Down at the bottom of this huge container, the hosta is just putting out its flower. Unlike most hostas, this particular variety has quite a nice flower.
See how stout and sturdy the flower is? I find most hosta flowers pretty blah and ugly and I often cut them off, but I like this one. I think this may be 'Sum and Substance'.The Sedum Autumn Joy in this container is turning pretty pink and it's really loaded with bees. As much as I like the contrasting foliage of the Sedum, I may remove it from these barrels. I don't want that many bees on the deck. The dahlias really drew in the bees this year, too. It's not fun sitting out there with a dozen bees buzzing around you. If I decide not to take it out, I must make certain not to plant bright orange dahlias with it next year! It's a cringing clash, if ever I've seen one. That's why I had cut all the blooming dahlias for inside bouquets last weekend. I see a few more have sprung into bloom.
Late August and September are when most of my deck plants are at their best. Everything is full grown and in constant bloom. I still have a half dozen or so cannas that have not bloomed yet. None of the new ones I planted from Breck's have bloomed. I am especially eager to see what their flowers are like.
The only plants I have on the deck that are not in their prime are the 5 hanging baskets of annuals, and the two wall planters of annuals.
That's the problem with annuals. Just when they get big enough be interesting, they begin dying off. Here they are freshly planted on June 2, 2008. It seems like I spent the whole summer waiting for them to get big enough to cover the baskets.
They aren't terribly bad, but like these zinnias many flowers have gone to seed and the planters look a bit tired.
I have not yet looked outside since it's only 5:20 a.m., but they said there was the possibility of frost last night! FROST! I hope not. It's at least three weeks too early, even for northern Michigan.
