The Fall Garden

I know I didn't blog much about gardening this summer like I intended, but other than daylilies most everything in my garden suffered with the heat and drought.
Not that I'm ready for winter, I am glad this summer is over and hopefully next year will be better!

We had Indian summer weather this week with temperatures in the 70s and I spent a good part of it cleaning out flower beds. I know some people do it in the spring but I prefer doing as much as I can in the fall.

We have not had a hard frost yet so I still have a few blooms remaining. That will probably change by the weekend or next week. It sounds like rain and colder weather is in the forecast. We sure have been blessed with a beautiful fall.

Autumn Joy Sedum

Fall Mums

Centranthus Ruber (Jupiters Beard)

Pink Autumn Sedum

Butterfly Bush

I loved the little dwarf zinnias. I have always grown the tall ones but this was the first time I planted these. There were only two in a pack but each little plant spread out two feet. Are these as easy to grow from seed as the tall zinnias? I think I'll save some seeds and see.

Orange Cosmos

Thunbergia aka Blackeyed Susan Vine

My carpet roses still have a lot of blooms.......

and buds.

Dianthus

These are sold as annuals here in zone 5 but mine come back, sometimes for a few years before dying out. I've always loved these cheery little flowers.

Gerbera Daisies

These overwinter very well in my garage. I water them occasionally and pull off the dead foliage in the spring and they are good to go. One of my favorite container plants.

Hen and Chicks

This is the only succulent I have but it seems like succulents are the newest garden craze! I see them all over pinterest and in magazines. They are starting to grow on me and I might add some more varities. I like them best in containers, especially hypertufa.

The last of the fall color here in my cove.

Weeping Cherry

Anyone else agree with me that weeping cherry trees are just not worth all the work?? In my opinion one week of blooms in the spring just isn't worth all the hassle we go through keeping all the shoots trimmed off to keep it weeping!! It's a constant battle all summer long. If it wouldn't be at the corner of the house I'd just let it go.  Seriously considering replacing it with something else. A Paper Birch perhaps??

On the other hand the Weeping Cotoneaster is slow growing and rarely needs pruned to keep it's weeping shape. Plus it's a favorite for the birds.

And a few of my little feathered friends.