Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - August 2012

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'

Welcome to Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day for August 2012.

Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6b garden, I've circled August 5th as the day when it finally rained, and the extreme drought loosened its grip on my garden just a little bit.

I'm not ready to declare August a new spring but there are signs  that we are going to recover from this drought after all.

One of the best shrubs right now is Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'. It is doing quite well, all things considered, and adds a nice touch of bloom to one corner of the garden.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'

Not surprisingly, just down the way, the garden border that I call August Dreams Garden is looking pretty spiffy now because most of what the garden designer suggested for that area blooms late in the season.

The Joe Pye weed,  Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe' hasn't quite decided what height it should be.

Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe'

I think in future years it will be about three feet tall.

False aster, Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank' isn't quite as showy as last year.

Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank'

But it is providing a nice backdrop for my Tiger Tails garden sculpture.

The rare  Short's goldenrod, Solidago shortii, seems to have paid no attention to the drought.

Solidago shortii

When those golden blooms open up, they are sure to be covered with pollinators of all shapes and sizes.

Elsewhere in the garden, there's quite a bit of drought damage and clean up to be done. Someone commented a while back asking to see pictures of Plopper's Field before and after the drought.

Here's what Plopper's Field looked like three months ago, when thoughts of  breaking all-time heat and drought records were far from my mind.

Plopper's Field - May 13, 2012

And this is what Plopper's Field looks like now after three months of record breaking heat and drought.

Plopper's Field - August 13, 2012

Don't panic, and don't cry.  After some clean up, a bit of fresh mulch, and some weeding, it will be okay, I promise.

Around in the front of the house, I'm still quite impressed with Buddleia davidii Lo & Behold™ 'Blue Chip'.

Buddleia davidii Lo & Behold™ 'Blue Chip'

I'll really be ready to sing its praises once I see how it over winters.

One last bloom to share...  Rosa 'Radsunny' stayed green thoughout most of the drought, but was a bit stingy with its blooms.  Now with the rain, it is starting to bud up quite nicely.

Rosa 'Radsunny'

I'm looking forward to seeing these roses open up in this "new spring" called August.

What's blooming in your garden in mid-August?  I'd love to see and read about whatever it is that brightens your garden on the 15th of every month.

Please join in with your own Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day post. Just post on your blog about what is blooming this month in your garden and then come back here and leave a link to your blog post in the Mr. Linky widget below along with a brief comment to entice us to virtually visit your garden.

The rules for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day are simple... no rules! You can include pictures, lists, no lists, common names, botanical names, whatever you’d like to do to showcase your blooms. You can post early, you can post late. We are grateful for whatever you share with us. Thank you, and all are welcome!

Now, say it together with me...

“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence