Not the 'Texas star'

I grew Hibiscus coccoina 'Texas star'  from seed three years ago . I've been watching it get taller and taller , it's now over 5 ft . But no blooms. Till this year ! It's been months since I spotted the first flower  buds .  Every morning I go out to check for the first flower to open .
Yesterday afternoon it did  ! The 'Texas star ' is  red . This is   , a lovely huge white flower. I had to do a bit of Hibiscus research ...looks like this is  H 'Moon moth' or 'The white flower swap mallow' .   I have been giving it so much more water this year. ... no wonder it's happy ....'Swamp 

August Blooms...

Anemonopsis macrophylla  has been surviving in my not quite shady or cool enough  side garden for years . I've got it tucked way back under the big old Rhododendron  and I water, water ,water .

 Daucus carota ( I think ),which imitates Ammi Majus ,so I won't pull it out too soon and  seeds around QUITE  a bit these days .

Albizia major 'summer chocolate'  seems to have recovered after being moved earlier this year.

I still don't know what these white daisies that are appearing all along the edges of my paths are .

My only Eucomis that is happy .

Crocosmia 'solfaterre'

Kniphofia 'Percy's pride'

Sedum 'Postman's pride' ...maybe with Rudbeckia

Echinops 'Arctic glow'

My late summer visiter Nicotiana 'sylvestris'

And Zinnias from a packet of Cactus-flowered mix seeds that  came from 'Select Seeds , in fact most of my seeds  come from them.

I must include my indoor blooms ! Here is Streptocarpus 'Bristel's dust bunny'

Streptocarpus 'Bristel's Kick Start

Episcia 'Costa Rica pink'

Episicia 'Pixie dust'

And finally a sweet mini African violet .
I'm exhausted ! So  if you 're looking for even more August blooms visit Carol here.

A new bloom

August in the garden...

August the big crescendo ! It's true ! I 'm always slightly disappointed with my big back border .  Last year I decided  to dig everything up and replant. Previously it had come together in a sort of unorganized ,  a bit at a time way.  This time I had all the material I needed . I just needed  to play around with the arranging , Still some tweaks needed .  Take notes I keep telling myself ...

My mostly shade area under the Plum tree has kept together , even through all this heat  we are having.  Watering a little bit most days seems to be the answer, and the plants are getting bigger and denser every year .

The small island in front of the house has become nice and full , except I keep putting off replanting that far right side !  At the moment it's just mint , which needs aggressive pulling all summer long ...the bees love it.

Here in the  large front area which was all lawn two years ago . I didn't do much at all this year . Mainly because it's difficult to get in all the planting !  I just tiptoe through and snatch and pull the unwanted ones., mostly  Rose campion  and Queen Ann's lace .

I've  decided maybe a path is needed . It's already a rough one anyway . This is my trail  to  set the sprinkler   up.   Just a bit more clearing  and some gravel will do.

A path started on the other side . I've dumped all my clippings to mark the new path .  It needs to be cleared   further along after the summer . 

I've got plastic buckets every where ! I started clearing up all the crispy  stuff . This area is so dry and in full sun must of the day . No wonder the previous owns had it filled with Vinca .

The shade garden is looking not bad at all . I went in a week ago and pulled out all the old blooms and any thing else that came with it. So much under planting was being smothered .  After a good watering it all looks much fresher.

And another of the pots I've made . This time I planted a Japanese Quince that was  made from a cutting from an old shrub in the garden .

A first Kusamono

The temperature has dropped nicely  after a miserable week.
 I've been  keen to try using one of the  new bonsai pots I made... but not for trees.
 I've always loved the miniature  potted grass, perenial planting I've seen in my Bonsai books .
I didn't know that this sort of container planting is known as Kusamono , which literally means  " grass thing" .                        "Kusamono and shitakusa are a potted collection of plants designed to be viewed either in accompaniment with bonsai or alone ".
So, here is my first one . I did intend to use plants from my garden , but  I bought this Hosta 'mouse ears' instead as. I needed a small version.  
The Reineckia was dug up from the shade garden, and the moss ...I scraped off a big stone that  I still found green even  in all the heat and dryness.