Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: The August Garden

 

Our rains have finally dried up and my central Ohio zone 6b garden is looking a little tired. We've had less than three-fourths an inch of rain so far this month, but I'm not complaining as overall we've had great rainfall this summer.

In August zinnias are the stars of my garden. These were all sowed from seed outside in May. Most of the seed I saved from the Dawn Creek Pastels zinnias I grew last year. I have no idea where that bright fuchsia zinnia in the top left came from, but that's part of the fun.

While the zinnias are doing great, it's been a bit of a disappointing dahlia year. Of my big dahlias, only Sweet Love is blooming so far. It's extremely reliable and has been blooming since early July. 

My favorite, Otto's Thrill, was severely pruned by the deer when it first set buds, which set it back quite a bit. There are two new buds now and I'm crossing my fingers I'll get some blooms yet. I also lost one other dahlia over winter, a hazard of not digging them up. But I still find the convenience is worth the risk.

Sweet Love dahlia

My dill is also in bloom. These umbel flowers are so pretty.

But when I looked closer yesterday, I was excited to discover seven Black Swallowtail caterpillars! This is exactly why I grew this dill, which I hope is enough to sustain them. I'm already plotting to grow more host plants for them next year. I also spotted two Monarch caterpillars on my sad-looking rose milkweed. Hopefully it will work for them.

This dwarf sunflower is a survivor! I grew 10 or so plants from seed, but the darn deer ate every single one down to nubs in June. I thought they were goners, but the plants grew side shoots, then buds and now one of them finally bloomed! A head-clipping weevil got the second bloom on this plant. Gardening is tough business sometimes.

I'm also excited to see this garden phlox bloom. Keeping it in a cage is the only way to keep the critters from eating it.

I wintersowed this mistflower last winter. Not only is it blooming during it's first summer, but it's also been ignored by all the critters in my yard, a major bonus!

I love volunteer flowers and these cleomes have been blooming and bringing me joy for weeks.

This wild petunia (ruellia humilis) is quickly becoming another favorite. I love its color, that it blooms for months and that it spreads a bit. Unfortunately the critters also love it, so I keep it caged.

And last but not least are the tomatoes which keep blooming away and proving me with these yummy cherry tomatoes to eat.

Also in bloom are agastache, snapdragons, coneflowers and even pansies (since March!). Thanks for stopping by and please visit May Dreams Gardens to see what's blooming elsewhere.

Six on Saturday: Late summer

 

It's beginning to feel like late summer in the garden. It's hot, but not the breath-taking heat we had in July. We even had a lovely break last weekend and I was able to turn off the AC for two whole days. For the first time this gardening season we could use some rain, but thanks to all the rain we've had previously, things are still looking pretty good.

This little corner of flower pots by the back door is one of my favorite spots right now. I just love these big, blousy zinnias which are Dawn Creek Pastels grown from seeds I saved.

Here is a closer view of the zinnias which come in an array of pastels colors.

Another spot I'm really enjoying is the view from my bedroom window of these volunteer cleome. I need to plant more next year.

This white liatris has been here for years, but was getting tall and floppy. Somehow the massive bulb was uprooted and broken earlier this year and I just plunked the biggest piece back in the ground. It turned out to be a happy accident as it survived and is looking better than ever.

This 'Blue Fortune' agastache is finally blooming and is looking pretty good this year.

I'm also quite please with this blue mistflower (conoclinium coelestinum) which I grew from seed this year via winter sowing. And bonus, this is one of the few plants in this bad bed that the deer and other critters haven't mowed down.

This is the year of volunteer lilies, which is perplexing since I've never, ever planted a single one. Perhaps a squirrel planted it? This one is aptly named surprise lilly, my plant ID app tells me. It's pretty, but since lilies are extremely toxic to cats and our cats occasionally visit the garden as does a neighbor cat, I'll be pulling it after it blooms.

That's my six this week. Visit Garden Ruminations to see what's happening in other gardens around the world.