Thursday, August 26, 2010

August Flowers

At the very beginning of August, the echinacea were gorgeous!

Even now, although their color is much faded, it cheers me to see them. It's amazing how long those blossoms hang in there. I used to have white- blossomed echinacea also, but they seem to have disappeared over the winter, something that happens all too often in NW Wisconsin, zone 3.


The rudbeckia are amazing. So bright and beautiful, they're my favorite flower in the pond garden after the June irises, which are long gone by now, of course. They seem to do well even with the ever-narrowing window of sunlight they get as our trees grow bigger! The rudbeckia will bloom until we get a hard frost.


This beautiful zinnea is one that grew from seed I saved from last year's plants. Most of this year's zinneas had only a single row of petals, although last year's zinneas all were huge and full. (I think this is what you get when you plant saved seed from a hybrid plant). This is one of the few that also had many rows, but was still a smaller blossom than last year's. I figured I had nothing to lose, since the seed was free - and here.  Zinneas are among my favorite because they're so cheering (you see a theme here??) and also keep blossoming right up until frost. This particular pic was taken by Natalia the night of the hymn sing, using my camera. Great shot, Natalia!


Joe got me this red petunia for Mother's Day and it's been blooming ever since. We've had such a rainy summer, so it wasn't dependent upon my watering it. :-) I do best with plants that thrive on neglect. This plant is in a container on the deck.


It won't be long before we'll be covering the flowers with old sheets to protect them from frost. It was 46 degrees when we got up this morning, so that time is rapidly approaching. The sheets usually buy us another couple weeks of blossoms before they're gone for the year. Right now, what's blossoming in my pond garden? Rudbeckia, impatiens, purple salvia, liatris, and the last, rapidly-fading echinacea.

 Wildflowers in the ditches

In the little pond itself are the water hyacinths (and snails) that keep my pond healthy and the water clear. Each spring, after Mother's Day, I buy two water hyacinths. Usually, by mid summer I'm having to pitch many of them just so we can still see the water! They will quickly take over if I'm not paying attention!

I love this time of year, late summer, but I can even tell with my little pond garden that things are definitely winding down toward the big W, that season that sneaks up on us and sticks around for about 6 months.

Have a great Thursday. We're off to Indiana, for our daughter's in labor with their first child - a boy!  :-)


P.S. Don't forget to visit Sherry at her blog, Lamp Unto My Feet for her Blogiversary Giveaway! My handcrafted soaps are being featured there this week. :-)

12 comments:

Ma What's 4 dinner said...

I had no idea that was what echinacea looked like! Funny thing about that, my father in law used to pronounce it like it looked E-china-sea. Hysterical.


Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
www.mawhats4dinner.com

Unknown said...

46 degrees? It was 87 when I woke up this morning!! :) Your flowers are so gorgeous...what beautiful and serene surroundings you have!

Caution/Lisa said...

You're the one who sent the cooler weather to us???

Best wishes to your daughter and new grandson. What fun for you all! I'll be watching for pictures :)

Unknown said...

OOO! A new grandbaby and in INDIANA!?!?! Double WOOOO!!! Thanks for the beautiful flower pictures; your garden looks gorgeous! I pray that Mommy and little boy are getting along perfectly! Keep us posted!

Andrea the Kitchen Witch said...

I love your gardens!! Zinnias are my favorite flowers, too. We had a TON of them when we bought our house but they've since faded away. I think I'll replant them next year, thanks for the visual reminder of how pretty these hearty blooms are. Fall is defiantly on its way!

Aleksandra Nearing said...

We had a crazy cold winter and a lot of my backyard plantings didn't make it. I will be planting some coneflowers and rudebekias this fall - can't wait!

Judy S. said...

Don't you love liatris? Nice garden you have there. Safe travels and blessings on that new grandbabe!

Mama Hen said...

Beautiful flowers!Congratulations on your grandbaby boy! Have a great time!

Mama Hen

Unknown said...

I absolutely LOVE purple cone flowers!!! (And... I am oh so jealous of your beautiful garden... we won't discuss my flower graveyard...lol!)

Michelle said...

Beautiful! I love flowers. We just changed out our front planter with some yellow and oranges. I must confess I'm not even sure what's out there. I hit a clearance area and many weren't labled. We also just planted two azaleas and a gardenia. Maybe I'll have some stunning blooms to share next year!!

Denise said...

Thanks for sharing such beauty my friend.

Robin said...

Fantastic flowers, so beautiful!!

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