Lilies are done blooming ;(

I have butterfly bushes in bloom and I am enjoying watching the butterflies visit every day. Also gloriosa dasies are strutting there stuff. My mums are starting to put on a show too.

It seems that the wave of colors are coming to an end, what do you have left blooming or starting to bloom as summer starts winding down. I'm looking for ideas for next year.

I have my knockout rose, Blackeye Susans, sage "May Night" & "Blue Hill", Coreopsis 2 types "Early Sunrise" , "Sweet Dreams". Echinacea, "Magnus, "White Swan", "Sunrise", "Sunset",
"Sundown", "Twilight" and one unnamed pink one. Aster "Wonder of Staffa" and Daylilies "Stella D Oro" & Happy Returns are starting to rebloom after their rest period of about 3 weeks. Sedum "Autumn Joy has the flower tops but they have not turned to pink yet.

My mums should not bloom for another 6-8 weeks. I try really hard to find htings that have long bloom periods and then add the short bloom plants such as lilies and some daylilies that do not rebloom. I want to make it last as long as possible!!!!! I hate when I have nothing to look at!

I also have some pots with annuals. I will change them out for fall around mid September.

I have a second wave of marigolds and salvia. For daylilies, all that's left is Sombrero Way, kind of apricot/orange, and Sandra Elizabeth, a buttery pale yellow lily that's just getting started. Lots of native asters, coreopsis, a mystery hydrangea, and a white butterfly bush. There is kind of a void this time of year in this yard. My neighbors have a lot of nicotiana that I can smell here, I'm starting seeds this winter.
I hate to admit it, but the marigolds are the main attraction right now.

We have some nice Asters ("Giant Princess" and "Fireworks") in the pink, purple, violet/ light blue and white end of the color spectrum. Each year I'm struck by how vivid the colors are and how striking their wavy, fuzzy "faces" are in the garden and as cut flowers (long stems, last forever in a vase). Started blooming about the same time as the Oriental lilies (sadly, ours are gone now too) but the Asters hold on for weeks. Might be a good "in between" season flower for you, LadyG! Got the "Giant Princess" cultivar from Seeds of Change; can't remember at the moment where we got "Fireworks" but I'll check if you are interested.

Lot of good ideas everyone. I guess after last months big show of daylilies and smell of Orential lilies, I was spoiled.

BDale did you grow "Giant Princess" from seed? I looked in Bluestone but they don't offer either one you mentioned. I'm looking to start seeds in my basement again next spring.

I have "Wonder of Staffa" Aster but I'm not impressed with how it preforms for me, might be in a bad location.

My 4 o"clocks are blooming nicely, forgot to mention them.

Chris

Here is a picture of "Mickey" that started to bloom early.

This is a great topic Chris. The first thing that comes to mind is marigolds. Another person on board sent me a package of miniature marigold seeds several months ago. They definitely have to be my healthiest plant this year. I have them growing at the end of my very small vegetable garden. My dogs have romped all over them and bent the stalks, but the blooms are still gorgeous.

I have never been a big fan of marigold, but I cannot help really liking these due to their healthiness. Without going outside to look, a few colorful plants come to mind. During the winter when I first found this message board and began reading the old posts, I came across a reference to King Coleus. I didn't know that was what I was buying when I purchased a coleus this year, but this one plant is in a gigantic pot and is hanging over the sides. I am amazed every time I look at it. Some of the leaves look to be 5 or 6 inches across.

Claypa mentioned nicotiana. I didn't realize that it had a fragrance. Will have to check that out when I venture outside later today. I do know that I bought a few little scraggly four-packs of these at the local hardware store and these too have gone hog wild. They have different color blooms and are really pretty. I didn't allow enough space in some of the places that I planted these, but will know next year that they need plenty of room.

I too am offering to mail you some seeds. Anyone else needing marigolds or nicotiana seeds, speak up.

Thank you for posting this great topic Chris. It will be interesting to hear what is doing well for people at this point. After I go outside and walk around a bit, I will come back and post if I find anything else worth mentioning.

I hope that everyone will stay cool and have a great day.

Ruby

Oops, thought of one more before I go outside to look. Polka Dot Plant is another plant that is mostly red with either white or pink little dots all over it. I have mine planted outside, but plan to bring some of it in this winter to use as a houseplant.

Again, have a good day everyone.

Hi rubyw, and everybody-
These particular nicotiana bloom at night, and that's when I notice the fragrance.

