Summer is fading, yet there are flowers and plants that get brighter this time of year.  Dragon Wing Begonias and Kong Coleus are at their best as real traffic stoppers, whether at the front door or in a municipal planting. For something more toned down, perennial Anemone September Charm with Pink Diamond Hydrangea and daisies or asters is a long blooming, long lived combination.  In pots, nothing beats a mass of upright Fuschia.   Without heat stress, all of the plant can store more cellular sugars at night, thus the brighter foliage and flowers.  Even the grass seems to be greener this time of year.

The ebb and flow of the seasons always surprise me.  Yet, it is reassuring to know the heat of summer is passing and we can all spend more time enjoying the out of doors rather than enduring it.  The late summer colors will surely brighten the mood.

Marcia Weber
Gardens to Love