Sunday, September 1, 2019

Midwest Gardening -Late August 2019 Part 2

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August 29, 2019. 

We scurried around battening down the hatches. Supposedly a storm brewed for later in the day. I took some photos, without pristine cleaned up flower beds. I've been deadheading heavy, because that's easy for me to do from a chair, or from cement/decking.


I hope I've captured some new views. Look at this sweet mini sunflower. I had planted four packets of different sunflower seeds.  The tall one was a red, but the wind today stripped it of petals. My crazy marigolds are a hardy bunch, from seedlings we grew ourselves.


We really didn't use the porch much---it was so hot! I quick moved the table planter back in the shade after the photo. Next week, we will morph into early Fall, here. 


I have sat at the table under the umbrella...I love being perched up there and watching the bird feeder.


This is my one SUNFLOWER success....it's not over 6 feet like usual, but it's blooming. There are 5 buds getting ready to open, on this one monstrously thick stalk. The leaves are huge!



Down the front walk...the trellis's are bare, (missing sunflowers) but the potato vines are still going strong. The Petunias are pooping out, Lobelia is long gone, and the marigolds are carrying the load. I bought some mums to go into the pots and fill in the holes.


Here's the backside of the mailbox planter...still going strong. 



Our front has quite a bit of shade...and my focal pots are still doing well. Look at the size of those Hosta flowers, and all the holes in the green/white Hosta---bugs. Giant Sedums are just beginning their flowering. 



Planters in the shade did well---I really have to watch that one on the right that gets a half day of sun, and keep it watered.


We haven't taken down the birdhouse branches yet...the burn pit is so full we have to wait for no wind to burn. Windy City applies to the burbs here do--as the wind crosses the plains with not much to stop it.



On the right side of the porch is the pond area...the planters there are carrying the whole show. Phlox finally did bloom.


On both sides. Phew, I thought the Phlox on this side was dying. No rose bloom either yet, think it's been too hot.



I pulled some weeds, missed the clover...and added some clarifier to the pond. Our bitty frog, he has grown and made a friend with the resin turtle. He has a few different places he sits, and he must have chased the second one ---off. I haven't seen him/her.


The East fence is full of pickles, dill, squash, marigolds (for the bees), and Day Lilies which are done blooming. Sigh. It was so hot, the blooms lasted only a few hours, but they were gorgeous and we had continuous blooming with all our rain.



Across the way along the house is a mess of Sweet Peas which are mostly 'peaing' now and not doing sweet blooms. The large leaves are some MUTANT Morning Glories that show up everywhere!


This little watering can is lost in the first year Hollyhocks and squash plants.


The last Hollyhock bloom. Small and white! I hope the new ones have some color. I will be dispersing the seed pods, once they are full dried. I might try some at the back pond. I love the pod shapes like bottom up Hazelnuts.


To the left is an area of sun and shade. Cosmos in the pot, drooped and bent low and are finally blooming.


This long 3 foot planter is simply gushing blooms, they have swallowed my fairy statue. 




On the porch stairs the Rex Begonia is battling the bugs, something is happily chewing on it. It needs to be sprayed with soap, and I will move it to the front porch, when it's debugged. The fountain grass was housed over winter, I will cut it back and try that again.



I've decided to use these Coleus from seeds in my planters in front with red mums...I'll do this on Monday. Holidays are for working, RIGHT?




There's some  beans I picked, the Impatiens are still happy everywhere. I didn't clean everything up with rain and wind on the way.



These are more Coleus we grew from seed. They are huge, and I will try and move them to the front in pots and planters. The little pots are Iceland Poppies from seed---that aren't doing anything???


The birdbath in the garden has peppers in pots around it,  and our only Black-eyed Susan.



The last of the Day Lilies!



This watering can has a new type of Coleus that is thick stemmed and very hardy.
It's copper-leafed...I love it.




I'm grouping plants next to the grill for protection from the supposed bad weather.



