August 9th flaunt

Crocosmia "Lucifer" is my favorite but this is fairly pretty too! I believe this is Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora or commonly called montbretia. It prefers a soil with some mositure retention where Lucifer likes well drained.

Ligularia dentata "Desdemona" was the first Ligularia  I grew loving it for its glossy leaves and the purple stems plus orange/gold blooms.

 Then I picked up Rocket and Przewalskii. Rocket for its huge leaves and Prezwalski for its beautiful lobed leaves. and the foxtail like blooms as shown below.

 Britt-marie crawford for its deep purple leaves. Some of them have been attacked by some vicious Michigan pest!! Since I encourage butterflys though Im not always quick to grab a pesticide. Instead I do what I can and watch trying to figure out what percentage of damage I can put up with!... They went a bit over and so the leaves have been ravaged on some of the other species!  

Delosperma or ice plant is really spreading and looking great poked into crevices in the rock wall.

Stokesia laevis 'Klaus jelitto'

Love the contrast in shape of blossoms with the lily and the aster

Hydrangea's are getting bigger!

The blooms are getting bigger and not as "blue" as they were two years ago. Is that because of the fertilizer I've been feeding the wisteria which sits directly behind this hydrangea grouping.

This 6' x 8' hydrangea is covered in flowers

A lot of contrasting forms, tectures and colours.

Hibiscus syriacus 'Helene'  or Rose of Sharon. These are next to invasive if you do not remove the seed heads in the fall. Or as in my case a great way to grow a few extra to put out into the tree belt and give away. There are many different varietys and colours. Hummingbirds love them so they are very welcomed here at Frog Hollow

A pinker variety. This one can create a mess with the many celled pods prolifically dropping and creating seedlings at the base and through out the bed. This year I WILL dead head in the fall.

This colour is still caring on strong with the addition of the Stokesia blue mixed into it.

The rose is really putting on a spectacular show.

One of the few sunflowers planted by the birds or chipmunks as a "thank-you" for the seeds I have provided them..

Day lilies hanging on and continuing to bloom.

Of the five Buddleja davidii's this 'bicolour' is my favorite.

This white Buddleia is spectacular and continues to get bigger and spread each year. Part of the reason I left it where it is in the beds rather then move it over to the moon garden. That and lack of space. Plus, white is still needed in the other beds to be enjoyed or "breaks" in colour schemes. Several of the blues have had their spent blooms dead headed with hopes that it will prolong the blooming time and have them waving gracefully during the garden tour. If some butterflys actually showed up that would be perfect!

The Butterfly garden has gone very "PINK" ....It was very yellow, orange and red a few weeks ago!.

The Hyssop is a real draw for the pollinators and a few swallowtails but I haven't managed to get any photos as yet.

I couldn't resist adding another shot of this hydrangea

Phlox is prolific here in the butterfly garden entrance. 

The rest of the garden is coming back nicely after being severely cut back to hopefully have lots in bloom for August 27th which is the date of the last garden tour for this year.

Im away this weekend..home for three days and then gone until the 27th!...Not the best of timing. But, I really need to go and see my other two daughter over in Alberta and catch up with friends. So I will get back late on the 26th and work till the tour begins on the 27th getting what I can spruced up as well as I can. 

After all it is my garden... not a show garden and I am welcoming people to come and see my garden and how I "paint" the landscape.  I could use that clock that Hermoine had in Harry Potter and be able to turn back time so I could be in two places at once! But, then I would not be totally "with" my daughters and fully enjoying them so I guess mother nature will be left to tend my garden for me in my absence! 

So as you walk my garden this week... PLEASE do pull a few weeds... deadhead where needed or turn on the sprinklers.  

Remember its never too late to be what you were meant to be!

Kate

Even though Im on a road trip Im linking up over at Tootsie Time.

See you there...

http://www.tootsietime.com/

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.ca/2013/08/fff90-japanese-star-anise.html

and Floral Friday Fotos.....

and also....