Well here we are, on the eve of Labor Day weekend in the U.S., the date many people think of as the end of summer. Well there will be none of that here! The garden is still going strong (although everything is a little beat up after our heavy rains) and I have a lot of “real” gardening left to do, including some planting if I can find the plants. Heck, the sad fact is I still have not gotten a ripe tomato out of my vegetable garden since everything was planted so late. If you think I’m going to call it quits on summer before I eat a ripe tomato out of my garden you are sorely mistaken.
And there are still some lovely moments in the garden, a few of which I’m sharing here because they aren’t anything more complicated than that. Just nice things I’m seeing when I stroll through my garden.
I’ve been growing Nicotiana alata ‘Lime Green’ from seed for several years and for the first time it is starting to pop up in unexpected places, having sown itself around. It is dead easy to pull (or smother with mulch) where I don’t want it, but it’s always fun to see where such things land. And this plant that popped up in the path to the garage has charmed me into earning it’s spot this year.
Another spot in the garden bringing me joy is a section of the circle garden that has filled in quite nicely. Here I grow Bobo hydrangeas, Hakonechloa ‘All Gold’ and a lovely spreading coleus whose name I cannot recall. I could only find about five plants, which is not really enough for such a big area, so I pinched off a few branches and just stuck them in the ground. It’s hardly a fail-safe way of propagating plants, but coleus is pretty easy to grow and I figured it might work. It was a good bet as you can see from how this section worked out.Â
With the abundance of dahlias this year, I’ve been playing around with bouquets, including this one with ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Creighton Honey’ dahlias with Thai basil flowers. It might be my favorite of the summer.Â
Speaking of basil, I planted three ‘Wild Magic’ basils that I ordered from Annie’s Annuals in July, just to test it out. I’m completely enamored and will absolutely grow this again next year (although I’ll seek out seeds so I can inexpensively grow it in mass quantities). I haven’t tasted it yet; it’s all about its ornamental properties for me.
And this next bit is just for fun. I needed a backdrop for a photo for a giveaway on Instagram (stay tuned to my Instagram for that) and I raided the ‘Serkan’ dahlias. The next thing I knew I had cut a bunch of flowers, picked a few Nicotiana flowers and I was making a flower “quilt” out of them. It was so pretty I left it on the outdoor side table for a few days.Â
 That’s it for bits and bobs from my garden. I’m looking forward to the long weekend, which will certainly involve some gardening and hopefully filming a video tour of the garden, because I’ve been a bit lax on the YouTube videos this summer.Â
What’s on your agenda for the long weekend?
The shot of your circle garden is looking good. I really like your litttle bouquet of dahlias. I always think it is fun when plants pop up where you least expect them. We have had no rain lately so I am not doing anything in the garden but watering.
Still no rain for you? I’m sorry, that’s a real drag. I’m not sure which is worse: not enough rain or too much rain. Can’t it just be the perfect amount all the time? That’s not too much to ask, is it?
We are heading to Denver to celebrate our son’s birthday with him and to move him from his summer housing to his University apartment. No gardening for us, but planning to hike and to go to the gorgeous Denver Botanic Gardens.
Sounds like a busy weekend, but fun too. Enjoy!
I wish more pop up plants would show up around my garden. I always have lots of poppies,cosmos and dark purple perilla along with black eyed Susan vine and a few Mexican sunflowers but would love if some of my salvia and nicotianas would self seed . I think it is such fun to find these little free plants.
It is fun to see what pops up where. For some reason it has taken a number of years for the Nicotiana to start seeding itself around. The Verbena bonariensis does it well, but I often end up weeding it out accidentally.
No gardening for me this weekend despite it being sorely needed. Beach weekend!
Have a great long weekend!
The beach calls! That is a great excuse to not do any gardening. Enjoy!
A fabulous Friday post. That basil is gorgeous and I need to think about maybe trying it. Wish those things could self seed here. And your bouquet and flower quilt are stunning. That quilt in particular is worth copyrighting!
I love the coleus bed- that is gorgeous and it is obviously very happy there! I have grown Cafe Lait dahlias the last two years and have yet to get a bloom. I usually start them in pots in my greenhouse in late March and the best one I have is quite large but no blooms yet- any secret?
I hope you and your family had a nice long weekend. That one Nicotiana of yours did an excellent job of helping itself get settled. It really is funny and interesting when plants grow somewhere you don’t remember planting them especially when they find their perfect spots.