and sassafras. There are plenty of each of these around me. I cannot ever remember having seen this moth before.

The knockout roses are beginning their second flush of the year. There will be another in the fall. These may have been stimulated by a layer of compost laid on the ground under them a few weeks ago.

The ginger lily (Curcuma sp) has these exotic pineapple like blooms. I don’t notice a fragrance but I love the color.

The Katy Road Roses are blooming well into the summer. Another name for them is Carefree Beauty. You may remember that in years past they were weakened by sawfly attacks. This year I have managed to control that with Neem oil applications. The reward is continued blooms.

Watering and deadheading are my main tasks for this time of year. It is too hot for much else.

Happy Gardening!

Summer Doldrums 18 July 2025

The heat is consistently stifling everyday now. It is energy sapping. Some days have breezes that provide relief but that is the exception. It will be this way until mid September so I have to buckle up and bear it.

The main jobs now are deadheading and removing the occasional plant which has succumbed. The sawflies are under control so the roses are happy.

The garden is still madly blooming. All the stored up rain is driving it. The mainstays of rudbeckia, echinacea and Shasta daisies are magnificent. It did rain some this afternoon so there is hint of cooling in the air.

As usual, I will be posting my blog with the SOS group tomorrow. Come take a look at beautiful gardens with 6 photos each. Here is the site. https://gardenruminations.co.uk The rules are there. Perhaps, you would like to post 6 of your own.

The Purple Heart loves the heat. It is a Tradescantia hybrid if you are unfamiliar. Others in this group are know as spiderworts.

The Indian Summer is a rudbeckia that I have grown for 3 years now. Some survive the winter and others are a reseed I think. The large bloom is spectacular and the foliage is hairy so it tolerates the heat well.

The coneflowers are butterfly magnets. Here I am featuring the Pipevine Swallowtail which is new to my yard. I planted its host 2 years ago and I am very pleased to see this butterfly.

The Mexican hat is one that I grew from seed this winter. It is a prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera. It has a cousin which has abundant larger yellow blooms. I like this one which is much smaller but with a distinctive bloom.

This prostrate lantana is really coming into its own the last 2 weeks. I was gifted six small plants this spring and I am very pleased with the growth habit.

Finally, I have a swamp milkweed, Asclepius incarnata, to show you. I bought it 4 years ago and I thought it was a no show. I think I had been it out thinking it was goldenrod. It has survived despite my misdeeds. I am grateful.

Happy gardening! I hope the rain and the sun are meeting the needs of your garden.

Summer Breeze 11 July 2025

Last week, I spent the weekend on the beautiful Gulf Coast. The song I remember was “Summer breeze makes me feel fine”. It did. Coastal breezes, wonderful seafood and relaxation with good friends.

This week, I am back and I have photos of lush plants for you. Our summer pattern of humid days with afternoon thunderstorms is upon us. It doesn’t rain daily but often enough to give us very healthy plants.

I joined the Six on Saturday group as a spectator last weekend. I will join as a participant tomorrow. Take 6 recent plant photos in a blog and join us. Here is where we can be found. https://gardenruminations.co.uk

I have tried overwintering my caladium bulbs but to no avail. I clump 4 or 5 tubers in a large low planter in the shade and enjoy new cultivars each year.

It’s been the year for lilies. Large, fragrant and abundant has been the ticket. This Casa Blanca has been the showstopper this week.

The hardy chrysanthemums make a wonderful ground cover. They slowly spread and transplant easily around the yard. I thought these were ‘Peachies Pick’ but they look too white.

The Limelight Hydrangea seems to grace every yard in my neighborhood this summer. The knockout rose has been replaced in popularity. This is the original cultivar and it is a beauty.

The Cashmere Bouquet has a long genus Clerodendrum. It was a swap from a friend. It spreads by rhizomes so it does require some effort to contain but it is a beauty with a pleasant fragrance.

The Gerber daisy is a bright red and really captures the eye. They are not listed as winter hardy in our area but do well if located in sheltered places.

I hope you are enjoying your gardens. Happy Gardening!!