August 23, 2016
Forgive the lighting on these photos as I took them after the sun had risen. I know this isn’t Tuesday, but you’ll understand why I’m a day late when you see my Wordless Wednesday post.
While the summer continues to wane, the annuals are putting on quite the show.
Above, you can see through the middle are puffy clouds of pink and white phlox (P. paniculata) and along the front (left and right), white flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata), pink coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), and lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina).
At the rear, pink and white cleome (C. hassleriana) mix with a smattering of pink cosmos (C. bipinnatus ‘Sensation Mix’), and a patch of zinnias (Z. elegans ‘County Fair Mix’).
At the far left, the calendulas (C. officinalis) are mixed with zinnias. In the back, more cleome and cosmos, a giant sunflower that continues to grow higher and higher, and a huge mound of ivy-leaved morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea) that has finally begun to bloom, but unfortunately, the dense foliage masks the blossoms.
However, this plant does gets high points for texture. It would be great to screen an undesirable view or to create privacy. The Japanese beetles leave it alone, while just in front of it, they’ve devoured the mallow (Malva sylvestris ‘Zebrina’) leaves. Thankfully, they leave the blossoms alone.
I’m linking with Cathy at Words and Herbs, joining participants taking weekly photos of the same garden over the course of the growing season to note its evolution.
Below are some of the previous views for comparison:
April 1, 2016
June 11, 2016
June 28, 2016
July 26, 2016
August 2, 2016
August 16, 2016
Eliza Waters 
What an incredible transformation across the year, Eliza. A beautiful, coherent mixture of flowers.
Thank you, Joanna. 🙂
Summer is absolutely glorious in your garden, Eliza!
Thank you, Kris. The contrast between winter and summer here is so great that it makes us appreciate the warm weather so much more. 🙂
The pink cosmos are lovely – possibly at their best right now? And golden rod right at the back? Such a wonderful mix of flowers still! 🙂 Have a great week Eliza!
Incredible, well done. Here in SW France it is so so dry, we have had one day of rain since the end of June. The garden is looking so parched and the plants are struggling, we are watering anything in tubs and the vegetable garden thanks to our well, the rest has to fend for itself!
Thank you! Yes, I’ve heard that your area has hot dry summers – a challenge to garden in. Hope you get rain soon.
Such beauty, Eliza!
Thank you, Jane. 🙂
It’s still looking lush and beautiful!!! Glad you got to the beach!
Thank you, Lisa. The annuals coming in late are saving the show. I can pretend fall is NOT around the corner! 😉
A little denial never hurts at the end of summer…and technically we have nearly another whole month!
Exactly – no need to panic. 😉
Love the idea of showing the same area through the months of the
year – so many lovely annuals – especially like cosmos for its feathery foliage
autumn flowers are now making their mark
Thank you, Diana. Autumn is slipping in.
Oh, that late summer garden!
I’m loving the cosmos and zinnias. A female monarch came to visit the zinnias this afternoon. I was SO thrilled!
Yay!!!!
Seeing the progress from bare place to such beautiful sight is amazing.
Thank you, I like this meme for that reason. It really is quite amazing what can happen in a few short months.
As always, I love these posts!
My “mixed” zinnias were all yellow this year. Apparently, “mixed” did not refer to color.
Thank you, Sarah. I often wonder about these mixes, they can be rather random!
Right?! Although I do know enough about statistics to know that getting all one color is not impossible if it’s random. Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? No.
I am in awe!!!!
🙂 Thanks, Mary. Nature does most of the ‘work.’
I didn’t realize you had so many annuals in there, they really carry on the show throughout the second half of summer! You say nature does most of the work, I think you’ve been busy as well 🙂
I’m just the hired hand. ;-D
Looking good Eliza. Hope beach time is fun
Thank you, Dorris. It was a beautiful beach day!
The evolution of your garden is incredible! I love before and after shots, and yours included “middle” shots of the process too 🙂
Thanks Christy! The growth over the season is quite something!