Since I missed GBBD again for the second month in a row, I thought I would share some of the current blooms in my fall garden. I’m seeing sort or a pattern with the shades of purple & pink. 🙂 Of course I threw in a brilliant orange Cosmos that appears to be a double form. This is thanks to the seed that my generous blogging buddy Tina shared with me last year. I’m hoping that it scatters itself about happily throughout the garden. Doesn’t it look great in contrast to the deep burgundy stems of the Purple Fountain Grass? I’m also curious about the true identity of my Solidago which I thought was the cultivar ‘Fireworks’. But after seeing Janet & Les’s plants I know that is not what I have in my garden. Guess I got another mislabeled plant and this one was mailordered years ago. Oh well. I’m tickled with the reddish stems of the Gaura, makes a nice contrast to the pink blooms. This is the second flush of the season and I’m in love with this perennial. The Hyacinth Bean vine is not only putting out fabulous flowers but these pods too. It took a bit for it to get to this stage but now it is a blooming machine. This is the first lonely bloom of the Aster ‘Bluebird’ but it shows promise with all the buds yet to open. Same goes for the Toadlily which has tripled in size from last season. All the rain we got last month gave it a gigantic boost this season. Of course there is lots more blooming in my September garden but these are the latest & greatest of the moment.
21 Sep
Perennial Garden Lover 
Posted by Urban Green on September 21, 2009 at 11:18 pm
The colors are beautiful…gorgeous!!
Thanks UG, glad you enjoyed the show. 🙂
Posted by Janet on September 22, 2009 at 12:04 am
Great blooms Racquel. Like the use of the slideshow.
Thanks Janet, it was fun putting this together. 🙂
Posted by tina on September 22, 2009 at 6:25 am
Glad you like the cosmos Racquel. Orange is a nice bright color. I am loving your hyacinth bean and rose. Your solidago looks like fireworks to me, at least the ones I’ve seen. It is doing really well. I had it once but it died in my garden. The species grows well here though-in my gardens.
I do Tina, and to think I use to avoid orange in the garden. Shame on me! 😉 That Hyacinth Bean has caught my eye more than once in the garden, I think it would be pretty in a floral arrangement. I noticed that Les & Janet’s Solidago was flat on the back and taller while mine is more of a tubular flower & ground cover. I’m thinking it might be ‘Golden Fleece’ now.
Posted by Linda at Meadowview Thymes on September 22, 2009 at 7:44 am
I enjoyed the slideshow this morning Racquel. Your Golden Rod is really pretty. Mine never came up–darn! We have been getting alot of rain too. Plants look nice and lush–but the mosquitoes are terrible! Ouch!!
I’m glad you enjoyed the slideshow Linda. 🙂 I think the problem was this is a hybrid and the seed is sterile. Sorry about that. 😦 If you were closer I would send you a cutting or a small piece with some rootstock. Oh I know what you mean, the bugs are biting here too.
Posted by Susie on September 22, 2009 at 8:28 am
Lovely slide show Racquel. My toadlily is blooming now also. The bloom is so cute but the foliage looks pathetic. Oh well, win some, lose some.
Thanks Susie. 🙂 My foliage on mine usually looks a bit ragged by the end of summer too, but with all the extra rain and the shade from the Crepe Myrtle it doesn’t this year.
Posted by Darla on September 22, 2009 at 8:58 am
Just great for the first day of Fall!! Do you prune your Gaura?
I forgot it was the first day of fall, guess I lucked out huh? 😉 Yep I cut out all the old stems once their spent. I don’t shear it because it usually has a few new ones poking up by the time the old stuff is finishing up.
Posted by Cameron (Defining Your Home Garden) on September 22, 2009 at 9:32 am
Racquel – you have a lot of lovely fall blooms! I don’t know how all of you keep up with the memes. There are so many!
