Late summer blues
Perhaps it was the gentian in the stock bed that first caught my eye, but I suddenly noticed how many blue plants are in flower right now. And with so many yellows still about it gives the garden a fresh look, quite different from the hot partnerships of a couple of weeks ago. The blue Chicory is especially lovely - the colour of chalk blue butterfly wings - and it has been in flower for weeks. It's a bit floppy and needs support, but is well worth it.
One of the main things I've learned this year is how wide the range of flowering timings can be within a specific genus. For example, most of the Aconitums finished flowering in mid July, but the carmichaelii group have just started. More on this topic in a later posting.....
From the top, the photos below are:
- An unnamed deep blue gentian in the stock beds
- Aster x frikartii 'Monch'
- Lobelia siphilitica
- Cichorum intybus (Chicory)
- Salvia patens, still going strong
- the late flowering Aconitum carmichaelii
