A Fall Favorite: Physostegia

By early October these vigorous bloomers (Obedient Plant) have started to fade, however they are the stars of my garden for all of September. When I say "vigorous," you know what I mean, right? Be careful where you plant them!

I devote one section of the perennial bed to them and then rip them out without mercy from everywhere else. They spread but grow well around lilies and help stake them up. Their toothy foliage makes a great backdrop and I like their shade of green in front of the zebra grass. I'd love to try the purple, white, or variegated varieties.



They thrive in sun, but handle shade as well. Physostegia has never seemed to be a picky, thirsty, or temperamental plant. So if you can spend some time controlling it's spreading -- try this out for a fall bloomer. Stop by for divisions in November, I always have some to give away!

For some beautiful October plant ideas, stop by Nancy Ondra's fabulous blog: Hayefield.

A Fall Favorite: Tricyrtis Hirta

Every year at the end of October, we host a huge party. Our garden is packed with kids and adults and pizza and pumpkins. I always spend the first few weeks of the month stressing about the state of my garden -- filling in the holes, deadheading, raking, mulching -- only to find again and again that no one really notices. Not the children trampling the perennials to hide in the shrubs nor the adults cutting through the lilies to get to the bar.

This year will be different. I will straighten things up but I will not purchase new plants. Most importantly, I will rope off the garden with stakes and Christmas lights so I don't go insane from the foot traffic in the garden beds.

Here is one of my fall faves:


My toad lily (tricyrtis hirta) was a welcomed surprise last week. I had given up on it -- it dried up last fall, turned brown, and was gone by October. This year I saw some foliage but never expected much. What a pleasant surprise!


Now while it won't win any awards for it's size and health, I am just thrilled that the wetter weather agreed with it. My plan is to leave it here for another year, pay closer attention to it's moisture, and check on it again next October.

Stay tuned this week for more of my fall favorites!

I'm Back

Ahh. Back to the blog. After over three weeks of seriously tricky computer problems, I'm back. Thank you to Kindnessgirl's dear hubby, Jorge, for getting me up and running right before the arrival of dear Lyra Grace.

What has happened in the past weeks? Any gardening? Well, not exactly. I've exploited my Gardening WOOs, but have not had any nice big blocks of time to tackle the restructuring that needs to happen.

Here's what's been going on instead ...


Visiting the river to kayak, swim, and play with the dog ...


Squeezing in some daytrips to Sandbridge ...


Cleaning up after Hurricane Hannah and enjoying late summer weather on the patio ...


Working for Change We Can Believe In ...


And staging a professional photo shoot of the girls and their cousins for my mom. Allison (the photographer) was amazing ...

There will be some gardening content soon. I swear.

Garden Guests

Some might consider guests like these to be pests. I only see them as baby Black Swallowtails.


I love them. I plant extra dill, fennel, carrots, and parsley just to entice them into the garden.


The host plant usually survives despite looking quite scruffy. This fennel is actually doing quite well considering the many caterpillars climbing on it.


You can't have the beautiful butterfly without the very hungry caterpillar.

Oh Joy! Oh Rapture! Oh Pampas!

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted some of this fairy-tale-esque grass in my garden. Finally, after a spring trip to Colesville and very little attention, here are the plumes!

dwarf pampas grass (cortaderia selloana)

Her beauty makes up for the nearby "struggling border" -- next summer this wildflower patch will be alive with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, but for now, I hope, seed, and water.

Backyard Parties

The wonderful Sustainable Gardener and Garden Ranter Susan Harris has asked readers to show her some pictures of "party gardens" or spaces in the garden for entertaining. So here we go ....

Preparing for a party for Rosie's class this past spring

Since all of our parties and gatherings include lots and lots of kids, we use every square inch of our garden. Most often, the kids attack the paths, swings, and old tree stumps while the parents hang out on the patio or in front of the pizza oven. For unfussy dinners, we simply thow a tablecloth over a folding table. For our larger parties (150+), guests find space wherever they can!


We had our patio installed six years ago, right before Rosie was born. It looked so small and insignificant surrounding by the sparse plantings and scruffy lawn. One friend actually questioned why we had payed so much for the patio when our yard was so unpleasant (she used nicer words).

Four years ago in May ...

A bit lusher in August, 2008

Today, the patio is my favorite part of the entire house. I would rather be sitting on the patio than anywhere else -- with the possible exception of right by the oven when the pizza are cooking!

August Garden Blogger's Bloom Day

Thank you Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting GBBD! Please visit her website and check out all the wonderful gardens!

I dreaded going out to the garden this morning knowing that I would find few post-worthy blooms. And yet, when I took the time to overlook the drooping hydrangeas and brown patches, I found some gorgeous flowers.

My favorite flower right now is this mystery hosta that I got from my mother. It is intensely fragrant and seems to be the hummingbirds' favorite as well. I have them planted all over since they tolerate sun fairly well but have most of them outside the kitchen window by the patio. Since we've had cool weather recently (what a blessing) and the windows have been open, the kitchen is filled with their wonderful perfume.






Here's a rundown of the August bloom action ...

My mystery sunflower -- it stands about 6' tall with multiple blooms on each stalk

The phlox is still hanging in there.

The scarlet runner bean won't stop! It's incredible!

My garden stalwarts -- what would I do in August without these little soldiers?

The blue haze by the patio is actually this caryopteris "Longwood Blue" which I love, as do the butterflies and hummingbirds.

Mandevilla climbing up a birdfeeder pole.

Melanpodium

The weeds are growing nicely.

Sedem Autumn Joy

Is this Costa Rican Salvia? It's been here a few years and I've forgotten what kind it is ...

Wild, unruly campanula -- it lives in the alley since it can't behave itself.

The glads are still going strong, this one is just starting to open. They are just lovely.