Cameron
Thanks Cameron. I’m having a harder time of keeping up with them this season. My mind has been elsewhere I guess. 😉
Posted by Marnie on September 22, 2009 at 10:18 am
I think your solidago is ‘Fireworks’. It has the distinct pattern of flowers outlining the the arching stems. Yours may just be very young. Mine is only about 2 1/2 feet tall and not very bushy yet. Hopefully in another year it will be taller and have more branching.
Marnie
Actually after doing some much googling online I think it might be ‘Golden Fleece’. My plant is at least 4-5 years old and it is short (like a groundcover) where ‘Fireworks’ is tall & airy.
Posted by nancybond on September 22, 2009 at 10:35 am
I enjoyed the show too, Racquel — lovely blooms for September!
Glad to hear it Nancy. Thanks! 🙂
Posted by Darla on September 22, 2009 at 10:50 am
Thanks for the info on the Guara, mine is so leggy and all sprawled out now. Re: Mexican Bush Sage–I started three new plants from the mother plant at the beginning of spring. I’ll try to root you one now….if it doesn’t work, I’ll do you one in the spring…okie dokie?
You are quite welcome Darla. This one seems to be a more compact specimen, I know some can be a bit floppy. How sweet, I would love to have a rooting of your MBS, sounds great! 🙂
Posted by Kanak on September 22, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I love your toad lily and gaura. What a lovely presentation! Hyacinth beans are popular here too but it’s only today that I knew its name! Thanks.
Thanks Kanak, glad my little presentation was informative as well as pretty. 🙂
Posted by Darla on September 22, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I’ll get to work on it. I do hope it will grow large for you as it has for me…I love it!!
Thanks Darla, the specimens they had at our Botanical Garden were quite large. About 3-4′ I say.
Posted by Gail on September 22, 2009 at 6:55 pm
First day of fall! When did that happen? Happy Autumn Solstice Racquel…beautiful blooms…the toad lily is gorgeous! gail
Happy Autumn Solstice to you too Gail. Thanks, it does seem like summer just flew on by now.
Posted by Kathleen on September 22, 2009 at 7:40 pm
What a nice slide show Racquel. I really liked the rain lilies. Are those bulbs??
Thanks Kathleen, yes they are bulbs. If you want the botanical name I’ll email it to you. I ordered them through Brent & Becky’s Bulbs.
Posted by spookydragonfly on September 23, 2009 at 6:09 am
Beautiful September blooms… I’m envious! I stopped by to wish you a most Happy Birthday, today Racquel! Have a wonderful fall season as well!
Thanks Spooky for stopping by & the birthday wishes. 🙂
Posted by Susie on September 23, 2009 at 8:13 am
So is it already that time of year again?!?!? Happy Birthday to you my friend!!!
I know it just went by so quickly huh? Thanks Susie! 🙂
Posted by Balisha on September 23, 2009 at 10:37 am
Hi Racquel…Why is it that lilies always take my eye?
I don’t know Balisha, but they come in so many colors, shapes, sizes & varieties it’s no wonder. 🙂
Posted by jeff-nhn on September 23, 2009 at 10:45 am
The Hyacinth Bean is stunning! When they start to flower they really put on quite a color show. I enjoyed the slide show as we are now starting to come into our cold fall season and only a few plants have any flowers on them.
This is my first time growing it Jeff & I love it! I also have seed for the white flowering type that I’ll try next spring. Glad you enjoyed my slideshow of blooms & that it extended the season a bit for you.
Posted by Jessica on September 23, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Beautiful blooms and Happy Birthday!! 🙂
Posted by Rose on September 23, 2009 at 9:12 pm
I hope you have had a Happy Birthday today, Racquel! Don’t you just love that orange cosmos? I received some seed from Tina, too, but had no idea how big those plants would be. It’s turned out to be quite a head-turner in the butterfly garden. Beckie and I visited the local Idea Garden last night and were struck by this beautiful purple vine–we soon realized it was a hyacinth bean vine. Those purple pods with the blossoms are really striking.