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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ August GBBD 2012

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and Mandevilla 'Pretty Pink' in PA zone 5 for August.
Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and Mandevilla 'Pretty Pink' in PA zone 5 for August.
Welcome to August in my Pennsylvania, zone 5 garden! It is not what I had hoped that it would be, but the garden is perking up after having some much needed rain in the past two weeks. I took these photos last night after another rain came.
Large-flowered hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos 'Pink Elephant') in our Driveway Garden is blooming away this month.
Large-flowered hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos 'Pink Elephant') in our Driveway Garden is blooming away this month.
More in the Driveway Garden: Hibiscus 'Pink Elephant',white Miscanthus 'Dixieland',  a tall blue Buddleia and Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee'. The ground cover in front here is Sedum 'Acre' which is a much used cover plant in our gardens.
More in the Driveway Garden: Hibiscus 'Pink Elephant',white Miscanthus 'Dixieland',  a tall blue Buddleia and Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee'. The ground cover in front here is Sedum 'Acre' which is a much used cover plant in our gardens.


Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) blooming away still from last month. Giving these the "Chelsea Chop" at the end of May helps to keep them blooming into August in zone 5.
Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) blooming away still from last month. Giving these the "Chelsea Chop" at the end of May helps to keep them blooming into August in zone 5.
Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee' competes well in this tightly planted succession in the Driveway Garden.
Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee' competes well in this tightly planted succession in the Driveway Garden.
The Hill Garden is finally starting to freshen up a bit with Rosa 'The Fairy' coming back into bloom. The coneflowers on top of this planting are still going also.
The Hill Garden is finally starting to freshen up a bit with Rosa 'The Fairy' coming back into bloom. The coneflowers on top of this planting are still going also.
Rain on Rosa 'The Fairy'.
Rain on Rosa 'The Fairy'.
Since buds count for something at the famous Chelsea Flower Show (see a photo of this years winningest garden), I decided to include the buds of Allium tuberosum which are also on the Hill Garden. They stand out here in front of gray lamb's ears (Stachys byzantine) and budded Sedum 'Autumn Joy'.
Since buds count for something at the famous Chelsea Flower Show (see a photo of this years winningest garden), I decided to include the buds of Allium tuberosum which are also on the Hill Garden. They stand out here in front of gray lamb's ears (Stachys byzantine) and budded Sedum 'Autumn Joy'.
Annuals by the front steps this year include small pop pink begonias (which seem to be delectable to the pill bugs!), purple-pink New Guinea impatients, darker purple Angelonia,  the white froth of Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' (which deals well with drought) and the elephant ears (Colocasia).
Annuals by the front steps this year include small pop pink begonias (which seem to be delectable to the pill bugs!), purple-pink New Guinea impatients, darker purple Angelonia,  the white froth of Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' (which deals well with drought) and the elephant ears (Colocasia).
The first blooms of pink Japanese Anemones are beginning on the Front Walk.
The first blooms of pink Japanese Anemones are beginning on the Front Walk.
Another view of the front steps looking down to the curb strip, known as the Front Woodland. There has been sufficient rain recently to help the seedling forget-me-nots in this area to fill out a bit.
Another view of the front steps looking down to the curb strip, known as the Front Woodland. There has been sufficient rain recently to help the seedling forget-me-nots in this area to fill out a bit.
View of the Shade Path Garden in August. Red begonia 'Dragon Wings' is blooming away. New Guinea impatients fill out the rest of the annuals planting this year in the shade.
View of the Shade Path Garden in August. Red begonia 'Dragon Wings' is blooming away. New Guinea impatients fill out the rest of the annuals planting this year in the shade.
I tired of looking at the fading clematis foliage on our three trellises around the Circle Lawn, so I recently added a Mandevilla vine to each one. They are only hardy zones 9-11, so I will attempt to over winter them for next year as well. I like adding a white flowering vine to freshen the garden at this point in the season.
I tired of looking at the fading clematis foliage on our three trellises around the Circle Lawn, so I recently added a Mandevilla vine to each one. They are only hardy zones 9-11, so I will attempt to over winter them for next year as well. I like adding a white flowering vine to freshen the garden at this point in the season.
And I really like how this white Mandevilla looks flowering beside Sedum 'Frosty Morn' which is just in bud.
And I really like how this white Mandevilla looks flowering beside Sedum 'Frosty Morn' which is just in bud.
Photo of a stray black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) that seeded its self along the sidewalk in our Front Woodland curb. I moved this topiary pot up front to help gives this important corner view some interest while the flowers were all burnt to a crisp.
Photo of a stray black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) that seeded its self along the sidewalk in our Front Woodland curb. I moved this topiary pot up front to help gives this important corner view some interest while the flowers were all burnt to a crisp.
Along our back fence our purple flowering meadow rue, Thalictrum 'Splendide', is blooming away. It is over six feet tall and does not seem to mind the dry weather we have been having as much as some of the other shade plants.
Along our back fence our purple flowering meadow rue, Thalictrum 'Splendide', is blooming away. It is over six feet tall and does not seem to mind the dry weather we have been having as much as some of the other shade plants.
Thalictrum 'Splendide' dancing on the breeze.
Thalictrum 'Splendide' dancing on the breeze.
And behind the towering meadow rue are three white hydrangeas, Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'. It is hardy in zones 3-9 and its flowers increase in size as the bush grows larger.
And behind the towering meadow rue are three white hydrangeas, Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'. It is hardy in zones 3-9 and its flowers increase in size as the bush grows larger.
Thanks for joining me in my August garden!
Check in at May Dreams for other beautiful flowers this month around the world.

