Fall Getting Closer

I figured I'd get some pictures up before I forget about them. At least I can organize images from around the property better than I can with other stuff. I have them broken down month to month for the last four years with individual dates.

This has to be my favorite Coleus (reddish one). I picked up one small plant in mid April and must have forty of them around here now. I'll definitely keep them going as 18 (rooted) will be going to Florida. They looks stunning in partial shade..or at least I think so.

How about this guy? It's a Mexican something. I've had them for three years now. Thew first year was very disappointing. Last year they did quite well, but this year (annuals) this thing has climbed to ten feet after cutting them back twice.  BUT..it hasn't shown a flower yet. It is a late bloomer anyway, but it's almost fall.

Finally some Blue Morning Glories! Hopefully I'll have some returning next year in this location. I've seen a half dozen flowers so far this year.

Ivy is progressing all over the place. I can see it getting out of control if I ever left it alone for a year. Also shown in the back ground is one of my larger elephant ears.

I had oodles of Zinnia planted up along the driveway this year, cut them back twice, but they took on some kind of disease. This is all I have out of them so far.

Another Moon flower vine on the corner of the house. Lot's of Coleus where Impatiens always had a home in past years. Coleus don't replace them in my opinion but they do fill out nicely. Notice the small flower on the Clematis? I thought I killed that plant three months ago. Potato vines again. They're all over the place as well.

Angelonia doing well all over, but hard to see in this picture. Trailing Petunias petered out. Not as I hoped. But, they make into the cooler weather. Maybe they'll surprise me yet.

Snap Dragons - Good & Bad

I had a whole area set aside for these from seed in the spring of 2010, but they never really took off. They just sat there all straggly looking until last November when I yanked them. Could have been the location along the driveway, I do not know. Anything up the drive seems to struggle without attention.

Anyway, here are some that were purchased last fall from Lowes in the small six pack variety. These things can grow and bloom in freezing and very hot temperatures. Two whites and one red here. I have the hardest time remembering the name of this plant. Maybe it will come to me before the end of this entry.

Snap Dragons!!!

There must be different varieties. Here's a taller one (below) that was moved this spring. Originally planted in the spring of 2010 (one croaked) when it was purchased as a larger plant. It blooms now and then but not like the smaller variety that reaches 10-12 inches. It also falls all over the place and needs staking. Pain, really.

These two show three reds planted together. All shown here were dead headed completely July 28. I'll have to consider sticking more in the ground this fall. I wonder if these guys will make it through another winter?

Misc Plants

Looking at a few misc plants scattered about; some barely hanging on while others seeming to like the cooler weather. Two in particular are the Cactus Zinnias and the Pineapple Sage that normally thrives in November. First pic is some cut this afternoon while the second shows plenty of buds ready to pop. I have several that just hang over the driveway and look pretty cool once they're in bloom.

Pineapple Sage making it's fall appearance. It was moved from against the cabin earlier this year to the lawn along the fenceline..

A Purple Cone flower that for all intent and purposes died two months ago. It had no green growth whatseover. I thought it was just another casualty of the summer heat, but now it's back to life and ready to flower?  Below that is another cone flower purchased at one of the stores that is hanging on. I'll leave those guys alone and see what happens next spring.

And some fall flowering perennials (Stonecrop) in the back ground that are also struggling in the very dry Alpine garden area. I thought they'd be a brighter red, but appeared a brownish color.

And on to a Mexican Sunflower. This one is one of two grown from about a dozen seeds sowed on top of the soil back in May. Slow grower and the danged thing has a bud on top. I suppose it will fare better the second year. Oh wait it's an annual. Nice showing there Mex..doh

Morning Glories doing well but changing color during the day or at least the burgundy ones appear a lavender color in the morning then resort to their standard when the temperatures warm up. You be the judge.

Standard color...

Saving Caladium Bulbs...

All Is Not Lost...But

Yeppper, the lawn is gone. It's either lack of water because I did ignore it the last four weeks and only about one inch of rain fell, or it's just plain stagnant air that creates disease. It wasn't this bad last year. Plenty of  90 degree plus days this summer.

