Candelabra Nicotiana sylvesteris

Nicotiana sylvesteris is a cool unusual annual. It self-seeds in my garden every year just when I thought it is not showing up, it shows up in late August.  I move it around the garden for a late summer into fall blooming, it grows very fast.  It's 4-6' tall and an elegant looking plant and passers by stop to ask what it is. It is poisonous if ingested and I have to handle it with gloves because it gives me an awful rash so it's probably not good around children. I like having it show up so I can move it around the garden to fill in empty spots to prolong the gardening season. It takes sun to partial shade and moderate watering, don't over water though. 

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

Crocosmia also commonly called Montbretia is a very popular perennial.  Lucifer is the most popular for it strong red bloom and tall wide sword like foliage. Great to add to the garden for it's tropical look.
Emily McKenzie has the same wide foliage with a dark orange flower and zonal markings.
The species Crocosmia here is paired with Percicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail' which blooms early spring throughout summer, one of the longer blooming perennials. It is 36-48" tall and good in zones 5-9, likes sun to partial shade. Great as a pressed flower too.
Crocosmias like sun to partial shade here in the Pacific Northwest. 2 1/2' h x 2' w, blooms Aug-Sept. Good in zones 6-9, some varieties are hardy to zone 5. There are many other varieties ranging from yellow through orange, red, and coral.
Another favorite large yellow flower with the same large foliage I like is Walberton Yellow and blooms a little later than the others in my garden.

Filipendulas, Meadow Sweet, Queen of the Prairie

These are Filipendulas, one of my favorite garden plants.

Filipendula rubra also called Meadow Sweet or Queen of the Prairie is tall 4-6' and medium pink with fluffy heads that are 4-6" across.

Filipendula ulmaria variegata has striking variegated foliage with white cream fluffy flower heads and about 3' tall.

Filipendula purpurea 'Elegans' has deep hot pink flowers and gets about 3-4' tall.

All Filipendulas like consistently moist soil, full sun, bloom late spring through summer here in the pacific northwest. Good in zones 3-8 and attract butterflies,bees and birds. The Queen of the Praire rubra spreads by underground runners and can be invasive but the others stay in a nice clump and get wide pretty fast so you have a nice size plant in no time.  Easy to share with friends or move around the garden by dividing in early spring or fall.

Flower baskets

The baskets on the railing have turned out with an explosion of color this year.  Our moderate weather this summer has prolonged their life and have not bloomed out with usual summer heat. In this basket are: ivy geraniums, lobelia, oxalis, hot pink geraniums, sanvitalia, little gem marigolds, hot pink petunias, verbenas.   I love lots of color on the deck and this year it is a riot of color.

Preview for 2013 Bird Houses Calendar

Here is a little preview of a new calendar in the works for 2013 using my pressed flowers from the garden and will be on the market next spring/summer produced by TF Publishing.