What's New for September

This cooler summer is producing some interesting garden effects. Blooms are lasting longer and the colors seem more intense. And now leaves of pistachios and Japanese maples are beginning to show fall color much earlier than usual. You might want to visit the nursery to take note of these early fall coloring Japanese maple varieties. Another surprise is that the clematis vines are continuing to bloom so late. So much fun in discovering the flowers amid the attractive fluffy seed heads as you explore. The most continually blooming clematis in my garden this year has been Rooguchi. The flowers are very dark blue and bell shaped. What a show!

Hydrangeas are lingering too. Do you sometimes wish that they were evergreen? You need to discover Dichroa febrifuga, a close relation of the hydrangeas with similar needs and culture. It looks good in the winter, not a group of sticks like many of the hydrangeas. If you like to use dried hydrangea flower heads in arrangements, harvest them now for the best color and let them dry out in a warm dry spot.

A truly lovely evergreen tree for your garden is Eucryphia nymansis Mt. Usher. In August and September is covered with white flowers that almost hide the attractive dark green leaves. It prefers partial shade, acidish soil, and summer water. With a coniferous background, the picture it creates is stunning.

Fall blooming azaleas should be showing color any minute now. I especially enjoy seeing the hardy cyclamen flowers popping up beneath them without their dormant marbled leaves. These two plants make an outstanding combination.

Have you ever seen a yellow climbing bleeding heart? This is another plant for you to enjoy and to puzzle your gardening friends.

This is a good time to start collecting seeds. You might want to start some of them early. If so, don't worry if nothing happens before next spring. Do try to protect them from snails however. It's not too late to prune overgrown rhododendrons and other plants to save work in the spring.

Enjoy the peace in your garden before the rains start.