At this time of year, with the garden at the far end of summer and needing very little coaxing, I tend to draw back into a slight dormancy and just let it do its thing. I still keep the tomatoes pruned in cordons to save space, have started some seed-saving and am planting the winter garden, for example, but desire for walks in the meadow or big outdoor projects diminish in tandem with the increasing dryness of the field vegetation. My spouse fills this gap–making sure the new trees are getting a drink of water periodically until the winter rains arrive, re-setting the olive fly traps, and all manner of helpful tasks.
The summer garden in full throttle
The veg garden, which is closest to the house, is where I stay put. That and indoors with my houseplants — especially on days like today at 98°F (36°C). I’ve also just taken on a new commitment to do some (amateur) video-editing again for a nonprofit I love, so that is also keeping me indoors more.
So, to keep it simple, how about just a photo gallery for this late-summer garden post?
Possibly ‘Chocolate Cherry’ heirloom sunflower illuminated by the sun into dazzling ruby tones.Tomato ‘Black Beauty’–another heirloom we are trying this year. Can’t speak to the taste yet but the color is pretty!Espalier Fuji applesA perennial aster of forgotten variety. It’s a very tough (drought tolerant) butterfly habitat plant. Verbascum chaixii ‘Wedding Candles’ — I got this perennial from seed through Annie’s Annuals, where it is described as easy, fast, drought tolerant, deer resistant & habitat for butterflies & bees.Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) in bloom in the butterfly gardenAsian pears ripeningNever disappoints: the sombreuil roseA fat sunflower head with ripening seedsA small bed of corn in a gopher-protected garden bed. To insure good kernel set for a small patch, we hand pollinate. It’s rather fun.A good crop of corn again this year. Not sure how we’re getting such a lucky break from the raccoons!An Austin rose–‘Evelyn’ I thinkNormally I only grow the smaller dahlias, as they fit better with my garden style, but I couldn’t refuse this giant magenta-pink one.Heirloom pole beans — Rich Purple Pod from Renee’s GardenThis area was a thick weed patch for decades. I sketched a design, then we prepped the area and laid some of the decomposed granite ourselves. Thankfully, some much needed and appreciated help came along and finished the DG, mulch and gravel (for a seasonal “creek” for winter rains). Looks good now but we joke to ourselves that it will probably never look this tidy again.Seedlings getting ready for the fall/winter garden.I thought I’d try growing some quinoa this year for the fun of it. Red kuri pumpkinMizuna salad with cherry tomatoes, sourdough garlic croutons and baked teriyaki tofuI can’t imagine a summer garden without sunflowers. If I can find space, I try to grow a few different kinds. This huge one will make sunflower seeds for the birds (or for us, but I love growing seeds just for the birds).A new dahlia that I love.Tithonia and white cosmos. We’re still seeing pipevine swallowtails but no monarchs so far this year.Crassula capitella | Red pagoda succulent—I love how it grows in a fractal pattern!I love this white cosmos.
Hope your garden is thriving!
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If you haven’t already, please consider going peat-free in your garden! Why? Read this.
6 thoughts on “Late-Summer Garden Photo Gallery: Sunflowers, Cosmos, and Heirloom Varieties”
Thank you for sharing your beautiful and manifold garden colors and shapes, Lisa. You deserve to work less and mostly enjoy the bounty of your earlier efforts.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful and manifold garden colors and shapes, Lisa. You deserve to work less and mostly enjoy the bounty of your earlier efforts.
Thank you Tanja!
What a wonderful collection of garden memories
Thank you! 😊
Such a beautiful garden and wonderful colors!
Thank you!! -lisa