Take, for instance this August Moon hosta. This usually sends up stalks around the 1st of August, almost to the day. Here you can see many scapes have appeared and it's only mid-July.
Here is one of my Autumn Joy sedums, not only fully budded, but breaking into bloom. This is at least a month early.
The cannas, while their bright red flames are truly appreciated, they usually pop around the end of July, early August.
And here, my hardy hibiscus, (I refer to it as my September star because I can count on a big blast of dark pink blooms to take me into Fall). This plant should only be 3 feet tall right now with no signs of bud. And it's not just plants that have been accelerated. Fireflies, usually a July event, began displaying on the evening of June 9th. Cicadas started singing way before July. And last night, when I returned from a late outing, I stood on the deck - stunned - by the call of crickets. Crickets!! I can't tell you how early this is.
I should also mention that my annuals are not thriving at all this year. The zins that are (finally!) blooming are small. All my salvias (spendens, subrotunta & elegans) are yet to flower. And even the sunflowers are only 3 feet tall and also without blooms at this point. Bee balms that used to wave at 3-4 feet are 14" with meager blooms too.
All this and more has really made me take notice. If all my fall perennials bloom this early, if the annuals merely sputter, if the Fall insects come and go in mid-summer, what sort of September/October will we have? Bloomless? Bugless? Bare?
P.S. For more fast-track plants, check out my Flower and Vegetable blog pages (top of sidebar).
I was thinking the same thing, what's autumn going to look like? I think it's all my fault. I wished for spring to come early, and everything's come and gone too quickly. :( And some of the things I was looking forward to blooming, had really crappy blooms because of the high temps and humidity. All of the big nasty spiders have shown up early down here too. There was an article in the paper about it yesterday.
ReplyDeleteKyna - Oho! Your fault?! I'll have to get you, my pretty....and your little hamster, too. *cackle* (There's never a flying monkey around when you need one!)
ReplyDeleteHi Kris,
ReplyDeleteI have some perennials blooming early, too, but some of the annuals are behind compared to last year. I guess the weather wasn't good for planting as early as normal. I just hope my tithonias and zinnias bloom well when they do.
The same weirdness is happening here, too. When I was out walking my dogs I saw sedum getting ready to bloom as well as mums that were sporting several shabby flowers. It's hard to argue with climate change when it's happening in your garden...
ReplyDeleteSue & TS - thanks for the comments about annuals. I forgot to mention how poorly mine are doing this year in the post, so I've added a paragraph about them too.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, my neighbor came over yesterday and wondered if I'd put my bee forage ring garden on hold as he hadn't seen much color along that loooong border bed this season.
Fortunately, it's the tiny almost drab blooms they favor (hyssop, asclepias, Joe Pye, etc.) and there are lots for them out there.
Yes, you can't deny climate change when we all are experiencing such noteworty irregularities in the garden/weather this year.
Most noteworthy? I find myself inside the house for many mid-day hours to escape the heat. Me? Inside!! *whine*
I have noticed the same thing with my sedums, some are even showing bloom color. The mums are also showing color now.
ReplyDeleteI think my annuals are doing about the same....maybe.
Likewise the hostas have sent up bloom stalks and it is just July.
Does this mean early winter?
Glenda - if this heat keeps up I'll be more than happy to see snow fly a little sooner! *pant*
ReplyDeleteAbout the only great thing about this weather is the vegetable & tomato gardens. Lots of posts on those pages too (top of the sidebar). I can't believe what I've harvested already!
We are having a rainy season right now in the summer so I just moved an over crowded hosta. I had place three in a row, and the middle variety is larger and crowding out the other two of a different variety.
ReplyDeleteOur soil is so wet that I figure do it when the spade is handy.
L.D. Wet? What is 'wet'. We have no 'wet' here and haven't had any for weeks. Dry as a bone. Good luck on moving that hosta -- your rains should help you out there. It's always hard to tell how big a hosta will get. They all look the same when you buy them. LOL
ReplyDelete