GBBD: Late summer beauties

What a weird summer we've had. I'd say I'm glad it's almost fall, but I feel like we missed out on our usual mild, pleasant weather. I spent the bulk of June and July indoors at my air-conditioned job and in my air-conditioned home.

Oh well, now that the weather has cooled to more temperate levels and we've had some rain, lots of plants that struggled during the drought are perking up, and some are really thriving.

Lycoris squamigera

The Lycoris plants emerged a couple of weeks ago—about two to three weeks ahead of schedule. I usually associate them with the end of summer, so that was a weird discovery.

Hydrangea macrophylla

The Hydrangeas had to be babied all summer. I forgot to clip off the blooms when they were pink, but it's kind of fun to watch them transform from pink to green to multicolored hues in the fall.

Rudbeckia hirta

I think this is the state fair-prize year for Black-Eyed Susans. They keep blooming and blooming, and they seem healthier and perkier than in other years.

Lablab purpureus

My experiment with Hyacinth Bean Vines has been less than stellar. They barely grew during the drought even though I watered them several times a week. I thought about fertilizing them, but that didn't make sense in the extreme heat either. But, long story short, they're growing faster now and they're even blooming! I didn't capture the first blooms, but this bud is about to break. Yay!

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflowers are fading, but they're still beautiful in a fragile kind of way. I'll leave the cones in place to provide seed for the birds.

Zinnia elegans

Zinnias are blooming and reblooming after deadheading. They'll continue to produce until the first frost. I love their tight buds almost as much as the full blooms.

Cosmos bipinnatus

Swoon...what can I say about these flowers? I grow increasingly enamored with Cosmos as the years pass. They're reliable, drought-tolerant, prolific, and stunning!

Salvia superba

Another reliable plant, Salvia attracts pollinators and provides season-long color with frequent deadheading.

Fuchsia magellanica

The Fuchsias seem to enjoy the heat this summer—of course, frequent waterings are critical to keep them going.

Alcea rosea

There's something about the petals of the double Hollyhocks that makes me happy. They convey a feminine, joyful, warm mood. The plants don't look as pretty from far away right now, though, because they're quickly fading. Sigh.

And in the spirit of Wordless Wednesday, here's a collage of colorful Coleus—one of my favorite potting plants:

I'm linking in to Bloom Day at Carol's May Dreams Gardens and Foliage Follow-Up at Pam's Digging blogs. Check out all the amazing entries.

And I'm starting to think about my "Lessons Learned" for summer 2012. I hope you'll join me in the meme at the end of the month.

Plant of the Month: Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica

I know what you're thinking: A gardener in USDA zone 5 has no business posting about a plant that's only hardy in zones 6-10! I hope you'll forgive me for breaking the rules again. This month I'm highlighting a plant that doesn't, and probably shouldn't, grow in my garden.

But I got such a kick out of the Crape Myrtles growing all over the place in Branson, Mo., when we vacationed there in June. They were all around town, and seemed to be the signature plant/shrub/tree at the resort where we stayed. It seemed to have just about every size, shape, and color of Crape Myrtle available.

Different sources spell the name differently—Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle, Crapemyrtle—but I'm going with the spelling I found on the USDA site. I seem to remember seeing Crape Myrtles on trips to Texas, Louisiana, and other points south, but never so many of them planted all in one small area.

The blooms are unique with their crinkly petals.

And the fruits are equally fascinating.

They look great planted with ornamental grasses and other landscape plants, and they compliment hardscape focal points like bridges, pathways, and fountains.

I have to be clear that I don't plan on planting any Crape Myrtles in my northern garden. But if I lived in Texas or Missouri, or another southern or middle-range state, I might think about it. While they're not native to the U.S. (they originated in China and Korea) they fill an ornamental landscaping niche similar to our Lilacs here in the north.

Some other interesting facts about Crape Myrtles, all gathered from the USDA and the U.S. National Arboretum:

• They're drought-tolerant, which most U.S. gardeners can appreciate this year;
• They bloom from spring through summer;
• Their fall foliage apparently (although I've never seen it) is quite lovely; and
• The bark has a variegated, mottled appearance (sorry, I didn't get any bark photos).

Plus, they're simply beautiful, fascinating plants. (Be sure to visit Elephant's Eye for the Dozen for Diana meme!)

How to make an above-ground pond

It seems common practice among garden bloggers to nickname their significant others and family members. Since I have one son and one daughter, I've chosen to refer to them that way.

But "hubby" doesn't quite do it for my better-half. From now on, I'll refer to him as the "fishman." There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that the man is fascinated with fish the way I'm fascinated with plants. Enough said.

I had to give him an official name because he gets the kudos for our new above-ground pond. The approximate dimensions: 66 X 45 X 20 inches. We've talked for years about adding a water feature. While we didn't want to go elaborate, we wanted a modest pond, with a few fish and some water plants.

I'm mechanically challenged, so he did all the work. Plus, he had a vision. So here's how the fishman got it done:

He started with a plywood base.

Next, he measured and added two-by-fours for the sidewalls.

Screwed them together to create the sides of the pond.

Measured and cut oriented-strand board (OSB) to form the interior walls.

Added styrofoam in the bottom and along the sides for insulation.

Moved (with the son's help) the nearly finished pond to its home on the patio.

Checked to make sure it was level (it was!).

Flattened and then placed the 10- X 8-foot PVC pond liner.

Stapled the pond liner in place with stainless-steel staples (at the top only) and added water.

Added the filter, pump, and fountain.

Tested the fountain—yay, it worked!

Added small milk crates, granite weights, rocks, and pebbles for structure and interest.

Took a break to enjoy the view (and the rain).

Next, came the fun part: I helped pick out the plants!

Typha latifolia variegata

A variegated Cattail for marginal structure, filtration, and interest;

Ceratophyllum demersum

Hornwort (we think it's C. demersum) for oxygenation; and

Nymphaea 'Clyde Ikins'

A deepwater Waterlily for beauty, interest, and cover for the fish. We'll probably add more plants next summer, but this is a good start.

Speaking of the fish, here they are: three goldfish. (We had four but one died.) I chased them around and tried to capture good photos of them, but they are fast! And I'm terrible at capturing objects in motion (not to mention under water). They'll give me some practice, that's for sure!

But the best part of all is now I get to play with photographing water plants!

Oh, and see the first photo for the nifty tongue-and-groove cedar siding the fishman used to decorate the sides of the pond. Send me an email if you'd like more information on the materials and methods, or if you have any questions. I'm sure the fishman can answer them.

(Thanks to Donna at Garden Walk, Garden Talk for suggestions on experimenting with higher ISO camera settings in low light.)

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Added 1.9.14: I've received many requests for the dimensions and more specifics about the building of this pond. Please note that I added a later post, "The 'pond post': most popular by a long shot," that should help you determine what supplies you need to build a similar pond. Good luck!