Never had any problems here. They seem to be very tough plants. You can cut them all the way back late Fall and they come back great next year. They also grew well in Massachusetts. That's where I first saw them.
Took these today.. Lespedeza with Sedum Neon.

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Gorgeous! I do enjoy this forum and get so many ideas here. I'm really probably a mish-mash of garden styles ... a little bit country and a little bit rock n roll. But now I call mine Cottage Style-ish.

From now on that will be my new garden style "Cottage Style-ish". BTW check out my flowers on the Garden Tours Thread...I am about to give up on anyone else posting..JoAnn and I have both tried to renew it. Also if you all are on fb there is a good page called "Flea Market Gardening" Hope I am allowed to advertise for it..If not someone delete this...LOL

Thanks, Tee!
That's what I love about Cottage Garden style...it's anything you want it to be! And usually intensively planted.
DBH and I just came in from intensive Fall cleanup of the front gardens. Couldn't do it without him!
We moved 3 Asclepias. Not sure I like them. Any thoughts, anyone?
He had to shovel out some terrible weeds that I think came in the mulch. They have vicious thorns and spread by underground runners. Despicable! And there is poison ivy around also. He has a terrible case on his arms from earlier in the week. He's so good to spend his vacation doing all this work.
I cut down all the spent plants.. Left the Hyssop and now a Hummer is on it.

That is a stunning combination! And thanks for the info, Janice- I love discovering tough plants that are new to me!

Veronica, I think it's fine to recommend gardening pages, just like it's acceptable for us to recommend vendors to each other. It's business owners self advertising on threads that's a no no. I'm not a very heavy handed moderator either, LOL.

Hi there. I found you. I got lost but now I'm found. Locked up August tighter than a drum and I never got to September. Oh well. That is me for you.

Have some other things blooming. did I show them here? Was I even ever here? Don't know.

Any way here's some sunflowers my husband had planted all over my gardens, Next year I'm remedying that by giving him his OWN garden plots. Sunflowers don't belong in my iris, my lilies; course by the flag pole out front is fine I guess, but NOT my garden bed.




Did I show you my Glory Bower or AKA Bleeding Heart Vine? New to me this year and I LIKE it.



Caryoptersis 'Sunshie Blue' with Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine' behind it, (yellow flower)

Caryopterisis 'Longwood Blue'



C.'Longwood Blue' with garden phlox 'Bright Eyes' and 'David'



Russian Sage or one of many in my yard



Guess its pretty obvious I really like blues and purples

Just beautiful, Cherie! All the blue is just wonderful.

Wow, CeCe, that bleeding heart vine is outstanding.

Karen

uh oh forgive me. That is NOT Bright eyes phlox but Franz Schubert. Sorry Bright eyes is pink not purplish blue................

Good to know.I will be looking at phlox this winter. I'll add Franz Shubart to the list of blue purple ones.

Nice pictures!

Glad that you found us Cece. It must have been hard as we were really running. ☺ How long does your caryoteris bloom?

Nice trellis with the bells.

Thanks, Jo Ann.

Love your Bell trellis, Tee! Great use of the swimming pool, too!

Thank you. The pool became sort of a necessity due to needing somewhere to put an over-abundance of plants and having to plant them in or near Bermuda grass.

Right there with you on the purples and blues Cherie! I just planted my first two Caryopteris this summer, and I LOVE them! One is Longwood blue, and the other is a mystery... came from seeds from a swap. The bees are happy as can be with them, and I think the butterflies may occasionally get a sip, when a bee is feeling generous. I was looking up propogation info on them and had a hard time. Have you ever collected seed, or tried cuttings of them?

Tee, I love your LabLab! Gorgeous... I'm going to have to give it another try sometime... after all, it's purple!

Lucy they bloom right through October or they did the last two years for one and the last 4 years for the other. Course we didn't get frost in September then like they are predicting for this week, so who knows,

Kelly-
oh yes the bees do love them don't they? No I have ever tried collecting seeds of tried cuttings. hmmmmmm let me look once.

Ok, I was looking in my book for success with seeds and they have in here Caryopteris incana. That particular one isn't hardy here,(zones 7 - 9) but I don't see what difference it would make. Do you?

Here is what it says: Best sown indoors at 68-70º and at a depth of 4 times the size of seed. Seeds will germinate in 16-24 days. Can also be sown outdoors from spring (after frost) to early fall (before first frost). Transplant when there are two sets of true leaves.,

I have a Propagation Handbook around here somewhere if I find it I can look to see if they recommend cuttings or root cuttings and when it should be done. That's IF I manage to find it again., I am always misplacing that particular book and forgetting where I put it. I need to start paying closer attention to where I put things. Afore you know I'll misplace my husband.

Kelly, someone gave me seeds of the white variety of Lablab recently so I'm going to grow that next year along with the purple.