August Wrap Up & September Begins

Bit of a hodgepodge this evening.  It's so hard to believe that it's September.  We almost got to the end of summer without any 30C+ weather.  And without all the hot weather to whinge about, well I'm finding it difficult to transition to the next season.  The leaves are starting to change.  Oh my.  And sadly the 100+ year old Ash that is on the way out in November due to the Emerald Ash Borer is not showing any yellow colour - the leaves have simply turned brown and are falling.  

The annual grasses are not quite as big, but certainly just as attractive.

It has been a stellar year for Sedum  of all things.  This patch looks like Broccoli in the witness protection program.

Excellent year for phlox - no mildew - much bigger and beefier than other years.

Other years I've cut this down - but not this summer - looks like it's playing Twister.

Hydrangea 'Limelight' in the centre.  Normally Eupatorium 'Gateway' (pink to the left) would be equal in height - although I think I prefer it this year.

Not being as tall, it's had to lean on some of its neighbours.

OK.  Downtown Oakville.  Morning walk.  Silly dog.  Had I had my brains working, I would have taken a combination shot of the owner with the dog - they both had the same colour fur/hair.  I kid you not.

Pretty pinks with blue.

Three pots here.  One dog.  But just look at the growth.  Really pleased with how well they've done.

I had lost quite a few perennials from this bed.  You really would be hard pressed to say where they would have been, everything else has done so well with the rain and cooler weather.

One of my end-of-the-summer flowers.

Kevin and I got to the Exhibition - this was one of the sand sculptures:

Took a selfie just as we were leaving.  Not so good.

A gentleman was giggling watching us in our endeavours to capture ourselves and offered to take our picture.....

The Lake has been a lot less stinky this year - hopefully cleaner.  Certainly clearer with less pesticides and herbicides being used.  Even saw several groups swimming.  Keep those teeth together.

Another end-of season flower.

Our morning progress being followed by neighbourhood dog Sisi.

Kevin and I got away for our anniversary - 34 years - to the Keefer Mansion Inn in Thorold.  Great new chef - delicious meals and wonderful service - very relaxing.  And while you sit at lunch if you look off in the distance you can see the ships passing and taking the step up (or down) 40 feet in the seventh lock between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie in the Welland canal - built to avoid Niagara Falls.

Back to our morning walk by the hospital that will be coming down next year.   Will really miss Jacques' great gardens that he's put together over the years.

This was a hanging basket that I took apart and shoved into this pot at the beginning of the summer.  It's been a welcome delight.

The showy Rex begonias are starting to send out blossoms - another sign that summer is coming to an end.

The best year ever for Hemerocallis:

And for Rose of Sharon - Blue Chiffon.

Some of Jacques' planters at the hospital.

and a few neighbourhood homes & gardens to finish off from my walk this a.m.

An English style garden:

They face the Lake - love all the yellow.

Over the last 5 years or so several different landscapers/designers have had their way with this property - this is the latest and certainly the most colourful.

So as you can see, summer is certainly coming to an end - but with a little bit of luck the gardening season will continue well into the next couple of months.