Gardening and Gardens

Today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's a look at what's growing and blooming in my garden this month. The buds on the Montauk Daisies ( Nipponanthemum nipponicum ) are starting to show. I've pruned this down twice throughout the summer to help keep its shape and can't wait to see the blossoms in a few weeks! I love the pink hue of the Sedum  'Autumn Joy' against its lush green foliage. I still have a few Black Eyed Susans too which are a lovely contrast to the pink. To my delight, the Lychnis coronaria decided to bloom again (left) and the potted geranium continues to put on a good show. I recently planted some new mums in the front of the garden and to the back, more will soon be blooming.  This just started blooming too and I believe it is Salvia farinacea (Victoria White) The blooms on the panicle hydrangea (possibly Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva'??) are turning a light pink which is so pretty. The shrub I inherited is co...

As I walked around the gardens this morning, I noticed beaded drops of water on everything. The humidity in the air was keeping the dew on a little longer today. The song "Morning Dew" by The Grateful Dead popped into my head. And so, that song, along with the beauty of the early morning, are the inspiration for this week's post.  Walk me out in the morning dew my honey,  Walk me out in the morning dew today. I'll walk you out in the morning dew my honey I guess it doesn't really matter anyway. 

It's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's what's growing and blooming in my garden this month. What a difference a month can make! Everything has really taken off and is blooming and growing well, despite the heat and humidity we've had recently. The Morning Glory vines have finally taken off. They started out very vigorous indoors and then when I put them outside, they seemed to take a while to climb and look healthy. But now, they are climbing everywhere and some pink and purple buds are starting to appear. I honestly thought my flower boxes were going to have some more space this year. But my Impatiens and Geranium cuttings have really done well. I love the deep purple Salvia and the bright yellow Zinnia. The white Angelonia augustifolia (Summer Snapdragon) looks great here next to the pink Verbena. I love that lone pansy still holding on, despite the heat and sun! The pink Impatiens are my cutting plants I created this spring. I am so happy with ho...

Winter is a time for resting indoors, but also, for me to truly enjoy my houseplants. Sure, I appreciate them all year round but it's during the cold gray days of winter, that I am so thankful to have them brightening my days. Here are a few that share my house with me. Thankfully they all get along! I got this Cyclamen just after Christmas and it's still looking good. I love the heart shaped leaves and the way the flower petals shoot upwards. In nature, Cyclamen go dormant during the warmer months and comes into growth during the cooler, winter months. Another great reason to have one of these in the house - flowers in the winter! I'm actually taking care of this basket of plants for relatives while they are away and am enjoying having it on my bookcase. I love the mixture of textures and even though each plant has seemed to grow beyond the size of the basket, it still looks appealing. The basket is fillled with a Palm, Syngonium and Schefflera. Behind the bask...

Walking around the yard yesterday I noticed quite a few things are still blooming. Here on Long Island, the night temperatures are hovering around the upper 40s and the day temperatures are in the low 60s. Definitely feels like fall outside! The Coleus is starting to lose its bottom leaves, but this variety is holding on to the upper part of the stem very nicely. I love the rich brown in the middle of the green leaf. Amazingly these Impatiens still look great. The leaves are starting to yellow, but they continue to flower and make me smile. The red Begonias look completely at home in the fall landscape. The red flowers with the reddish-brown stem and darker leaves look appropriate for this time of year. I have a natural wooded area along the south side of the house. It is very pretty this time of year with the Goldenrod and wild Aster flowers blooming. In the flower box on the front porch, I recently planted purple Ornamental Kale and some sweet orange co...