The long range computer models are showing a possible killing frost for much of the Midwest in mid-October, and our city will soon do its 3 sweeps to pick up garden waste and leaves before winter, so the days are numbered for my annual flowerbeds. But until then, there are still plenty of flowers for bees and butterflies and hummingbirds to enjoy.
My Four O’clocks are still going strong:
And the ‘Meteor Shower’ verbena bonariensis plants deserve an award for how long they’ve been in bloom this season (from mid-May through early October—nearly 5 months now!):
Coming in a close second for longest bloom time would be the medium-tall marigolds (Marvel II Orange and Big Duck Gold plus Strawberry Blonde):
The coccinea salvias like ‘Lady in Red’ and ‘Snow Nymph’ started blooming in July and are a favorite of the hummingbirds that are now moving through our area on their way to spend winter in Central America:
Salvia ‘Big Blue’ gets a late start in August but adds some pizzazz to flowerbeds that might be looking a little tired by then:
And my Figaro dahlias (including my favorite that grew next to the porch this summer), are acting like it’s July, not October!
