Looking around at what is left of the flowers...

Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words. They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of their character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning. ~Lydia M. Child

As I was looking around at what is left of the flower beds today and thinking how quickly the summer went by...

I looked at what is left still blooming. I'm always thinking of ways to extend the flowering season just a little longer. Of course I'm thinking of spring 2009 already and wondering what to plant in which beds and in pots that will make the summer seem longer.

Thanks to a few great Coleus friends from Dave's Garden I will have plenty of coleus for next year. I have received almost 35 different varieties in the mail this month. Some are already potted and others still in my kitchen in water rooting. I will have a whole bed of Coleus in 2009. It has to be my new favorite flower. Did you know there are over 1000 different ones??? I had no idea how many there were.Then there are the Coleus Gardener's that can actually identify LOTS OF THEM... I am amazed at that...

Here is a wonderful place to look at their beauty...

http://gardening.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=gardening&cdn=homegarden&tm=36&gps=324_567_0_0&f=11&su=p284.9.336.ip_p504.1.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.coleusfinder.org/

I know for sure I will plant more Fan Flowers. They are still beautiful and blooming like I just planted them yesterday. But in fact they were one of the first things I planted.

I even got them early enough to propagate a few new starts off and plant in other hanging baskets. Seeds are starting to form and I am collection for next year.

This cute little yellow & purple Torenia was another great choice this summer. This was a new color, I have grown the purple ones for a few years now, but this one just popped with all the purple around it...

This one was given to me late in the season and is just now blooming. I'm hoping it will form a seed pod for next year. I tried this one last year and planted in the back bed, but it didn't come back. It is a form of Moon flower. Are you getting the idea that I love purple... although this one is called Big Blue Lobillia. I'm just glad it bloomed this year so I could see what it looks like. This one was grown from seen back in March and it is a perennial, so I was lucky it bloomed...

I have no idea what this tiny little one is. I'm going to have to check out Dave's Garden for Plant info. Dave's Garden is a wonderful site, you can post a picture and within hours you will have an ID.. I'm sure I bought this one a few years ago but I can't find the tag anywhere. It may not be planted in the right place, it hasn't gotten any bigger in the last couple of years. But when I get the ID it will probably tell me what conditions it needs to be in...

I hope all you Gardener's are enjoy what is left of the season...

The weather is going to be wonderful here this week...

So Have A Good One,

Lynn