Vibrant Bloom Day color
To celebrate this rather wintry (by Austin standards) Bloom Day, I’ll lead with a smattering of pretty flowers on the ‘Ava’ agastache. I had high hopes for ‘Ava’ in her 2nd year in my garden, but she kind of petered out early compared to last year. I only got a few flowers, and she didn’t even get as big as last year. No idea why, when my other agastaches did better than ever this year. One of the eternal mysteries of gardening…
The ‘Twinkle Pink’ cuphea on the other end of the garden has a similar color scheme and is going strong.
Cuphea ignea, or cigar plant, is also still blooming its head off.
As is the Mexican flame vine (Senecio confusus), paired here with cool ‘Blue Ice’ Arizona cypress.
Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) is winding down. The blooms are fading, even as leafy new growth is showing at the base of the plant.
Mexican sage (Salvia mexicana), which I just planted, is still stunning. I can’t wait to watch this plant as it matures into the statuesque beauty it promises to be.
To see what’s blooming on this date in gardens around the world, visit May Dreams Gardens.
And now that flowers are fading fast from many of our gardens, it’s a good time to join in for Foliage Follow-Up on the day after Bloom Day. Share what’s looking good in your garden that isn’t a flower. It doesn’t have to be leafy either; bark, bare stems, seeds, cones are all fair game. Just leave your link on my Foliage Follow-Up post tomorrow so everyone can find it.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Love that photo with the salvia in your garden. So pretty! I grow agastache too and I really like it. I love the late season blooms.
Thanks for visiting, Wendy. Agastache is such a great fall plant. By the way, your URL was typed in wrong, but I looked you up online and fixed it. I look forward to checking out your Bloom Day post too. —Pam
I love Salvia mexicana. We have one in our yard, finished flowering not long ago. Nice to see it giving someone else pleasure.
Thanks for visiting, Terry. I popped over to your blog and loved seeing your springtime flowers. I wasn’t able to leave a comment without a Google account, but maybe you’ll check back here and know I stopped by. —Pam
I planted my first Agastache last fall and it managed to live through this summer, but blooms were sparse. I’ll assume it was too busy with root development. Your flame vine and cypress are a nice color combo. Happy GBBD!
Agastache is supposed to make a better show each year, which is why I was surprised that ‘Ava’ didn’t do so for me. However, other varieties did very well this year. —Pam
Beautiful! I love the photo of the Mexican sage and your lovely garden gate!!
Thanks for visiting, Connie. —Pam
Lovely blooms … the photo of the Salvia leucantha is wonderful. The beautiful dark purple against the browns and greys in the background is a lovely contrast. Love the pairing of Senecio and the Arizona Cypress … great colour combination. You do have some pretty Cupheas as well … adore the ‘Twinkle Pink’!
And isn’t the name half the fun with that cuphea? 😉 Thanks for stopping by, Bernieh. —Pam
I’ve been thinking how fortunate we Middle South gardeners are to have the long, drawn out autumns! You have an even longer one! Fantastic blooms in your garden. Love the late blooming sages and cupheas. The Flame vine and cypress are a perfect couple. gail
I don’t know know whether autumn is drawn out here or whether summer is, and autumn just gets a late start. The latter, I’m pretty sure. We start to call it autumnal here when temps drop into the mid-80s, which is summer in most places. 😉 Happy fall Bloom Day to you too, Gail. —Pam
The Mexican Sage was added to my garden this summer from 4″ pots. It’s in the part shade area behind my fountain off the patio and this fall it was easily 5 feet tall (with flower spikes) and stunning in that corner! It really brightened up the area. I’m certain you’re going to love it! I’ll hopefully see you tomorrow for Foliage Followup if all goes to plan.
Ooh, I can’t wait for that day! It’s wonderful to find something so big and flowery for part-shade, isn’t it? —Pam
Vibrant is the word in your garden. I have vibrant, but all browns and blacks. Love to see the color. I am missing it already. Lovely photos and that Mexican Sage with the green/blue combo, ahhhh.
Feel free to soak up Southern warmth and color all winter, Donna. It stays pretty green here, although flowers will become much sparser soon. —Pam
It’s fun to see someone use the word “wintry” alongside such beautiful, vigorously blooming plants. Hummingbirds must think your garden is paradise!
I know! That’s why I qualified it with “wintry for Austin.” By that I mean temps in the 50s. 😉 —Pam
The Mexican sages have lovely colours.
