Gomphrena never seem to mind the hot days, continuing to bloom through even the most miserably hot of days. I have been pruning them back, especially these new firecrackers. Unlike the globe amaranth they tend to elongate with age and shed the bracts. Cutting the stem back to the last leaf node results in new flowers forming.
Even the alyssum is blooming again and one morning I detected that sweet honey fragrance on the air.
I just wish there weren't so many white ones. I may have to refresh with a packet of Royal Purple seeds.
I still love the globe amaranth saving the seeds from year to year.
Earlier this week I moved the A. desmettiana from its morning sun location in the front garden where it had spent the summer, back into its pot in the back. Yesterday, with another 103 degree day expected I moved it back into the shade along with the 'sticks of fire' euphorbia.
Should I go into business! I saw them selling bunches of the pink globe amaranth for $9.99 at the grocery store.
Another amaranth or celosia has grown in the corner of this bed. Tucked out of sight behind the potting shed this is probably a good place for it. Two more growing in the path are looking decidedly lanky although starting to produce flower heads.
Your garden looks beautiful. I do wish summer would pack its bags and move on. It is hard to be in the transitional time between summer and fall. I love your hot pink Gomphrenas. Yes... You should go in business selling pink globe amaranth. I'm always amazed by how many flowers you have...Just gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteI can't get over that Gomphrena. I'm so looking forward to trying that next year. Beautiful photos, as always. Those of us in the far north certainly appreciate it!
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Very beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks wonderful...as usual.
ReplyDeleteI do like the gomphrena. I'll have to look for some of that next year.
And, I've never been able to grow alyssum. I don't know what I do wrong. Maybe planting seeds would work better than transplants.
We need to all hope REAL hard that summer will just go away. It's time.
Beautiful! It is so nice to see blooms again, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAs usual everything looks beautiful!!! I love how you put things together. And congrats on your success with the wall planter!
ReplyDeleteThe globe amaranth self-sows for me nicely. I also got the 'Firecracker' hot pink variety this year, and I love this plant! Anything that blooms that well in this Texas heat is a winner in my book. I'm wondering if it will self-seed also? Have you found it to do so?
ReplyDeleteI look forward always to 'visiting' your lovely garden and your British Garden Tours are especially dear to my heart. I forwarded each one to friends in Mexico this year. They were eagerly awaited!
Rambling wren-It's 103 again today and all the new growth on the plants is being burt to crisp.
ReplyDeleteSusa, Linda and Sandy-The globe variety self sows. I is a favorite f the cotton rats. They must spend hours getting out the tiny seed from the middle of the fluff, a job I find impossible. I always find masses of the fluff at the base of the plants once they get going. As to the seeding of firecracker. I bought seeds so they must make them however I have investigated the fluff and can't find any seeds. We shall see. I put all the English tours in one place in a new blog. Almost finished. Glad you and your friends enjoyed it. We certainly did.
Just when I was getting in the mood for fall, after being duped by some cooler weather (low to mid 90's) we are expecting possible 100's again too. Come on Mother Nature, it's AUTUMN, dammit!
ReplyDeleteJayne- We just had 2 days of 103 and today more of the same.
ReplyDeleteI have got to try some of the 'Fireworks' gomphrena next year. I keep trying Verbena bonariensis from seed too, with no success. Do you have luck with it?
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