August Flowers in Spite of the Heat

We're already having one of the hottest summers on record, with little rain, which means the grass has pretty much gone dormant, but it will be back when fall arrives.  Some of the plants have gone dormant too, or at least I think that's what they're doing.  I've been hiding from the sun these days, too.  It's just too darn hot.

Still, there are plenty of blooms in the garden and each time I take a walk-through, I'm happy to see that they are trudging right along. Have a seat on the front porch swing and I'll show you what's blooming!

We love to sit here on the swing my dad made for us and relax at the end of the day.
Pelargonium x hortorum 'Showcase® Extreme Rose'

Hemerocallis 'When I Dream', given to me by Van Wade when we visited his hosta and daylily gardens last month.

Blackberry Lily (Bellamcanda chinensis 'Hello Yellow')

These Rudbeckias were volunteers. They just kept growing and growing and threatened to take over that section of the garden. They actually did choke out the Calendulas.

Hosta bloom

Endless Summer® Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blushing Bride'

Endless Summer® Hydrangea macrophylla 'Twist-n-Shout™'

Heliconia from Costa Farms

Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'

Clematis 'Mrs Robert Brydon', a bush-type

A Clouded Sulphur (white form, female) butterfly enjoys the Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii).  I'm not sure of the cultivar, but it isn't 'Dark Knight', because I killed one of those before I bought this one. I killed several before I bought this one.

Convolvulus tricolor 'Ensign Blue'. Yes, it's really that blue.

Coreopsis tinctoria 'Mahogany Red', which I've grown for the last couple of years. I didn't plant any this year, but of course it reseeded. I wish it would have reseeded more because though it's tiny, I love the rich color.

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Picotee'

Euphorbia marginata 'Kilimanjaro', which I will forever and ever grow in my garden, even in the unlikely event that I don't want to grow it. With its explode-a-pop seed pods, it now grows along the edge of the field behind Max's Garden (among other places). Beautiful!

From the two flower boxes on the front porch railing - Proven Winners Verbena and Petunia 'Silverberry'.

Volunteer Chinese Forget-Me-Nots (Cynoglossum amabile)

Tropical Hibiscus by Costa Farms (purchased at Walmart)

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin'), the target of a fly, as he zooms in for a landing! I didn't see that until I brought up the photo on my computer. Love it!

Forever & Ever® Hydrangea macrophylla 'Double Pink'

Osteospermum 'Astra Light Copper'

Miniature Rose 'Gourmet Popcorn'

English Rose 'Falstaff'

Hibiscus syriacus 'White Chiffon'

Volunteer Rudbeckias from a nearby field of weeds

Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers', my favorite Rudbeckia! I'm a big fan of quilled and spooned petals.

Tricyrtis formosana 'Seiryu'. Toad lilies normally don't bloom until September and October, but this year has been anything but normal!

Tricyrtis formosana 'Dark Beauty'

Volunteer Verbena bonariensis, a very welcome self-seeder.  I like its look, and I love how the butterflies are attracted to it.

Zinnia, received from Benary at OFA Short Course in Columbus, OH, last month

I had some Nasturtium seeds left from several seasons ago so I thought I'd plant them just for the heck of it.  They grew and bloomed!

Crazy mums are blooming...

...and so are these.

I LOVE this Thalictrum rochebrunianum 'Lavender Mist'!

Gladiolus from bulbs I bought at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show in March

Ligularia 'Osiris Cafe Noir'

On the 15th of every month, Carol of May Dreams Gardens hosts Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and we all get to show off what's blooming in our gardens. It's fun to see what everyone grows and what a difference a zone can make. To see other participating gardeners' blooms, visit her site for a list.