I think it's funny, all the stuff I planted, and the marigolds really impressed me the most. They are seeding around them selves, I'll be surprised if they get big enough to bloom before frost. I wonder what the flowers would look like, they always say they don't come true from seed.

It's beautiful here today, not too hot so far.... I better get away from this darn computer!
Enjoy! Mike

Cleome (spiderflower) going strong. Marigolds are heathy. mixed Zinnias, which were an(overpriced) packet of Burpee from the grocery store, came mostly orange- disappointed. Four o'clocks. One lonely Jewel of Opar, I'll be hoping for reseeding for next year after seeing someone's great picture of a bed of it. Catnip in all stages- could only wish that free-range catnip becomes the next big health fad. Cannas. Rose of Sharon, blooming in midsummer being about the only thing I like about it. Perennial blackeyed susans just starting- the few that I rescued from my groundhog, out of last years great patch. Potted lantana, after spraying with Bt seems to have stopped the unseen suspected caterpillars that ate a lot and left webs all over. or maybe they had just matured and gone.....Gee, I'm surprised how many items now that I add them up.

I'm attempting to send an aster photo (haven't downloaded photos here before). These are the "leftovers" after we picked them over pretty severely for some county fair flowers earlier this week. Some of the white ones (hard to see in this photo) have especially nice, feathery petals; they are of the "Fireworks" variety.

Daggone it!!!!!! Just lost the post that I had typed. I was telling of all the colorful beauties that I saw while out watering earlier today. Zinnia, as someone mentioned, I can second that. Oh yeah, and BDale, lovely Asters. I absolutely love that color. I don't have Asters, but plan to have some next year.

Chris - Outside this morning I was reminded of Caladium as being nice and colorful plant. It lasts a long time and can even be brought in as a houseplant. These come in either green and white, or the ones that I have are mainly red.

Also, one of my most colorful and are just now coming in to their own are Celosia. I have maroon and gold ones. I will have loads and loads of seeds to share of these too. I am really taken with the plumage they produce.

My husband pointed out a while back that I tend to really like "leafy" plants. Those that don't necessarily bloom but have large leaves. That is true and is also a reason that I enjoy growing some of the more interesting herbs. I have a Pineapple Sage plant that is green and white. That is a cool plant. While thinking of that and trying to decide the color of green it is, it brings to mind Creeping Jenny. The Creeping Jenny is a very bright chartreuse. Is that bright enough for you? ha-ha.

Anyway, it will be interesting to hear some of the other posters chime in and tell of their colorful plants. I have already decided from reading this so far, that Asters will be in my garden next year.

Again, have a great day all.

Ruby oops, another one: Sweet Potato Vines. They come in a light green color, a very dark maroon color and I even have one that is green, white and pink. Until tomorrow...........

Thanks for the compliments on the Asters. I wish I'd taken a photo a few days ago when we had three times as many, in much better condition, before cutting for county fair display.

LadyG (Chris) asked about starting these from seed. We got Aster seeds from two sources: "Giant Princess" from Seeds of Change and "Fireworks Mix" from Burpee. I don't order much from Burpee but was pleased with this particular flower. Our seed starting process is nothing too elaborate: we start the Asters in early March (a week or two before we start tomato plants) with just commercial seed starting mix, seed starting flats, and one of those warming pads underneath them. Asters take a while to develop in the early phase but we really like them and they have proven relatively easy for us to grow.

BDale, Those are beautiful, I haven't planted annual asters since I was a kid. Like Ruby, I'll add them to my "must plant 2007" list.

Ruby, I have a recipe for Pineapple Sage Cake, are you interested? You use the flowers too for flakes of red in the cake. Also I'll trade you some of your nicotiana seeds for some of mine, if you like big leave and tall plants that smell good too. Nicotiana Sylvestris "Only the Lonely" Here is a picture.

BDale, I guess we were posting and typing at the same time LOL

Thanks for the seed sorce on the asters, I'll have to order a Burpee cat for next season, I used to get them but haven't ordered in a long time. Also the time line for seed starting, I need to make note of that!

I have a seed starting unit set up in the basement holds 8 flats, lights, timer, and a heat mat to get things started. I was starting annuals for a while and then started into buying perennials at Bluestone, sort of got overwhelmed in plants. The "got to have fever". So I cut back, and last spring I was in no shape to be out planting, but the seed starting bug is biteing again.

Chris

Beautiful Nicotiana. I bet it practically "glows in the dark" around dusk?