19 comments:

  1. Would never have guessed your garden was thirsty - you've kept it looking great. Congrats!

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    1. Thanks Claudia! Close-ups help to hid the unsightly :) Everything is really perking up with the rain though. thanks for your visit!
      ~Julie

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  2. Love the raindrops on the Hibiscus! I'm going to have to try the Chelsea Chop. I remember other gardeners talking about it, too. :)

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    1. Beth,
      It takes some courage the first time you give them a chop, but it is definitely worth it! It really refreshes the plants for the latter part of the season.
      ~Julie

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  3. Julie, your Limelight is pretty, as mine. I love this Hydrangea. And I think this pot with topiary looks nice.

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    1. I love the dark green structure that topiary gives a garden. Someday I hope to have quite a bit more hedging about our garden.
      ~Julie

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  4. There is something so refreshing to see raindrops on blooms! As always, your blooms look lovely and I love the color and texture combinations. I planted Euphorbia Diamond Frost and Elephant Ears together this season too and love the look.

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  5. Love the pink blooms of mandevilla, hibiscus and rose against the green foliage and the daintiness of the meadow rue flowers, beautifully captured in your photograph.

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    1. Thanks for the visit Marisa! It has been surprisingly hot this summer for our region, so it is nice to have some color again.
      ~Julie

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  6. Rain makes such a difference in the garden, everything looks so much brighter and refreshed after they have had a drink...like us really! You have some really lovely plants and they are put together so well making lovely pictures round your garden.

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    1. It surely does, Pauline. I know that gardeners in the UK are ready for the gardeners in the US to have the rain! We will take it.
      ~Julie

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  7. That flowering meadow rue is wonderful! I have to get some of that. I also love Japanese anemones - I have honorine jobert - but it blooms much later. Great pictures.

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  8. Thanks again for the tour of your garden. Sheila

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  9. Julie it is amazing how much is blooming and now especially with the rain...my rue is blooming and I saw some anemone buds...never heard about pruning coneflowers in May but mine usually bloom longer if they have rain...no rain and they dry up fast..some are blooming again on their own with our little rain..

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  10. August in Pennsylvania looks beautiful.

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  11. Some gorgeous photos in what must be a gorgeous garden. Has it been "droughty" for you? I'm in central PA and we've had a decent amount of rain - not ideal, but really not bad.

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    1. Daniel,
      Glad to hear from another gardener in PA! Yes, in western PA we have very behind in rain fall ever since last fall. This month, we are finally starting to get back to normal amounts. There are mature shrubs everywhere in our town that are stressed to the point of dying from lack of moisture.

      In my garden, this is a bigger issue because our elevated lot makes it very well drain. This is great in wet years (like last summer), but makes it more desperate in dry years. I am glad things are thriving normally in your region!
      ~Julie

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  12. You still have beautiful blooms in your garden. The rain has done its job for you and all looks very fresh. Your succession planting is fantastic, you must be pleased it with. Christina

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  13. Yay for the rain...your Thalictrum are SPLENDID!

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