Skidding in slightly late for the 15 August GBBD — but there’s still a lot of August to come…. We’re forecast 90-degree temps for this week, some of our hottest of the year.
First, blooms aside, we had our first monarch butterfly sighting of the season in the yard this weekend:
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Two clearwing moths — both Hemaris thysbe, the hummingbird clearwing, and Hemaris diffinis, the snowberry clearwing — have graced us and the buddleia with their presence this past week or so, too; they move very fast and are hard to photograph!
Hemaris thysbe (hummingbird clearwing) on buddleialess moth but a bit clearerHemaris diffinis, the snowberry clearwing
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It’s also harvest time here in NH, with a bumper crop of cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, Sungold tomatoes, basil, and green beans. And new this year: beets!
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And now, without further ado, on to the late summer blooms, by colour this time:
Purples & Blues
willow gentian (Gentian asclepiade) in budblue hydrangeabeen on veronicastrum, which is just about finished bloominglavender phlox in the back border‘Rozanne’ geranium‘Johnson’s Blue’ geranium in front borderbuddleia in vegetable gardenEpargyreus clarus (silver-spotted skipper) on buddleiaheatherJoe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) in bud … just about to bloom!globe thistle (Echinops) in sunroom bordercomfrey budsblue vervain (Verbena hastata)anise hyssop and Queen Anne’s Lace in fruit guildthyme in front border (with red crocosmia petals)Russian sage (Perovskia) in side bed, with Asclepias incarnata and red monarda
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Pinks & Reds
white and pink echinacealight pink echinacea in back bordercleome grown from seedweeping ‘Jade’ crabappleshydrangea (from a plant sale) in bloompink and white zinniasummersweet (Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’) shrub in bloomelderberriesred bee balm (Monarda) in front bedgreat golden digger wasp on swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)Anemone tormentosa in budmostly cosmos in the vegetable garden
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Yellows & Whites
hydrangea (plant sale) and goldenrod in the back border‘Hab Grey’ sedumKirengeshoma in bud and bloomdill, weeping dwarf spruce (with Joe Pye in background)‘Summer pastels’ yarrowbutterfly seed mix – rudbeckia, crimson clover, bachelors buttons, cosmos, etc., with asclepias, yarrow, and anise hyssoptansy in fruit guild
And a few landscape photos:
vervain, weeping ‘Jade’ crabapple, spruce, and a stormy skyscarlet runner beans, dwarf cherry tree, bee balm, zinnias, vervain, broccoliback borderback bordershade garden with hanging begoniapart of patio and backyard
Until September!
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And if you want more August blooms, check out these great blogs:
Your garden looks so wonderfully lush! The Anemone buds are adorable, and I’m completely in love with the expanse of Vervain – a new plant to me. And, thank you so much for the plug – I’m much obliged! 🙂
Molly, your photographs are fabulous, and the diversity of your garden(s) is awesome. Thank you for sharing these. Just looking at your images is an education in itself!
You are so kind to mention me. Such beautiful variety you have and I just love those clearwing moths! I haven’t seen any in my own garden so far this year but I know they are around. It is nice to see Monarchs. I can’t help but think when I see one, “Will this be the last time I see a Monarch?”
Stunning photographs and lovely to see all the pollinators. We’ve had more bees this year than I’ve ever seen before. I hope this means their populations are on the rise. I do like the Kirengeshoma. The blooms look so exotic. I’ve been looking out for one for a while. Many thanks for the link too.
Your garden looks so wonderfully lush! The Anemone buds are adorable, and I’m completely in love with the expanse of Vervain – a new plant to me. And, thank you so much for the plug – I’m much obliged! 🙂
Molly, your photographs are fabulous, and the diversity of your garden(s) is awesome. Thank you for sharing these. Just looking at your images is an education in itself!
You are so kind to mention me. Such beautiful variety you have and I just love those clearwing moths! I haven’t seen any in my own garden so far this year but I know they are around. It is nice to see Monarchs. I can’t help but think when I see one, “Will this be the last time I see a Monarch?”
Stunning photographs and lovely to see all the pollinators. We’ve had more bees this year than I’ve ever seen before. I hope this means their populations are on the rise. I do like the Kirengeshoma. The blooms look so exotic. I’ve been looking out for one for a while. Many thanks for the link too.