These three pots have definitely been stunning this year. I really tried to plant in a strict colour scheme. Now I can hardly bear to put them away for the winter. I’ll be saving those begonias,  the tradescantia, and  maybe the red spikes. So I can enjoy some of it all winter long!

I am ambitiously  working on three new beds this fall.

Two are extensions of previous beds.

Emptying the compost pile on this bed.

The third is going to be a new sunny place for some shrubs and perennials that are getting too much shade where they are now.

I’m setting out empty pots to lay out the bed.

This will be a low maintenance bed. I just dig holes for the plants, add good soil and compost and plant in those spots.

There will be mulch on this bed so no need to till and compost the whole bed.

Already dreaming of what they will look like in 2016!

Iris? you say.

Not the time for iris blooms.

But this is a reblooming white iris.

And when conditions are just right, it comes back with more blooms in the fall.

So there it is!

This bed was started about 17 years ago. There is a gingko tree,  high bush cranberry, snowball viburnum, dogwood, euonymus, burning bush, nest spruce, a boxwood, and some daylilies.  Now.  Different plants and shrubs were moved in/moved out through the years. The shrubs grew, but the daylilies still managed to get enough sun to bloom. In the last years, the clumps are really big, but not so many blooms, especially on the north side of the shrubs and trees. I dug out the four daylilies, brought over some good compost and replanted with some hostas. The south side daylilies should be okay yet.  But I think this side looks  really good now.

Morning mist gives a lovely feeling to the garden.

Details missed in the sunshine of the day.

A few moments of magic and mystery before it all disappears.

I had planted a new white bed this summer.

The cleome and nicotiana are in full bloom now.

The acidanthera (peacock flower) and nicotiana have a lovely perfume in the evening.

I would say the white bed has been a success this year.

The annuals are really outgrowing the perennials, so we’ll have to see what next year brings.

I have been trying all summer to get some pictures of the hummingbirds that visit the fuchsia.

It is not easy to follow them with the telephoto lens, nor to get them in focus.

But a few turned out reasonably well, so enjoy!

My reblooming lilac is actually reblooming.

Bloomerang® Purple Reblooming Lilac Syringa

It is a more delicate and airy lilac than my regular lilacs.

I deadheaded and trimmed a bit after the first blooming.

The plant really filled out this summer, so I hope next spring there is a great show of colour.

It’s a treat to see lilacs again in August too!

 

I am having great success with the cleome this year.

In the white bed, they make quite a statement.

Closeup…

…really a fascinating looking plant.

I also have some pink ones, but next year I’ll be looking for the purple and darker pink ones.

Starting seeds early inside may be a little complicated – cold period, slow germination, may not transplant well.

I don’t find them easily in garden centres, so buying seeds may be my only answer.

I could plant the seeds right outside, then nature will take care of the rest.

Whatever I do, I know that cleome has become one of my new favourite annuals to grow!