The majority of our August color here at Oak Lawn Cheese Factory is from the annuals. We have cut back considerably over the past couple of years. We planted perhaps two to three thousand this season, whereas not long ago, we would plant five to six thousand annuals. I really like annuals, probably because I like a lot of color in my life. The bed in this photo has traditionally been different every year. These are 'Dreamland' zinnias.
You will note that in the photo above the oval center bed has a goodly display of hemerocallis still in bloom. Actually there are some plants just beginning to bloom. The way I achieved this was to visit a daylily farm in August. That way I was certain that I was getting either late bloomers or good rebloomers. I'm thankful that we did it this way as I really appreciate the later color this time of the year. In the daylilies that I'm hybridizing this year, I am doing a large number of crosses on a very late blooming cultivar, hoping that this will create late blooming progeny.
The portions of telephone poles pictured above are vehicles for growing clematis plants. We have had the hottest and most humid summer that I can recall in recent history. Many of my clematis plants are showing signs of clematis wilt... there has always been one or two afflicted with this by August, but this year it is much more widespread. Since I grow Type III's almost exclusively and by virtue of the fact that I plant the crowns about three inches below the soil, I will be able to cut my clematis back to about six inches and they will come back fresh and bloom well next season. I intend on developing a fungicide schedule for the clematis plants from here on out... the black foliage of plants with wilt is very obvious in August and I've decided with the advent of more wilt than in the past, to be proactive in the future. This will also apply to the peonies, many of which have developed major botrytis problems this year.
Most years I pick one cultivar of petunia to repeat throughout the gardens... a sort of color theme as it were ... this year it is Supertunia Vista Bubblegum. I have to say that it is the best petunia I've ever grown. Normally by August I am plagued with chlorotic plants in the containers since our water is extremely hard. There is absolutely no problem with that this year... here are a few spots where the petunias are doing their thing...
In the photo above they grow behind and through the daylilies.
Here are a few baskets...
The cistern is overflowing with their bloom...
They grow towards and over the edge of rock walls in front of the house...
And they inhabit a short wall in the midst of the cottage garden...
We are thus far blessed in not having Japanese beetles. I've noted before that they are within seven miles from here and have been for a couple of years. One of my biggest discouragements will be when they arrive to dine on our hardy hibiscus plants... a favorite of theirs I'm told. Lord Baltimore is without a doubt the best it has ever been this year. The 10" blooms are amazing...or is the word gaudy? Several of my favorite hibiscus plants are now residing in too much shade and are very lanky this year. This will necessitate a move come spring.
On to the altheas.. the double lavender is blooming now with others to follow... Thalictrum 'Lavender Mist accompanies these blooms beautifully...
Getting back to annuals for a minute... we use a goodly number of impatiens in the gardens every year. I recall hearing Beth Chatto speak of 'Busy Lizzies' in a somewhat negative tone and recommending other types of interesting groundcovers that might be used in their stead. I have no problem with that but I do also enjoy the impatiens and we planted about seven hundred this season... here are a few photos of how they've been included in the gardens. The first photo combines whites from the Spellbound series with astilbe and heuchera...
Seen from a different point of view, I enjoy the darker spellbounds as well although these don't get as large as the whites for me. I believe these are considered the purple cultivars.
We also used the 'Limited Edition' mix of accent impatiens this season and as mentioned in an earlier post they are a bit heavy on the orange for my liking. I plan to return to the 'Cranberry Punch' mix next season.
I want to share one final annual that was recommended by a friend. It is the 'Big' series of fibrous begonias which really are all that when provided with good moisture. They are really starting to take off since we had some good rains a while back... a nice thing about them is they also do ok without as much water, albeit smaller perhaps... and they will take sun or shade as well.
In closing, I am reminded that August is season for a lot of hydrangea cultivars... following is one of my favorites... that being Limelight. To its left in the 2nd photo is a small plant of Pink Diamond.
Until next time when I'll introduce you to the newly completed conifer rock garden, created mostly for dwarf and miniature conifers... take care, Larry
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