What were once Shasta Daisies...

This thing finally took off and a blue Morning Glory flower appeared the other morning. Strangely it flowered until the evening unlike the others that peter out about 11AM.

I don't know how these Columbines are going to make it. About 6-8 weeks to the first frost. I started some from seed back on May 7 and finally let them loose about three weeks ago. Still so fragile. Left of screen...

Zinnias have no problem around here except for some wilts now and then, but that's everywhere. Creeping Jenny and a perennial Hibiscus thrown in there.

Cactus Zinnia I think they call them. About 5-6 feet high...

Joe Pye weed leaning. They weren't there last year as the area was a wheel barrel ramp...

Coleus, purple?? and some other things that didn't grow as the seed pack suggested in a spot that is extremely wet underneath (6-8 inches down) because of the drain field. Coleus are from cuttings about six weeks ago.

Lantana, Red Salvia (damned those things grow, dead head every two weeks) and more Zinnia from the porch...

These whachamacallits did real well this year...I'm too hungry to remember...lunch time

Mexican Heather Has A Winter Coat

I guess this shrub oozes moisture when it gets cold? This morning the temps reached 26, but it's not the first time this fall. I've seen two days at 27 around 7:30 AM. Anyway it's all dressed for the cold. Not as green compared to a few months ago when it thaws out.

Dianthus still hanging in there although they look beat up with frost covering them. Give it a few hours and they look healthy as ever.

The whatchamacallit....Pineapple Sage continues along, although looking like it's no longer reaching for the sky.

Petunias take on a new look with the frost covering them...

And that thing in the middle of the hanging basket. No clue as to the name and how long it will last?

Few remaining Impatiens along the stone wall hanging in there...barely.

Plants At Lowes This Time Of The Year?

After doing some investigating into what kinds of stuff I'd like to have growing around here, it's obvious the home improvement centers can't carry it all. Still waiting on the landscape designer. Could be that she is very busy which would make sense this time of the year, but it's been three weeks?

Oh well, now that other projects are near completion, it's time to get some color in the bare spots. Before you know it I may have it all done before mother arrives September 16.

Here are some shots of what the the local Lowes in Ellijay offers. I'm a day late as I think the shipments arrive Tuesday and Thursday. I was really looking for Asters (above) but they went quick and were on the pricey side for me. Definitely time to think seeds. Money can go fast and I've spent enough this year.

Oodles of mums naturally.



So...what did twenty bucks buy? Why not some Marigolds and Dianthus. Maybe they'll do okay up by the driveway because there isn't a whole lotta direct sun this time of the year in other areas. Check more sun/shade pics below. All taken at 11AM. Hope they last until November and get "puffy" or spread out.


But then I thought about this little spot. It seems to get a good portion of sun in the morning and afternoon and it's BARE! All pics taken at 11AM.


Grass is greening up!

What Flowers/Plants Didn't Make It So Far?

I think I've done a pretty good job of keeping things alive around here. Seems pretty simple; pay attention, water, and fertilize. Fertilize is the biggie! Looking at some pics from a month ago and comparing today. These are the good examples...bad down the page.

Cleomes...and that spaghetti plant (Nasturtiums)- July 21

August 21
Classic example of adding fertilizer...

July 21.
August 21...
And to those lost or near lost...

Stupid Rose bush...I even fed it it's own special meal. Probably a bad location

Poor soul:(
Some kind of Lavender struggling...

Almost bit the dust..clematis. Now beginning to climb with new growth. Extremely slow grower, like the Rose bush.

Another bright spot, but took forever (mid June) to get going from seed. I forget the name. Now growing very well. I thinned them out three weeks ago and started some up the driveway. Growing slowly up there but I suspect will do okay. They're supposed to be flowering by now according to the specs.

Oh. The rustic table/bench I made. I haven't beaten it up yet. Why bother, can't see it anyway.

Ivy clippings planted next to pathway into the woods...they're easy.