Bumblee Magnets

Bzzzzz, this is a two part post. First of all, there are bees all over the garden! This is good news to me (and to all the rest of you too). Tonight I could have counted over 100 bees in just a few minutes by visiting some of the Sedum blooms.

Now here's a question. I'm quite familiar with the big fat bumble bee, is the smaller (less fuzzy) bee here a honey bee?

Another plant that has been a total bee magnet is Agastache (anise hyssop). There's actually two varieties in my front border. This one is 'Black Adder'. It has a darker bloom and the most delicious peppermint scented foliage you could imagine.

What's most interesting is how very long these Agastache bloom. I took this photo on July 11th.


This photo was taken on July 30th. This is a clump of Agastache 'Blue Fortune' which has been more floriforous in my garden but the foliage isn't as scented as the 'Black Adder'.


Here's another view point, looking up the garden bed. I planted these hyssops last year, for some reason I don't think they are long lived. I have been reading that they self seed and I do hope that it the case. If not, I will be buying them again and again because I really do love them.

Here's 'Blue Fortune again'. What's the difference? I took this photo today, September 3rd. Now that's what I call "bloomability'. Best of all, not one single stalk on either of these plants has flopped.

Still weeding like a lunatic out there, starting to finally see some results. I will be open for business on Saturday so tomorrow I will really be going insane. Hope my hands hold out! They are pinched, sore, cracked, dirty and now I've got mosquito bites to take my mind off my wasp sting. Don't-cha just love this gardening? I do!!!

Begonia grandis

Today's perennial spotlight is on a wonderful plant for late summer into fall. Begonia grandis is more commonly known as the hardy begonia. Yes, it's a begonia and yes, it's a perennial here in my zone 6b garden on Long Island.

My perennial begonias are just starting to bloom now, they will continue to bloom until we have a frost, even prettier than the blooms are the wonderful seed pods that follow. I was sure I had a photo of them in my files but just spent 10 minutes looking and couldn't find one. (Note to self, start organizing those thousands of photos so you can find things!)

Here's a closer shot of the blooms, I'd like to take some more photos but right now we are experiencing strange weather. The sun is shining and casting shadows and it's raining at the same time, very odd...

Anyway, as you can see here, the blooms are typical for a begonia. What's even more exciting about this plant is that the underside of the leaves are more beautiful than the topside. They have the most beautiful red veining and when the wind catches them and them moves them about you can see their true value.

Here's one of the combinations I have in the garden, the hardy begonia and the very late daylily 'Royal Jestor'.

Those of you who read my posts often will know that my favorite garden tip is that if you want your garden to bloom through many seasons, you need to shop for plants through many seasons. Some plants just wouldn't sell in early spring, certainly the case for this begonia as it doesn't emerge from the ground until at least late May and doesn't look like anything in the pot until June.

The good news though is that it seems to be quite easy to transplant if you move it in June. This year I only had three or four for sale, next year I plan on having more. I've been moving it to different locations and if you leave those lovely seed heads alone, they will scatter a few seedlings around for you. One word of caution, leave yourself a reminder in spots where you've planted this beauty, otherwise you might disturb the area while in the frenzy of early spring gardening.

Over the next few weeks I'll try to get more photos as the seed pods emerge.

Off to see what's blooming today,
Melanie