Goodbye July

Beautiful weather today with a temperature of 80. The low was 69 in the city and down to the 40's last night in the Pocono Mountains. Just a preview of September weather. Hard to believe but absolutely beautiful. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society came last week to judge the front of my house/garden. I entered the category for the majority of plants being in containers. Now the waiting begins to see if I won a ribbon. Wish me luck. I was lucky to have blooms on the coneflower, catmint, balloon flower, impatiens, and geraniums. Today everything needs deadheading. It's a nice day to work outside but I have other things to do after I take some pictures. No major changes with the plants. Glad they are still vibrant with the approach of August and more heat.

The sweet potato vine is clipped to the planter. It was all the way down on the steps and everyone who entered although carefully, stepped on it. After my containers were judged I clipped it up.

The dragon wing begonia bloomed. It took 7 months to get to this size and bloom. Let that be information for those who plan to start them from seeds. I started them in December and it took this long, so this year I'll start them earlier than December.

Sweet potato vine and the spider plant are now growing down the back of the planter.

The picture is blurry but their color is so vibrant red.

Impatiens

 Lobelia. I want more of this next season, it did well in containers.

Euphorbia Diamond Frost. This did really well. I looks delicate, but it's a tough plant. I want this again next year. Seeds are not available for this yet.

Chocolate covered cherry coleus is getting bigger.

She's a big girl, from seed.

Looks like powdery mildew and leaf minor which is an insect. I won't pull them. Just bought them this year and I don't think powdery mildew or leaf minor is harmful just not pretty to look at on the foliage. Can't wait until next year to see how the helenium does.

Ajuga and heuchera look good together. The ajuga is trying to creep into other areas again. You can't kill it just like the sedum that is also creeping.

Looks like insect damage on the hosta. Not worried the plants did so well this summer.

Snap dragons have been doing well in the heat. The are perennial in my region if you let the seeds fall they normally come back in the spring.

Hyacinth bean vine and thunbergia  grandaflora blue sky vine.

Surprised the catmint bloomed again.

I guess the canna will bloom in late summer.

Impatiens are hard to out due but the coleus are showing off.

Starting to droop. Time for water.