I'm not fond of late summer in the garden. Today I mowed my lawn, which was mainly tree seedlings (aspens) and random weeds among my mostly yellow grass. I don't bother to water the lawn, it will recover. Meanwhile, I have about 4-5 Japanese maples that I didn't get into the ground and they are looking pretty parched. Set up a sprinkler for them and will just keep throwing water at them in the hopes they survive until I can plant them out in the fall. They are in large pots but if I dug them in now, I'd be packing water across fields and down the driveway so I'll just wait until the rains return. Many of my perennials and annuals are done blooming and look crummy. Every year I think I should install an irrigation system, although it has always seemed rather silly for a one month need. Lately that one month is increasing to 2-3 (sometime in July until sometime in September).

Does anyone have any great ideas for plants in August? I do have some asters and zinnias that are looking nice, but for the most part the rest is just tired looking. On the plus side, the veggies are starting to ripen, and it has been a great berry/cherry year. Time to set up the hammock.

My Autumn Joy succulent is ready to burst this time of year. Cone flowers are late for me down where I am in WA. But now that you mention it, it's about all I have really bringing new blooms to the landscape. I have annuals in pots entertaining me with color, but not much else. Great question. I will be anxious to see what is suggested.

My hydrangeas are pumping out the blooms, love those as they age. They like lots of water so probably not an option. The lilies are still blooming as well as the cones.
All my sedum are budded up nicely. Bought some Redbeckia for fall color, not hardy but love the look. Of course all the sempervivum beds are a beautiful crazy quilt of color. Cut the early clematis back in the spring and they should bloom again later in August.

I have a standard blue hyrangea that is apparently dying on me. No clue? I've had it for years, but this season it never really bulked up, put out some sad blooms, and is now all withered. It's at the back of a bed and I haven't really explored what the problem might be. If it's a goner I may replace with one of those oak leaf varieties. Guess I should rule out disease first.

Oh dear hop it's just in need of a bit of water. With this smoke haze that has come down from Canada I wonder if it will protect us from a bit of the heat wave?
Well madd this would work:
Punica granatum 'Nana'




Or Grevillea 'Murray Valley Queen'



Blooms are just starting now and will show until later in the spring.
Eastern side of Washington probably not too cold for these.

If you want to try something different, I had 2 shrubs which always bloomed about this time of year. Colquhounia coccinea (Himalayan Mint Bush) and Clerodendrum bungei. The latter being a bit of a runner so plant it somewhere that it can't spread from underground roots. They would always bloom when everything else looked like a dog's breakfast in August/September.

Seems all I do in August is change out sprinklers and shake my head at all the parched plants. When I kept a garden journal, inevitably my comment mid-August was, 'Turn on the soaker hoses, and go somewhere (anywhere) on vacation.' Still holds true.

On a side note, if anyone participates in the raffles, I have a bunch of nuts I don't use for anything and am happy to share them with fellow PNWers.

Thanks,
Just a question: how come you don't enter the raffle?

I don't care for the USA-only aspect of it.

Rain! Yay! I hope it just keeps coming down, everything needs a good drink.

Is it raining hard? Hope so. In chelan and I think it rained here last night. Most definitely cooler.

Just a steady drizzle, which is fine. Soaks in well. I think I hear the plants saying 'thank you...'

We got a touch of rain last night too. Also some wind, which blew the smoke away - we can see blue skies for the first time in over a week!

We enjoyed the partial eclipse, with not much darkness but a definite drop in temperature. We used the box method for viewing, which worked well. And enjoyed mimosas to celebrate!