Blooms That Take the Heat

The heat has been bad this summer, or maybe it is the equally high humidity that has made it seem worse than other years. I am grateful for plants that have continued to flower, despite temperatures that cause less stalwart plants to quit blooming.

A lot of heat tolerant flowers are annuals. I don't plant a lot of annuals. If I did, no doubt I would have much more summer color. Among those I have, the one that has impressed me the most is gomphrena, which has bloomed non-stop through the summer. Gomphrena has clover-like blooms in shades of purple, pink and white. Lantana is another great summer bloomer, though its flowers come in successive waves rather than blooming continuously. The following images show pink gomphrena and a creamy lantana, along with silvery 'Powis Castle' artemesia.

My Crepe Myrtle trees have been blooming for months. They thrive on heat and humidity. This one is by the parking area in front of the house:

Salvia 'Black and Bloom' has incredible cobalt blue blooms, and it also thrives in heat and humidity. With larger flowers, thicker leaves and darker stems, it is an improved version of Salvia 'Black and Blue.'

Cat Whiskers (Orthosiphon aristatus) is another plant putting out successive blooms through the summer. It is a perennial that is hardy in USDA zones 9-11, but it is unlikely to survive my winter. This is the first year I have grown this plant, but I will definitely plant it again.

Cat Whiskers grows to the right of the path shown above.As long as I keep deadheading it, 'Tutti Frutti' butterfly bush keeps putting out pretty flowers. These blooms are not as large as the initial flush, but are still satisfying to me and the pollinators. It will continue to bloom into the fall.

Zinnia augustifolia just keeps on going. I sometimes remember to deadhead it. Here it is, along with Dusty Miller:

'Coral' Drift rose can't be beat. It is a heavy bloomer, and so far it is disease free.

Firebush is not hardy here, but I grow it in a pot and plan to keep it inside through the winter. The hummingbirds love it!

Another plant that attracts hummingbirds is 'Major Wheeler' honeysuckle. It puts out successive blooms into fall:

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Endless Summer' and Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight', shown below, are a couple of hydrangeas that continue to bloom, despite the heat. 'Limelight'  has many blooms, while 'Endless Summer' has a few.

I will have more flowers once the heat breaks (hopefully soon!). In the meantime, I enjoy these few blooms that can take the heat.

Orthosiphon aristatus)

Read more at Gardening Know How: How To Grow A Cat Whiskers Plant: Growing Cat Whiskers In Gardens http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/cat-whiskers/growing-cat-whiskers.htm

Orthosiphon aristatus)

Read more at Gardening Know How: How To Grow A Cat Whiskers Plant: Growing Cat Whiskers In Gardens http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/cat-whiskers/growing-cat-whiskers.htm

Orthosiphon aristatus)

Read more at Gardening Know How: How To Grow A Cat Whiskers Plant: Growing Cat Whiskers In Gardens http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/cat-whiskers/growing-cat-whiskers.htm

Late June in the Garden

We are having some rain this afternoon. The air should cool down into the 70s, though the rain is alternating with bright sun. Today is the first day in several weeks that the temperature has not reached into the 90s. The humidity will remain close to 100%, so the air will still feel summertime heavy. Nevertheless, I am grateful for small, if temporary, changes.

I continue to enjoy my late afternoon garden walks. Here are some photos taken within the last few days. 

The view across the front garden is taking on the mellowness of mid-summer:

More images around the front garden, clockwise from top left: Pink birdhouse backed by the purple foliage of loropetalum and lush green witch hazel (Hamamelis). The orange flower is a daylily. I am not one to be offended by an orange and pink combination; Lovebirds nestle in a small bird feeder; A small potion of the walkway that wraps from the front around the side of the house. Foliage of azalea, rosemary and 'Blue Star' juniper is in front, while boxwoods edge the far side; Burford holy berries will turn red in the fall; Variegated Carex, maidenhair fern, red impatiens and leopard plant in a tomato-red pot; Common ajuga and creeping jenny make a pleasing combination of two ground covers.

A few summer flowers around the front garden:Large photo at top is crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia), then smaller images, clockwise from top left: 'Coral' drift roses; 'Lady in Red' hydrangea; Daylily; Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle.'

Walking into the woodland garden in late afternoon is always a delight as shadow and light play amidst the foliage:Larger photo at top is a view toward one of the moss paths with the dark outline of a Japanese maple in front. Plants in the smaller images, clockwise from top left: Hardy begonia; Flowers from Heucherella rise up in front of a Bird's Nest fern; Calla lily (Zantedeschia); Stromanthe 'Tricolor'; Hydrangea 'Lady in Red'; Toad Lily (Tricyrtis).

More views inside the woodland garden:

Additional woodland foliage highlights:Clockwise from top left: Variegated ivy grows in the lady head pot, moved this year from the arbor garden into the woodland garden; Carex 'Everillo'; Cast iron plant (Aspidistra); Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora); Hydrangea 'Snowflake'; Houttuynia cordata, an invasive ground cover - only plant this where you know you can keep it under control.

I found this fallen feather beside a woodland path. It is about six inches long:

A friend gave me some Agapanthus earlier this year. I was not sure if it would settle in enough to bloom this year, but look what is happening:

Finally, my Voodoo Lilies (Amorphophallus konjac) continue their weirdness. After they finished blooming (inside the house!!) several months ago, I planted the tubers outside in their garden pots. Now at last each is putting up its speckled stem, or petiole, which is topped by spokes of a deeply divided leaf, much like an umbrella.Isn't gardening grand?!