The stars of my August garden

I had to work harder this month to identify flowers worth crowing about in my garden.  August is generally tough to get excited about as it's commonly among the hottest and driest months for us, if not at the top of that list.  Our lead into summer started out on the cooler end of the spectrum but late July and August seem to be making up for that slow start by delivering soaring temperatures combined with heightened humidity.  But all was not lost as I did find some beauties worth taking about.

At the top of the list are a few surprises.

Protea 'Claire' unexpectedly produced 3 new flowers long after its earlier flush was gone

Metrosideros collina 'Springfire' is also suddenly flowering again

I'd thought that the Agapanthus were all done for the year when these 2 flowered out of the blue (pun intended)

Other standouts were less surprising but nonetheless appreciated.

The Amaryllis belladonna normally bloom around this time of year but somehow always manage to surprise me

Catharanthus 'Blueberry Kisses' continues to impress me.  The hotter it gets, the more vigorously it flowers. 

Daucus carota 'Dara' (aka wild carrot) seems to have no intention of dying back

Grevillea 'Superb' literally NEVER stops blooming in any season.  It's the best shrub I've ever grown.

Hesperaloe parviflora 'Coral Glow' looked like a goner earlier this year but came back after what had appeared to be predation by hungry gophers

The dahlias have slowed down a bit over the past week but I can't say they've thrown in the towel yet.  Although many are battling mildew because I failed to spray for that earlier, I think I can expect another flush of blooms from at least some.

Dahlia 'Admiral Rawlings' is narrow but very, very tall by comparison to all my other dahlias - and unfortunately prone to falling over even with supports

Sold to me as tubers of 'Belle of Barmera', the 2 I received proved to be 'Break Out'.  It was very prolific at the start of the season but it may be close to finishing up now.  It's also lost the pink tinge to its petals over time.

'Enchantress' has always been one of my favorites but the tuber I planted this year been slow to flower this year

'Good Day' is a winner!

Although demure in size, 'Karma Caroline' is elegant in form and color.  It also seems to hold up better than many of the large "dinner plate" varieties.

'Labyrinth' remains another of my favorites.  As the weather has gotten hotter, I've noted that its petals became somewhat smaller but also more buttery in color. 

I still haven't warmed to 'Mystery Day'.  I find myself comparing to 'Catching Fire', which I grew in previous years, and feel it lacking.  The latter was clear red and white in color as opposed to the muddy purple of 'Mystery Day'.

'Omega' is another dinner plate variety, and new to me this year

'Snowball' is pure white and very pretty but also a relatively slow at getting its blooms on

I've had mixed feelings about ''Table Dancer'.  It was slow to bloom but, since it got going, it's been prolific; however, it usually starts out with dingy white petals.  They later take in a lavender hue but seem to dry out and develop brownish petals all too quickly.

I picked up 'XXL Veracruz' on the fly at my local garden center rather than growing it from a tuber as I did with the rest.  Its flowers are smaller than most I've grown this year but it's a nice addition to my collection.

My zinnia seeds were sown even later than my dahlia tubers were planted so I probably shouldn't be surprised that they've been even later than the dahlias to make an appearance but I've been even more disappointed by the relatively small number that germinated.  Still, I'm pleased that I've begun to see a few here and there at last this month.

These are probably 'Illumination', Oklahoma White', and Salmon Rose' but I can't be sure any more.  Only a tiny fraction of the seeds I sowed have bloomed.

I'll close as I usually do with several plants worthy of honorable mentions.

These are Polygala myrtifolia (aka sweet pea bush, left) and Vitex trifolia 'Purpurea' (right)

Clockwise from the upper left are: Crassula pubescens, Lantana camara 'Irene', Leucadedron 'Safari Sunset', Rudbeckia 'Juliana', Salvia canariensis, and Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum'

That's it for the floral contingent worth sharing this August!

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party