Walkway garden, late summer

It's here, my favorite time of year! Temperatures drop (a little), every day brings breezes (usually), it's sunny and dry almost every day, and most importantly all of the plants in my garden have reached full size. Sure, spring gardens are nice, but when you rely on big annuals or tropicals for impact it's the end of the season where things really shine.

So I'll be showing you around the garden before autumn hits, starting today with the walkway garden in front.

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I put a little more thought into it this year, and added lots of annuals and tropicals. This shot was taken from a lower angle to try and show the plants in the foreground, just in front of the porch:

The walkway is becoming a challenge, because it gets more shade than it did when I first created it, so plants that want full sun are not doing great. One obvious example is the purple fountain grass, which is a little floppy so is leaning in front of the water barrel, shading it almost completely.

A second set of grass stalks are growing upright to take the place of the flopped-over stalks, but it's too late in the season to prune those floppers off. Besides...

...somebody likes the floppy grasses!

Here's another angle:

Alocasia and Canna provide the structure and contrast with their large leaves, and there's not too much blooming here -- just enough to keep the pollinators coming.

I've left quite a bit of the Perilla volunteers, because they add a nice, frilly purple to the palette. I have a lot of purple/red foliage out here now. Mainly because of...

...the Hibiscus acetocella 'Mahogony Splendor' that I planted at the end of July. I don't believe plant tags anymore, as this one has taken just 6 weeks in the ground to exceed the size listing quite readily.

I should point out that deer haven't touched it. They did taste the golden-leaved Duranta 'Gold Edge' only once, but have pruned the Pseuderanthemum 'Stainless Steel' multiple times. (Not sure if you can see it if you zoom in to that photo or not).

Over the past few years I've been experimenting with Agaves in front of the porch to keep the Pachypodium company, and this year has been the best so far in that regard:

I might have to move one of the bigger ones out here next year, as they provide impact like nothing else I've tried in this spot. I just can't put anything too pokey here, as it's as much walkway as garden -- something I often forget (or just ignore). That curved-leaf agave (don't know if I ever got an ID on that one) is nothing to worry about... that A. impressa though, that thing could stab completely through your leg I think!

So that's the walkway garden, late-season 2018 edition. I know I didn't go into too much detail, so let me know if you have any questions!


No close-up shots in this post because... well, weeds. They just grow so fast!

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