Gardening Gone Wild!

     As the summer winds down, it's fun to take a closer look at the patio pots, and the garden and make a list  of  the  do's and garden don'ts for next year.   

     Note to self, don't have such wild and woolly pots next year.  After the plants "took off"  they just got so, I don't know, messy looking.   All of the greenery turned out to be pretty much the same hue.  It was just too much of a good thing.  

      Miss Bunny needs new stuffing.  My topiary needs new moss.  I am going to have to figure out how it is done next spring.   Last year I planted  a stone crop sedum that had a red tint to the foilage and moss roses around her and it was very pretty.  I think that I will go back to that next spring.

     I thought this Black-eyed Susan vine turned out pretty.   I planted a variegated Sweet Potato vine and hot pink Million Bells  along with Lemon Drop Lantana   in this pot.  The variegated vine was not very variegated and it blended in to much.  The lantana squeezed out the Million Bells, and it bloomed sporatically.  It was pretty when it did though.  

       I finally got a red Morning Glory.  The one planted on the patio was mislabeled and it bloomed a really pretty royal blue with maroonish stripes.  I hope it self seeds and I get one next year.   It looks like I have  quite a few buds on it - that's exciting! 

      There really is another topiary bunny in there somewhere.   I guess I neglected a few things while I ate my way through the fair.  I  gave him a trim right after this shot.  Did I take a new pic?  No.  But I really did do it.  

     This cute little Gardenia is loaded with buds.  They don't bloom.  Well, it did bloom twice.  Only after I yelled at it and threatened to take it back to the greenhouse.  I may have to do that again.   I know it really is not for our zone. I am in zone 4.   I wish the greenhouse wouldn't sell plants that don't work for our area.  It's too tempting.  

     Here is the Endless Summer hydrangea that does not contain one single bud.   It must be too shady for it now.  It bloomed the first year, and I think the second year but not last year or this year.  I am afraid to move it.  And at least it is green.   

     And here is the piece d' resistance, my PeeGee Hydrangea.  I thought it was going to be "bloomless" this year because it was a late spring -  and it super-bloomed just to prove me wrong.  The bush is about 8 feet tall and 8 feet wide this year!   Just Beautiful!