Almost bloom day

Mid August, the light begins to change and school starts (at least around here) even though technically it is still summer. The all-summer-long flowers are still at it, especially the zinnias, but the fall ones are starting to show up.

First up are the asters, who are just beginning their show. This one is a smooth aster, Aster laevis. It's not very showy, but attracts butterflies. It also tolerates dry conditions such as those on the south side of my house.

I had forgotten about this pink aster, 'Wild Romance'. I thought maybe I had lost it, so I'm glad to see it is still going. Or it will be, once the blossoms open up.

This is a New England aster, 'Purple Dome'. It's shorter and more compact than its native cousin. Speaking of which, I moved two of the native ones but they are not looking very happy in their new location. Fingers crossed.

The late hostas are just starting to bloom, too. This is 'Royal Standard' and it gets quite tall and tolerates sun more than some of my other hostas. Hummingbirds like these.

This volunteer sunflower is just opening, unlike it's 10-foot-tall cousin in the backyard, which is not ready yet. Usually I have a lot of sunflowers in the garden, but not this year.

Well, I should amend that statement. I started a dozen or so something flowers, then promptly forgot what they were. I thought maybe they were Mexican sunflowers, but the first one to bloom is definitely not that.

Then there are the midsummer staples. The rest of the daylilies are done, but this lemony one blooms a little later and a little longer. If it weren't so close to the fiber optic cable (which is about 2 inches below the surface), I would divide this clump and spread the joy.

This year I finally got around to planting the short toothed mountain mint plants (Pycnanthemum multicum) I brought home from the Garden Bloggers Fling last year. They seem to be doing well despite my ignorance. I've never grown these, had never heard of them, but hey, I'll take free plants almost any time. They are attractive to butterflies as a source of nectar and pollen.

This is the time of year the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite') comes into its own. The shrub, which is feeling a bit crowded these days, is covered with blooms like this one. And the blooms are covered with pollinators.

I really whacked the 'Limelight' hydrangea this year and wondered if that was such a smart move. But I think the blooms are bigger than ever. That may be from all the rain we have received, or it may be the pruning helped.

We'll skip the flowers I have highlighted before that are still going: zinnias, butterfly bush, rudbekia, honeysuckle vine, etc.