Late Summer Flowers

Ozark Sundrops- a low growing perennial. It started blooming in its second year

This time of the year there is a lot of garden clean up to do. The daisies have mostly gone to seed as have the maltese cross, the delphiniums and the monkshood, not to mention the columbines. The roses need to be deadheaded, as do the early lilies that are finished blooming.
I try and deadhead my annuals every day as I pass by a pot of them on the deck or on my way down the outside deck stairs. If you keep the pansies and osteospermum daisies deadheaded they will continue to bloom all summer long. The same goes for the geraniums, of which I have many. The geraniums are looking spectacular right now, full of masses of flowers.

Its very gratifying to continue to see different perennials blooming in my flower beds . That's what every gardener strives for: having a flower garden where there is always something in bloom from early spring to late fall.  I planted some low growing Ozark Snow Drops last year ,but they didn't do much until a few weeks ago. They have the most beautiful bell shaped yellow blossoms. It was a wonderful surprise to come upon them one morning blooming quietly. :)

The hollyhocks are still blooming, but the flowers are mostly blooming at the tops of the tall stems now as the rest lower down have gone to seed.  The lone hollyhock plant in my stack stone bed is about a week behind the rest and still looking healthy and lovely, aside from a few lacylike chewed leaves, thanks to the slugs, and thanks indirectly to all the rain we have had since spring....

'Autumn Colors' Rudbeckia

The late summer flowers are looking really good. The rudbeckia "Autumn Colors" are full of flowers, especially the ones that got nibbled off early in the planting season. (Not sure if it was the deer or the marmot that was responsible.) That's proof positive that one should snip annuals down after planting them, something that I find so hard to do. Snipping off perfectly good flowers seems to be such a dumb idea when you have waited all through the long winter for flowers to bloom in the garden.

My Lavatara has FINALLY started to bloom! They were so tiny when I planted them and some of them didn't survive the transplanting. (Lavataras are finicky.) But the ones that did are opening their blossoms now and should bloom until frost.

7 foot tall helianthus

My tall helianthus (also sometimes called heliopsis) in the middle of my angel bed are still looking great. I love their multi-petalled yellow pom pom shaped bossoms. :)  I had to re-tie them though. Many of the stems had grown outside of the stakes and the strings that I had tied them with.  What a job!

helianthus 'pom pom' blossoms

Note to self: Next year, check the helianthus as it is growing and move the stakes as needed, before they get 7 feet tall!

heliopsis- false sunflower shorter variety

I think I will have to dig some of it out and give it away at the Plant Swap in May before it takes over that whole bed.

Gaillardia -Blanket flowers 

Another note to self: Dig out some of the delphiniums and the maltese crosses in the angel bed or move the blanket flowers out 12 inches.  Also, remember to give the dahlias and the foxgloves more room to grow. The Baby's Breath needs to be cut back or some of it dug up as well. My poor dahlias are growing at a 45 % angle due to being crowded out.  They are a beautiful red cactus blossom  and still looking wonderful!

I'm enjoying some late blooming lilies and the Stargazers are promising to be big and gorgeous, if the size of the buds are an indication... Looking forward to their spectacular blooms! 

Gazanias - continue to bloom and look fabulous