![]() |
Unknown species of Rudbeckia |
Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, I am astounded by the difference between this year's blooms and last year's blooms.
Last year, we had no rain all summer. This year, we've had rain mostly when we've needed it and as a result, there is far more blooming now than compared to last year.
I will take this year, hands down, over last year.
Let's start in the flower border I call August Dreams Gardens. It is planted with prairie type plants that will mostly bloom in August or later.
At one end, I planted some tall black-eyed Susan type flowers, pictured above. I am becoming quite lax of late in regards to plant labels and tags and so I no longer knew which species this is. But it is four to five feet tall.
![]() |
August Dreams Garden Border |
Across the path from August Dreams Garden, I have a clematis climbing up and throw a bayberry shrub, making it appear that the bayberry is blooming.
![]() |
Unknown clematis blooming in bayberry |
Across the way, a dwarf butterfly bush is blooming and attracting butterflies.
![]() |
Butterfly on a butterfly bush |
A volunteer Verbena bonariensis nearby is attracting bees to the garden.
![]() |
Bees are an affirmation of a garden's health. |
Another bloom that is attracting many pollinators to the garden is calamint, Calamintha nepeta supsp. nepeta.
![]() |
A mostly well-behaved member of the mint family |
There are other blooms in the garden in mid-August. Many of them including coneflowers, shasta daisies, the Knock-out roses, and hydrangeas are carry overs from July. Others, include the old-fashioned hosta that I call August Lilies are just beginning to bloom.
All of them are a delight to me, and make me love my garden this year, especially.
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
Comments
Thanks for hosting the Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day again!
Xavi in Barcelona
Happy Blooms Day everyone :)
Thanks for hosting the GBBD again.
Your August garden is really fantastic! And I love the sculpture next to the Rudebeckia. Who made it?
In Austria we had nearly no rain for the last three weeks, it was the hottest summer for 130 years! Therefore I don´t have that much flowers in comparison to last year. But enough to join the GBBD :)
Best wishes
Elis
Last year I started saving the labels with a view to creating a database. This year I have a huge heap of dirty labels on the study floor. No database. And the new challenge of matching up label to plant, should I ever get round to putting them all back..
Thanks for hosting!
Sincerely,
Cydney
Happy GBBD Carol!
~Julie
And I'm glad that I'm not the only one who is getting lax about plant labeling. I used to be such a stickler about it and now I have several plants that I can't tell you which cultivar it is anymore because I either forgot to put a label on it in the last couple of years or the ones I have are faded and no longer legible. *sigh*
Thank you for sponsoring GBBD! It's really fun to connect with other gardeners.
Your flowers are stunning and your whimsical imagination is magical!
Mr. Linky and I are not exactly friends. We had a bit of a wrestling match. In the end, I was the victor!
Great capture of the Tiger Swallowtail. Your Blooms are terrific.
Lovely photo of the August Dreams Border and the Butterfly and Bee! I love Verbena bonariensis as it is such an easy plant to grow in my area. Thank you for sharing your lovely garden with all of us!
Lovely photo of the August Dreams Border and the Butterfly and Bee! I love Verbena bonariensis as it is such an easy plant to grow in my area. Thank you for sharing your lovely garden with all of us!
Happy GBBD!
Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
Thank you for hosting!
I enjoyed seeing your blooms and critters. I clicked on the August Dreams garden to see it larger. I love your sculpture!
I have had trouble keeping track of plant tags over the years, too. I'm wondering, though, if your Rudbeckia is Sweet Black-eyed Susan. I planted some this year, and think they sure are pretty!
Happy GBBD! I'm cat-calling your garden! It looks lovely. As always, so nice to see what you're up to. Thanks for being a source of garden inspiration.
I'm crushing on your verbena. The IGCs always seem to be sold out when I remember I want to plant it ;)
Garden on!
sj
I like your clematis peeking through the shrub. Those are the types of pairings I sigh over in the garden books, but have yet to implement in my garden.
Take care!
Happy Bloom Day, and thank you for hosting!
http://portlandtreetour.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/bloom-day-august-2013-chitalpa/
It's been great for us here in SOuth Caolina too for rain. The flowers this year have been beautiful.
Love your gardens and all the great pictures.
You might be interested in my Bluebird House Give-Away!!
Michael
Bluebird House Give-Away