Six on Saturday - September 12

 

It's beginning to feel like fall and I just managed to take some photos in the garden before a downpour started. I know a lot of people have been starved of rain this year, but here it's been mostly the opposite. At least the ground has had a chance to dry out a bit for the last few weeks after some serious flooding in the area. I do enjoy not having to hand water though.

1. Seed dahlia

This seed dahlia, grown from Floret seed, is my first and only dahlia to bloom this year. Luckily it is a pretty one. After successfully leaving tubers in the ground for multiple years (a risk in zone 6!) last winter took out my Sweet Love dahlias. I still have Otto's Thrill, but they need to be move to an area with more sun and haven't bloomed yet.

2. Blue sage

Blue sage (salvia azurea) is new to my garden, but I really like it so far. I winter-sowed it this year and it's already blooming, definitely a plus.

3. Aster

I just love the pop of blue these asters bring to the garden and the pollinators love them too. I think this is sky blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense) and it's definitely on the list of plants I want to grow more of next year.

4. Mistflower

This is my second year growing native mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) and it's quickly becoming a favorite. It's a great accent to many flowers in bloom this time of year, the critters leave it alone and it grows well in a range of conditions in my garden. It also grows easily from seed and blooms the first year. Prairie Moon Nursery, where I purchased the seed, warns that it can be aggressive. It has seeded around a little bit, but so far that hasn't been an issue in my garden.

5. Zinnias

While I'm missing dahlias this year, the zinnias fill a little bit of that hole and produce so many blooms.

6. White snakeroot

Speaking of aggressive, native white snakeroot is definitely a thug in my garden. But I haven't pulled this ginormous plant that self-seeded because it's filling a gap in a pretty shady spot and the pollinators like it. I pull out seedlings everywhere else constantly though, so I don't recommend this one if you don't want the maintenance.

That's my six for the week. Visit Garden Ruminations to see what else is in bloom in gardens around the world and share your own.