Left is our Lemon grass our natural mosquito repellent. 
This planter of Caladium (planted in April-finally is doing well. 



Same bag of Caladium corms, same dirt and this one is not! I use half composted dirt  and half name-brand potting soil for all the big pots. I'll have to see if the drain hole was plugged. 
There's more, but I will spare you! 
Another post in two weeks-Fall is around the corner.
PS, it's 9:30 pm and no storm...so we will water like crazy tomorrow!

Check List for next year-please tell me what you will be doing.
How did your perennials do? 
(Lost too many to talk about-again!)

How did your annuals do?
 (Plants did well, seeds did not due to very cold wet Spring.)

What won't you be planting again?
(I'm not doing Geraniums anymore.) 

What will you plant more of?
(I'll be planting more Sedum plants and more Hostas, they seem to survive everything-cold, wet, dry and heat)

I love all your comments, 
and I will be happy to try and answer questions!
















17 comments:

  1. Your flowers are lovely. I've never grown coleus from seed. I must try it next yr. Yours look so healthy. Happy Fall.

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    1. Thank you Thelma---start in January...seriously---I had no idea it would take so long, but our cold Spring had something to do with that. They just didn't get the warm temperatures until July!

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  2. Sandi you flowers are gorgeous. We have had such lovely weather. Hard to believe Fall is just around the corner. Let's hope the first frost holds off for awhile and we can enjoy fall when it comes.
    Hope you had a great holiday weekend.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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    1. Ah, yes, and please no snow in October like last year. Thanks for stopping by Kris!

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  3. Your containers and beds are full of color. I spent some time today cleaning out spent plants from beds and containers. Waiting for some fall plants to arrive in the plant centers. Dry run yesterday, but I'll be ready when they do arrive. Still triple digits here in Austin.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Sarah. We had a very late spring here, but then HOT also. I have a few mums to go into my sidewalk pots and I'll add a coleus to those too. I can't imagine living in that heat, so many have suffered this year. I confess I have stuck a few artificial in the ground sometimes, when weather isn't cooperating! I had faux geraniums on the porch for a few years--because it's too hot there!

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  4. Your garden made me smile...How colorful! My parents always have caladios and coleus in the garden.I love geraniums but I don't have luck with them.Hugs!

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    1. Hi, Maristella. I know the geraniums do not like heat. I think their is a tropical version---but we don't see them in the garden centers here. Have a great week!

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  5. Rex Begonia is so beautiful! I love your garden- it's very cheerful and it's so cool you have a pond! Is it still warm in your part of the world?? :)

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    1. Hi, Justyna. Thank you for stopping by. Chicagoland temperatures are moderate right now Low tonight 57 highs mid 70's, will spike next week again to mid-80's. But, the sun is traveling quickly South now, so it will Fall soon. We are a ZONE 5B...on growing charts. The Begonia will come in the house! First Frost average is October 15th..but who knows. Hope that helps.

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    2. Thanks Sandi! It's getting chilly here in Scotland. No chance for mid 80's ;)
      Stay warm!

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  6. Love your arrangements in the watering cans...I have a few vintage ones that would be perfect. :)

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    1. Thank you Michele. Tip on the watering cans---you can only put like two plants in, so I use plants that spread. And you have to water them---even if it rains! Give it a try, and thanks for stopping by!

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  7. Love your mailbox planter! Thanks for sharing your garden at Vintage Charm!

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  8. Hi Sandi! I am visiting from the OVER THE MOON LINK PARTY. I LOVED visiting with you and seeing all your plants. I am making a mental list of all the lovelies that I want to add to my own garden. Beautifu!
    :) gwingal

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    1. Thanks Nikki!, I know I need to add a few since we lost some perennials, but these plants survived the heat and drowning all summer. No one seems to use Marigolds anymore, the bees love them, and they are a great bug deterrent.

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Thank you for any and all comments. I will be happy to answer any questions or comments in replies or email! HUGS!