This is Hydrangea Macrophylla "Cotton Candy" and takes center stage in the landscaping at the front of my home. The blooms start out as a vivid white then as they mature the pink tinges appear. This is the third season for this bush and here is a shot of the whole plant:
Next up is my Aster. "Aster" comes from an ancient Greek word meaning "star". The aster usually doesn't bloom until late summer and early fall, so it's a bit unusual in my experience to see a bloom already the first of August. These plants are especially attractive to the pollinators.
This plant is also in its third season. The bush itself is not as full in the foliage as it has been in past years. Here's a shot of the full plant. You can see that the flowers are just now appearing and they are very small compared to the foliage:
Now I will show you one of my potted plants. This close up is of the beautiful dark purple petunia. They are one of the most popular annuals, which means you have to purchase them every year, unlike the perennials that come back each spring. They come in a wide variety of colors and bloom all summer long.
I'll show you a picture of the pot I have this petunia living in. I go by the helpful hint when creating a potted plant that you need a "thriller" - a tall and striking plant, a "filler" - a plant that will fill up space around the pot, and a "spiller" - a plant that will spill down the outside of the pot. The combinations are endless!
Next, I will show you one of my favorite - and most expensive! - plants, the Butterfly Bush. The one that I have now is called "Adonis Blue" and it is indeed a favorite of the butterflies.
This one is a first-year plant because the one I planted three years ago lasted for two seasons but didn't come back this year. This one replacement plant was over $40, which made it my single most expensive flower. I'm going to make sure I cover it with at least 6 inches of mulch this fall so that it will hopefully survive this winter!
Last, but certainly not least, I will show you my deep red hibiscus plant. You can't beat this one for livening up the scenery. The blooms are as big as my hand and the foliage is a very pretty dark green as well. Hibiscus flowers have been used for medicinal purposes in many different cultures by making a tea, sometimes called sour tea, and is used to treat high blood pressure and a variety of other ailments as well. Here is an article on Heathline that talks about the different ways that hibiscus tea is considered beneficial.
Here is a shot of the entire plant, which resides on my north facing landscaping next to the garage. It too is in its third year of growth. I had two of them planted at the same time and the other one did not make it back this spring. I have replanted a new one, but it's substantially smaller and is just now beginning to bloom.
I'm only an amateur at this landscaping hobby, but I really enjoy my plants and learn a little more about them every year. Some things have worked out and some haven't and if you all have any tips for me, please share!
All flowers and photos are my own.
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[credit@EdibleCthulhu]
