Briefly, what I love about late summer
>> Tuesday, September 1, 2015 –
bananas,
canna,
castor bean,
elephant ears,
grasses
This might be my favorite time of the year in the garden!
I don't have time to say much, but here are some of the reasons why this is so...
Tropicals planted so thickly when small, now forming a jungly wall:
Vines heavy overhead...
...and all around...
...even if they go a bit wild, get out of control:
Grasses really are king in late summer:
Or do the castor beans claim that title?
Or maybe the huge bananas, impossibly big for something that essentially dies to the ground each winter:
Perhaps it's just the fact that late summer means drier air, frequent breezes, generally pleasant evenings that make sitting outdoors something worth considering:
I haven't even gotten into the sounds of late summer: crickets, cicadas, grasshoppers, and katydids...
Don't you just love this time of year?
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For all of your reasons I too love this time of year. Your garden looks fabulous, Alan. Big beefy foliage plants are always a winner with me, and yes...the grasses are sadly JUST getting going. Hopefully they will last a couple more months!
If I lived where you live, I'd probably love summer too. Your bananas are insane!
Tamara: Thank you! I need the big leaves to contrast with all of the bamboo and grasses.
Gerhard: Any time the humidity lessens everything gets better! I should go measure the height of those bananas, but I estimate 15' (4.5m)
The katydids and crickets are so loud right now, I love that. I'm also pretty sure I'm hearing a frog, which is beyond fabulous, but I just having seen him yet.
As for loving this time of year, yes, although it's a bit melancholy too, feeling like everyday has my outdoor living time slipping away...
It's a beautiful time of year! Your garden looks like a tropical paradise only without the huge dangerous snakes and crocodiles. Sometimes I look forward to winter cleaning a lot of things up and having a fresh start in the spring; most years I wish summer could linger forever.
Loree: The melancholy doesn't set in for a few more weeks for me, but I know exactly what you mean!
Peter: Thanks! I also look forward to a winter "break" from gardening, but it lasts too long here.
It is very lush, but your garden has such an inviting and comfortable feeling.