Monday, August 15, 2011

August Garden Blog Bloom Day

So this month the heat and lack rain has taken it's toll on my blooms. A few things are struggling along in the "sun" area. It's on the margin of being considered sunny. On my sunny deck the Bougainvillea 'Raspberry Ice' has decided to bloom this summer. This has been a consistent performer for several summers now. I just bring it in over the winter and put it in a sunny window, it sometimes looks near death by March but it always seems to come out of it.
A little sunny rain shower helped perk a few things up but not enough, we need more rain.

But it seemed to be enough to encourage one of my reblooming daylilies to put out another bloom or two. It's been hanging on in the increasing shade, although I have moved it around to be in the few remaining spots of sun. And, of course, the annual salvia in pots on my deck have become a great source of entertainment as the finches do a tight rope act to get to the seeds.
But it wouldn't be August without a few naked ladies dancing in your garden. That would be the Lycoris 'squamigera' type, not the two-legged type :)
But sadly I am left with color sourced from the foliage. This year I bought a large bag of random sized and color caladiums, from the Caladium Bulb Company. I used these in my front bed by the house, along with some coleus and sun impatiens to get some color in that usually drab spot. I've been delighted by the outcome. I want to play around with the combination some more next year but the random color of the bulbs has been fun to watch.

I even planted a few of the caladium blubs in my back shade bed to liven it up a bit, as well. I just wish they survived our winters, as I've not had good luck holding them over but I will try again. If not then I just order more!

2 comments:

  1. Your caladium display is gorgeous...you chose the perfect combinations! Happy GBBD!

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  2. The little hostas look great with the caladium backup! Happy GBBD!

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