Thursday, September 18, 2008

What's Blooming at a Shower Fresh Garden?

Fall is in the air this week at a Shower Fresh Garden. I can hardly believe it! Monday and Tuesday the high was in the mid 70s. Low was in the low 60s. Isn't that wonderful? Here in Mississippi, we've had summers where September was still in the high 90s. Even on my wedding day in late September 2004 we had hot, muggy weather.

My anniversary is coming up soon. Chip and I are planning to go to Oxford to celebrate the beginning of our fifth year of marriage. Oxford is where we spent our first years together and where we got married. We're planning a dinner for two at City Grocery, then meeting up with friends at the Neko Case show at Oxford's new Lyric theather. Then Friday is the day of the big debate. Yes, the really, really big Presidential Debate. I'm beyond excited that we get to be in town on such a historic day for Ole Miss, Oxford, and the USA! I'll try to take good photos to share with all of you. I might see some TV news reporters. Maybe I'll even get to shake the hand of future President Obama!

I am ready for fall gardening. I'm making a list of perennials I want to try. My veronicas turned black (disease?), so I want to replace them with something new. Maybe liatris (aka gayfeather or blazing star)? Photo from White Flower Farm (not my yard)... Many of my flowers are still blooming their hearts out. The new hydrangeas look really pretty. I am beyond happy about these shrubs. Next year I want to try to get the blooms to stay purple because I love purple.
Purple heart is blooming its heart out, and the bumblebees are happy. This guy gathered all the pollen he could carry.

Catmint and liriope (monkey grass to us Southerners) are also blooming this time of year.

Coleus and dwarf orange zinnias complement the Ole Miss "M" flag in the backyard. Mexican purple sage opened its blooms last week as the verbena winds down.

Mexican petunia continues to put on a show.
I have put out a few mums, as the geraniums I bought back in March for the front door were looking a little worse for wear. Pink mums for me.


9 comments:

Leah Maria said...

Wow, hard to believe it's your 5th wedding anniversary! I wish you many, many more. Next week will be a memorible time in Oxford with the debate and all the events leading up to it.

The yard looks great! I can't wait till I can get my hands dirty and start working on ours.

Phillip Oliver said...

Everything looks great especially your liatris. What is the secret to making mexican petunia bloom? I planted some this year and they are very stingy in the bloom dept.

Susie S said...

How much sun do your hydrangea's get? I would like to plant more, but most places in my yard get tons of sun.

Lisa Blair said...

Leah - It is only 4 years, but we'll be starting on our 5th year. Still, I can't believe its been that long!

Phillip - I wish that was my liatris, but that photo is from White Flower Farm! I've added a photo credit now... My mexican petunia is in partial shade. I've seen some in full sun, and I didn't think it looked as healthy as mine. This year it seems to have bloomed better than last, so I think I'm still figuring out the secret. I do like to cut it back in mid-June so that it bushes out a bit. Maybe that could be the secret?

Susan - My pink hydrangeas get about 2 hours of mid-afternoon sun per day. So, not much.

Anonymous said...

Lisa, where did you get the pink mums???

Phillip, mine are planted in a sunny spot but didn't start blooming until September. I THINK I know why - They bloom better if there is a little space between them. When I planted mine, they were transplants and I just plopped all of them into one big hole rather than planting each transplant separately. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I missed the "future President Obama" first time around - love it

The Clem Family said...

Happy Anniversary, Lisa!

Lisa Blair said...

Ginger, I got the pink mums at Home Depot in Clinton. They had pink and purple the weekend I went (Sept 5th?).

Anonymous said...

thanks so much! I didn't even know there was a HD in Clinton, but I will check it out this weekend!