Sunday, October 7, 2012

End of Summer Blooms


End of summer in the Southern California garden doesn’t mean everything is brown and tired. Some flowering plants continue to bloom. Roses are one of them. If roses are  deadheaded properly and watered enough they will continue to give out blooms although not as big as blooms in the spring.


I pruned my Bonica rose middle of summer and it is full of blooms although not as many and big as the blooms in the spring. The number of petals are also not as many as the spring bloom.


The Mexican sage is also in full bloom a few weeks after I cut it down in early summer. I cut it back to at least a foot and it came back beautifully.


End of summer is also the time to plant mums, asters pansy and petunia. I bought these flowering annuals at the local big box home center as they are all discounted. This is the best time to buy bargain perennials. They may not be looking at their best but that's because they are getting ready for fall and winter. They would come back beautifully in spring.


3 comments:

  1. Love the picture of your Bonica, did you take the picture in late afternoon or early morning? I like the shadow on the petals.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love Bonica roses, leave it un-pruned for a few years and you will get a lovely bush.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bonica is one of the best shrub roses. They attain their peak after 3 years after planting.

      Delete