September Garden and a New Kitten

September is one of my favourite months of the year, and while the garden is certainly looking less colourful, there are still things worthy of a photo or two. It is also a great time of the year to visit your local nursery for finding bargain plants. The first photo is one of my bargain finds and it is called Malva sylvestris 'braveheart' and I just love the name. Next is a flower from my hibiscus shrub that I thought was dead this spring but obviously wasn't, and another hibiscus photo that I took at my local nursery. The dahlia is also a bargain plant that I bought earlier this summer, and it just recently started blooming. It came without a name but I think it will be one of my favourites. The hydrangea blooms always looks so nice, even though the flowers are basically dead. Wouldn't it be nice if all spent flowers looked this pretty? This is the first time I have ever been able to grow zinnias past the seedling stage. I don't know if it was our drier spring & summer or the fact that the slugs and snails didn't find them this year that made the difference.  My castor plants are still growing, and as you can might be able to see, they are taller than my tall sunflowers now. It is a zone 10 plant so it won't survive our winter but I might save some seeds. In other news we adopted a new kitten! His name is Chester and he has added a lot of love & laughter to our home, not to mention trouble. Chester loves to sit on the computer keyboard and turn off the monitor and do all sorts of other things that make life interesting. Our older cat Tiger is not very happy with this new intruder, but I hope she will adjust eventually.

Malva sylvestris 'braveheart'

Hibiscus Blue Satin

Hibiscus at garden nursery

Dahlia

Hydrangea Nikko Blue

Hydrangea Nikko Blue

Hydrangea Nikko Blue

Spirea Shirobana

Rose Hansa

Zinnia

Rudbeckias and Oregano

Morning glory

Morning Glory

Butterfly Bush Petite Plum

The Castor plants are now taller than the tall sunflowers!

Elderberries

Burning Bush (Euonymus)

Our new kitten Chester

August Blooms and a Wedding to Plan!

     Here are some flowers that are blooming in my early August garden. First off is my newest shrub, Hibiscus Blue Satin. I bought it so that I would have something blooming in my front yard in September. It started to bloom at the end of summer, even though it is quite small. I hope it will still be blooming in September.
      Next are a couple of photos of Cosmos, one of my daughter's favorites. I am hoping these will still be blooming in early October, for her wedding. Yup, my oldest child met an amazing man and is getting married and leaving the nest! What a change that will be. Then I will be the lone female in this household. Scary, ha ha.
      I'm growing a dahlia called Crazy Love this year. It was supposed to have more pink on it, according to the package photo.  Happy Gardening!

Hibiscus Blue Satin

Cosmos

Cosmos

Dahlia Crazy Love

Gladiola

Unknown flower

Echinacea Bright Star, having it's best season ever. I know, still not much, ha ha

Lavatera Novella Rose, a nice short variety

Daisy

Hydrangea bloom

September Blooms

Autumn is nearly here though it still feels like summer. We could actually use a good rain, but I know that will come soon enough. I've been remiss in watering, but some of my flowers are still happily blooming.  My morning glories have always bloomed late in the season, and are still in their prime.  I was delighted to see some new shades this year from my saved seeds. After months of waiting I am happy to report my tomatoes finally ready!   Also, we had a brand new bird visit our patio, the Eurasian Collared Dove. They are new to my neighbourhood, and have been busy spreading across North America. I'm joining up with Glenda at Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday/Flaunt Your Flowers this week. What is blooming in September in your neck of the woods?

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Cosmos

Petunia

Brachycome

Rose Bud on my Hansa

Sunflower from Black Oil Seed

Rudbeckia 

Dove

Steller's Jay and Squirrel busy collecting hazelnuts in my backyard

Fall Booms

I love sunflowers, for both their cheerful yelllow flowers, and their ability to attract birds to my garden. I planted two types of seeds this year: Autumn Beauty, and the black oil seeds I feed to the birds. I had to replant three times, because of our unseasonably cool spring. The Autumn Beauty was a no show, but the black oil ones grew & grew, once the weather finally warmed up.  Most of them are very tall, and have multiple flowers per plant. Then there was the little one, the smallest sunflower I've ever seen.

Sunflower

Little Sunflower

Black oil Sunflowers

 Here is a late blooming Gladiola called Purple Flora

 Another view of a Cobaea Bloom also called Cathedral Bells

 A Pretty Pink Poppy

Humming Bird Visiting Cerinthe Flowers, which she visits everyday now

Interesting Berries I found at Aldergrove Bowl Park

The rudbeckia, garlic chives, daisies, morning glory, sweet peas, and even a few roses are still blooming.

Rudbeckia, Oregano with daisies in the back