What a wonderful reason to get into the garden see what’s going on…

A Garden Blogger Challenge to document, what is in bloom the 15th of every month…

Here in Zone 7, there is still a lot going on in Entwined Garden, even after our light frost last week.  With temperatures a little milder – a mid day today – high of 47 degrees, not just color, but notice the buzz of pollinators!

That being said, there should not be the illusion that there are drifts of perfection.  The gardens are  spread out over 3 of our 6 acres.   Yes, I too wish there were helpers and it would look  like the gardens in all the glossy garden books I’ve read, and drooled over, but with our long growing season, it is simply not to be.

Several years ago when I worked in Jane Peterson’s Garden on Cape Cod,  we added color and Va Voom – the Massachusetts growing season is so short… it did look like the books!  Everything blooms at once…   so this was my AHA moment.

The more I studied the work of  Gertrude Jekyll,  I realized many of  those gardens were just one season gardens… conceived for folks with multiple seasonal residences and staff.  The only way I’d be bringing that look here was to add a Cultivar named for  the  amazing garden designer!

So challenged, I headed our with my favorite garden tool – my camera – to document  & be  surprised to see so many things still blooming!  Let’s begin!

Aptly named…. always a party!   Love this colorful and happy plant.

I was not expecting this at all.   It was added to Entwined Gardens two years ago and I thought it had succumbed to the drought   in 2011 or became deer food – as there had been no sign of it –   nada zilch – but today a small showing and what a delight…   Hope Blooms with the possibility that it will indeed scramble up the trellis.   Earlier hopes of one scrambling up & over a satellite dish never materialized, but as they say you have to kill a plant three times!

First year to bloom!!!

This has been a great year for this Canna Lily!   This season, there was little annoying  leaf roller damage …  By now I have usually whacked them all back – but  the exquisite foliage remains with blooms to boot – the party continues…

Talk about being confused…    but lovely to see – this is our favorite Cercis!!!

 This Chrysanthemums came from a little pot and did not have a cultivar name. It was planted  & escaped from containers on my front steps and now surrounds both sides of the stairs – quite fetching!    It is on the wane, but has been blooming since late August!  This one is always a buzz with pollinators.   Today a beautiful American Painted Lady  – Vanessa virginiensis posed for me….

Technically these are the bracts of  the Clerodendron.  It flagrantly bloomed  Aug – October  white with hint of pink.  Many mornings and evenings covered with Swallowtail butterflies!

Hip Hip Hoo Ray –  the most expensive Echinacea lives and still blooming!

Recently I visited with Dr. Allan Armitage and the University of Georgia – Athens demonstrations gardens. As we oohed and aahed over the Echinacea – he commented that Echinacea should not be planted in the fall!  For the past several years I fell  into the trap of purchasing some of the great new cultivars and planted in the Fall – only to be disappointed when there were no sign of them the next year.

Dr. Armitage commented that it was better to plant them in the spring!  Who knew?  Of course one can only find them in the Fall as that’s when garden centers put them out.    His Advice was to over winter in pot in a protected spot.

When I shared my story about the most expensive Echinacea – which I planted this past  August – he said, noting the tear in my eye and not wanting to deal with a weepy woman offered,  “Don’t dig it up.  Give it some extra mulch & protection.   It should be fine. ”

One of my favorite all time plants – even if it didn’t have these fun Pom Poms blooms this time of year.

I purchased  a start as a tiny little thing from Big Bloomers.   It has not disappointed.  I love adding the variegated palmate leaves for a bit of drama in arrangements.

More to come!

Joy – living the EntwinedLife

Jayme B

NC Certified Environmental Educator

Garden Conservancy Regional Representative