It’s been a strange year in the garden.

We had a cold, rainy winter, a wet spring and a late summer.

My garden was at least 3 weeks behind for the better part of spring and summer.

As we head into fall, things are still not quite right.

Some of our native sun-loving plants just aren’t performing the same this year.

And some of my plants are showing the stress of several hard rains in the last few weeks – a real anomaly for September here.

Their feet were very wet and they don’t like it.

This Double Purple Datura has fought off caterpillars or grasshoppers all summer.

I’ve had few blooms and holey leaves, but when it does bloom – it blows me away. It’s like a beautiful ballgown.

This isn’t technically a bloom, but a Magnolia bud – but I wanted to share it with you because it’s just so wonderful. Doesn’t it make you want to just reach out and touch it.
Second set of blooms down low on this Echinacea — the tops have already gone to seed which I am leaving for the birds. It got a slow start too this spring. The deer ate the first TWO sets of blooms before I got to see them.
But the second set is barely holding onto it’s petals.
This is a happy Blackfoot Daisy. Hermine killed two others that were this wonderful until last week. They REALLY don’t like the rain.
The Moy Grande Hibiscus is stunning again this summer – some days sporting 8-10 plate-sized blooms. It has a few yellow leaves, but it liked the rain and is blooming profusely to say thank-you.
The rain also prompted a second set of blooms on the Bottlebrush tree.
And it’s the season for the out-of-control, totally invasive, I-swear-I-will-never-plant-again Cypress Vine. Of course I will never need to plant it again because it comes up all over my garden every year — especially where I don’t want it!
And the amazing ditch lily brought to me by Lori, of the Gardener of Good and Evil, is STILL blooming. Seriously. I love this plant.
The morning glories that were invisible for most of the summer have started to pop out all over the place. There’s just something about them that just makes me smile.

Special thanks to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for inviting us all to share what’s blooming in our gardens on the 15th of every month. It’s like we’re all chatting together over the garden fence!

Happy Bloom Day!