THE LONG BORDER IN AUGUST
In August the Long Border starts to reach its peak. The Dahlias, Heleniums and Rudbekias are all starting to flower. A baking hot day has left this gardener with little energy left for writing a long post so this week's post is going to be short on words, but big on colour.
1. Eryngium alpinum 'Blue Star' and Marigold 'Space Hopper'
Stunning colour contrast from the Eryngium, which is so popular with the bees, and the bold orange heads of the tall marigold.
2. Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'
This happy little golden daisy is being photo-bombed by Crocosmia Lucifer. It's slowly making a takeover bid for this part of the border, but who can really complain about a plant that is so easy to please?
3. Dahlia David Howard
Gorgeous, but never brash, combination of dark plum leaves and soft orange blooms.
4. Tiger Lily
I thought these had died out, so it was a pleasant surprise to see them flowering. I've seen very few lily beetles this year, and I wonder if this is why.
5. Red, orange and yellow
Helenium Chelsea, Coreopsis lanceolata and Monarda Cambridge Scarlet combine in the 'hot' section of the border.
6. Lathyrus latifolius 'White Pearl'
Finishing on a more subtle note, the perennial sweet pea grows in the cooler section of the border.
That's all from my garden for this week. It looks like more hot weather for the week ahead, so no doubt I'll be busy with the watering can. There are more gardens to admire from around the world on The Propagator who started the whole Six on Saturday meme.
That eryngium is outstanding and 'David Howard' needs no recommendation from me as it has stood the test of time and still matches the best.
ReplyDeleteI grow quite a few different dahlias but I agree it's one of the best. I ought to have mentioned in the post that it's sturdy and repeat flowers well too.
DeleteJust lovely. The border must look stunning.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I want to get some photos of the border as a whole, but I find it difficult to capture it.
DeleteThese tiger lilies are really stunning ! I love them.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I'd given up on them, but now I'm going to buy more so they make a good sized group.
DeleteYour David Howard is stellar. How excellent is the pairing of blue eryngium with that orange? Nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks March
DeleteI love tiger lilies. Not so much other lilies, except daylilies, which aren't the same thing. Most lilies are so showy, but not tigers. We had them in the yard when I was growing up.
ReplyDeleteI did by a few of the trumpet lilies, but I agree with you that they are not as nice, and they might be removed next year.
DeleteLovely planting combinations particularly the Eryngium alpinum and Marigold.
ReplyDeleteThanks, but it's mostly Gertrude Jeykll who came up with the best ones, as the border is based on her design, so I mustn't take all the credit.
DeleteI adore the colour combination of the Eryngium and the Marigold, they were made for each other. You can’t help but love Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' it’s such a bright and cheerful plant - perfect for the final weeks of summer and the combination of red, orange and yellow planting is perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks Catherine.
Deletethe heat and humidity was draining wasn't it! i'm normally an all-weather gardener but the lightest of garden tasks was causing me to melt. i must get some more helenium that colours better than my plain h. autumnale. it is a very good plant but the flowers are almost always a plain yellow. sometimes they have orange and red streaks, but no idea what causes that.
ReplyDeleteI don't either. I bought some Sahin's Early (I think it's called) and it's flowering yellow when I was expecting orange and rust.
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