Early September garden report

[annuala]

The weather here is still hot, and though the nights are cooler, there's no sign of frost yet. This is a good thing, because I'm still discovering things in the garden.

First of all, the unidentifiables. I've used Google Image search and haven't come up with any matches that allow me to identify these. If anyone knows what these are, I'd be grateful for the information:







I have a feeling I should know that last one, but can't figure it out. The middle one resembles a blanket flower, but only superficially.

Google Image search did help with the identities of the following:

Larkspur



Alyssum



Hollyhock



I've also got a fine crop of pink and red-and-white poppies. It wasn't till well after they started blooming that I realized what I had.






Elsewhere, plants are going to seed, including the poppies. The forget-me-nots are pretty much done; the herbs are going to flower, mostly because I can't keep up with the blossoms. Normally I cut them off, to keep the herbs sweet, but this year, I've just given up. The roses are still going strong, and there are massive red hips already hanging from the branches. Mostly I'm having to weed a little and water a lot more; it's been quite dry the last couple of weeks. But I'm already enjoying the fruits of my labours: I've had two of my home-grown tomatoes so far, and they've been delicious. :-)

Comments

[slippery_stone]

Methinks that the one in the middle may be a variety of black-eyed susan. Sure looks like one. Here's a link:

http://loghouseplants.com/plants/shop/rudbeckia-hirta-cordoba-black-eyed-susan/

Now there are some without the reddish ring, but I think this is a black-eyed susan.

[annuala]

That does look a lot like the ones I have. Mine might be a variant--the petals are wider and the centre ring is narrower--but the general look is right. Thanks, hon. I've had rudbeckia in my garden before, but that centre ring threw me; the other variety was just plain yellow with the coneflower-like middle. :-)

On further reflection...

[annuala]

I got to looking at that plant this morning, and I noticed that it looked awfully similar to the big pink cosmos flower growing next to it--right down to the leaves. So I decided to try Google once again. I didn't know this, but apparently cosmos come in a variety of colours, not just those pink and deep magenta and white ones I've always grown. Nope, there are yellow ones, too, including our little friend with the red ring. And that unidentified yellow flower! So now we know that both of these guys are Cosmos sulphurus. Apparently, they're all related to sunflowers. :-)