September GBBD: Almost Autumn

I haven't had much time to work in the garden lately, and it shows.  Summer is winding down, but not without some blasts of hot air and humidity before it leaves.  Faded and dried up blooms hang on plants waiting for someone to start tidying up for fall. Weedy wildflowers that I intended to pull are still blooming, probably setting seed for hundreds of progeny next spring.

The coneflowers look especially bad, unless you're into shades of brown, but the goldfinches are still enjoying them, so that's my excuse for not cutting them back.

Flowers aren't the only plants turning brown; we're surrounded on three sides by fields of corn which have been slowly turning to a shade of tan.  Soon it will be harvest season.

The vegetable garden is also pretty well done, except for a few tomatoes and eggplants.  The tomatoes didn't do very well this year--perhaps all the rain we had in early spring--but we've had enough to eat fresh.  The one plant that is still doing well are the 'Golden Guardian' marigolds, added to help deter pests.  And speaking of pests, there must be a few left in the ground, because Sophie always finds something to dig out here.  She refused to get out of this photo:)

The Sneezeweed that captivated me a few weeks ago is slowly losing its petals.  But I like the look of these seedheads, don't you?  They will definitely be left for winter interest.

But even as the summer blooms fade away, there are new additions to take their place and keep the garden interesting--and tasty for the pollinators and other visitors.  Native asters in shades of pink and purple are just beginning to open up.

And there is goldenrod everywhere.  I am amazed by the comments I see on Facebook and other places by the number of people who still confuse goldenrod with ragweed.  Besides being the allergy culprit, ragweed is ugly!  Goldenrod, on the other hand, is innocent and lovely, even if the native species like this can be a bit of a thug.

'October Skies' asters are just beginning to bloom, but the butterflies have already found them.

Agastache, aka Hummingbird Mint, shows no sign of letting up any time soon.  I only wish this plant would survive the winter here.

Another sign of fall--the Viburnum 'Cardinal Candy' is covered in small berries.  This is the first year I've ever seen berries on this plant, which was its main selling point when I purchased it several years ago.

There was a time when there wasn't much blooming in my garden in the fall.  Thankfully, over the last few years I've remedied that.  A new addition this year, Salvia azurea has turned out to be one of those late bloomers.  Actually, I am just happy to see these pretty blue blooms, no matter the time of year because I had thought I had lost this plant.  The tag marking it somehow was moved, and until it bloomed, I thought it was something else.  Glad I didn't pull it, thinking it was a weed!

Late-blooming phlox in the shade garden is a volunteer,

 one I'm happy to have however it came to be here.

Turtleheads also add some color to the shade garden expansion.

One of the stalwarts of the late summer garden are the ornamental grasses.  'Morning Light' Miscanthus rises above another grass, a Panicum.

I always have trouble capturing the Panicums on camera, but I thought this was pretty cool.  I'm not sure if this is 'Shenandoah' or 'Northwinds,' but the reddish tints of the seedheads make me think it's 'Shenandoah.'

And, of course, there are many annuals that keep going up until frost.  I don't know why I haven't planted Gomphrena very often, but I like these tall stems that sway in the breeze, especially in front of the Amsonia Hubrichtii, which is already beginning to change to its fall color.

Nicotania is another late-bloomer, but only because I pulled most of the volunteer seedlings early this spring.  A few escaped my weeding and provide some welcome blooms among the fading perennials.

In the containers, 'Silverberry' Supertunia has been one of the best performers out of all my petunias this year.

And finally, I can't end this Bloom Day post without showing off one of the best late summer annuals, the zinnias.  Monarchs have been passing through the garden for the past few weeks, and they always stop to enjoy the zinnias.

One of my favorite zinnias is the 'Zowie Yellow Flame.'  I brag about these every year, but they really are a pollinator favorite besides being simply stunning.  This bumblebee sure was busy gathering every bit of pollen he could!

Bees and butterflies--what more could you ask for?  

Although I haven't been very busy working in the garden, I have spent a lot of time enjoying it, especially all the visitors this time of year.  Butterflies, bees, and the antics of hummingbirds make this one of my favorite times of the year.


To see what else is blooming this September, check out other Bloom Day posts at Carol's of May Dreams Gardens.