We love those Mexican plants around here—such great color. Thanks for stopping by, Lotusleaf. —Pam
I love the ‘Blue Ice’ Arizona Cypress!! Never heard of it before.
I’m mad for its icy blue color, pyramidal form, and Christmasy scent, Darla. —Pam
The cuphea blooms may be small, but they sure pack a punch with their bright colors. The Senecio kind of reminds me of one of the new Coreopsis. Very pretty.
It’s hard to photograph the true impact of the cupheas because of those tiny flowers and leaves. But you’re right, they really do pack a punch in full bloom. —Pam
As always, your garden looks beautiful. I take it as a compliment that my garden has many of the same plants. Would that they looked as good as yours!
Having just come from your blog, I know exactly how good your plants look–gorgeous! I’m loving your orange flowers. —Pam
Pretty! Such scenes are a few weeks in the past up here…and another daily cold trough blows through…nice to see your growing season goes on. Come back, November!
I used to spend Thanksgiving in Santa Fe with extended family. Loved it—the cold air, a light snow, faded perennials, smell of wood smoke. You have lovely Novembers in New Mexico! —Pam
That is so weird about ‘Ava’ because we know HCG considers it almost their flagship agastache. Mine did poorly but that was my fault — too little space, too little sun. I really like the S. leucantha spilling on the gravel. That pathway planting has filled in beautifully. And the oranges with blues and greys are wonderful.
Yes, I had high hopes for ‘Ava,’ but it’s true that she would appreciate more sun in my garden as well. And HCG advised me that the humidity here would not please the agastaches. But they’re still doing pretty good. —Pam
Lucky you to have such pretties in the garden now. The frost/freezes have done away with all except one protected mum here. Happy GBBD.
Brave little mum! Hang on for Lisa! —Pam
what lovely plants…I’m insanely jealous of your S. leucantha…if only there were reliably hardy here!
Do you grow them as annuals, Scott? I would if they weren’t hardy here. They’d be worth replanting each year. —Pam
Such gorgeous color on the Mexican flame vine, especially against the icy blue. And your Mexican bush sage still looks great! Mine’s only got a couple of purple bits left. Really like your garden compositions.
Thanks, Amy! I love to pair hot and cool colors for contrast. I’ve never been much into subtlety. 🙂 —Pam
Even if your Mexican bush sage is “winding down” it still is enviable. I wish I had enough sunny spots to plant all those lovely salvias. I’ve tried salvias so many times but they just don’t do in my garden. The exception has been Salvia madrensis this year.
You might have luck with the Salvia mexicana in your sunniest part-shade spot, MSS. It’s supposed to like morning sun/afternoon shade or all-day dappled shade. —Pam
Scribbling down notes, as I need more fall color in my garden! Happy GBBD!
You’re in luck, as there are so many choices for fall perennial color in Austin. Much easier than designing for spring color, in my opinion. —Pam
My garden is shutting down, so visiting yours gives me a boost. Thanks!
Anytime, Ricki. Thanks for visiting. —Pam
Lots of lovely bloomers still going strong in your garden. I know what you mean about the salvia, thought. My Leucantha is spindly and almost done but a burst of lush, new growth covers the whole base. It will be sad to see it go in the next 2 weeks or so. I really want to prune it (but I’m not!).
I know, it can be hard to wait. But you know they’ll just start growing again if you prune them now, and then a freeze might get them. You’re smart to hold off. —Pam
Lovely as always, Pam! I especially like your Ava!
Thanks, Tina. ‘Ava’ does have lovely flowers, doesn’t she? If only there were more of them this year. —Pam
Fantastic photos, Pam! I especially love to see plants which we can’t grow here.
I understand the feeling, Tatyana. I’m always tantalized by the plants northern gardeners can grow that just melt here. —Pam
Pam, it’s been so long since I’ve visited and I’ve had a grand time this morning catching up with your posts. Your 2 year old garden is looking wonderful, reflecting all your hard work and creative design. I like the name you’ve chosen for it 🙂
I’m seeing more salvias available at our little local nursery and have been very happy to try a couple of new ones. The Mexican Bush Sage is beautiful against the fence and gate background, and the color of your new S. mexicana is gorgeous!
Love the Cupheas too. I found one of those to try this past summer as well. Loved it!
Happy fall Bloom Day, Pam, and thanks for stopping by to say hello.
Thanks for stopping by, Kerri. Enjoy your cuphea! —Pam