The end of August approaches...

Red coleus add a nice contrast to the garden. We plan to use more of them next season.

Another view of the same bed with Max wondering what I'm doing.

The Marigolds seem to get forgotten because they are so short but this row really did well considering they only receive a few hours of direct sun. Another winner for next year.

Yellow Helenium, also known as sneezeweed, in full bloom. It grew quite tall, about 3 feet in fact. I had to stake it because the flower heads are so heavy. This is our first attempt at growing this perennial. I think its a keeper. 

This is a red variety of Helenium. Not as showy as it's yellow cousin but still very nice.

What we thought was a Peppermint Schnapps Hibiscus turn out to be something else. I thought it might be a Jazzberry Jam due to its rich color but it doesn't have the ruffled edge on the petals. The mystery deepens.

A nice cluster of Rosa Cherries and Cream. This was a Home Depot special. It has been a reliable bloomer for many years.

Finally, a perfectly formed, unblemished, un-munched by insects White Chiffon Rose of Sharon bloom. I may get one or two a season that don't have a blemish before I can take a photo. Apparently, this is one tasty flower.

A large Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly sips nectar from a butterfly bush flower.

A trickle of Raspberry Ice Bougainvillea. The flowers seem to change color as the season marches on. At first they had red tones but not now.

Vernonia baldwinii, or Ironweed, can reach 10 feet if you let it. I let mine grow 6 feet and then mercilessly chop it off. The plant then sends out multiple stems at the chop site resulting in shorter plants with more flowers.

A close up of Vernonia baldwinii.

A very large Castor Bean seed pod.

And finally, a nice trio of Cleome.

A mild summer keeps the garden in bloom

This summer has been unbelievably mild. Many mornings have been in the 60s and humidity has been low. Highs stay in the 80s to low 90s. The plants haven't taken a beating from the heat and it shows.

True to form, our pink Peppermint Schnapps Hibiscus is amazing this season.

A solo Pretoria Canna Lily bloom. The foliage is just as nice as the flower. That's a white Little Lamb hydrangea behind it.

Another angle of the Peppermint Schnapps Hibiscus with a few Cleome.

A rare pure white wild Cleome. Our Cleome are the native, non-hybridized variety. They are usually a combination of white, purple, and pink. We will be harvesting the seeds from this one.

A nice stand of Yellow Helenium with petunias. This was our first try with this plant and it worked out well.

This is red Helenium in the afternoon sun.

A closeup of Yellow Helenium.

A mature red Lobelia or Cardinal Flower. Rivaling Red Emperor tulips, this is one of the most vivid reds in the garden.

A Mardi Gras rose with an Assassin Beetle looking for lunch.

A nice, lightly fragrant Purple Phlox.