Adrienne - ONCE UPON A CONEFLOWER

Vervain, Staple of the Late-Season Garden

A lovely, under-utilized flower for midsummer through fall is purpletop vervain, or verbena bonariensis, often called simply verbena. This tender perennial is native to South America, sometimes erroneously called Brazilian vervain (a different plant entirely). ‘Bonariensis’ derives from Buenos Aires, but this plant is native to all warm areas of the southern continent from Columbia to Chile, Brazil, and Argentina.

Similar species

When we hear the word verbena, what comes to mind first are the bright annual or trailing verbenas (Glandula x hybrida) used extensively in hanging baskets and pots. There are also low-growing moss verbenas. Hoary or blue vervain (Verbena hastata) is a wildflower native to the central US, a nice choice for native meadows.

Drying Hydrangeas for Arrangements

The textures and subtle colors of dried hydrangeas can be lovely

Few shrubs provide as much seasonal interest as hydrangeas, regardless of cultivar. Starting in early summer, they bloom abundantly and with longevity, persevering right through the hottest days and the worst downpours of summer. The flower heads are composed of hardy structures more akin to paper than petals, called bracts. Mophead varieties are mostly dense clusters of bracts. Lacecap forms have an outer layer of larger bracts that encircle tiny, fertile florets nestled in the center. Because bracts are so sturdy, the blooms last all summer. Drying them for arrangements can extend the season of enjoymenr even longer.

The Summer Garden At Dusk

Most of us go into our gardens in the mornings, after the sun is up and the dew has dried. Or we’re out on the patio for lunch or weeding on an overcast afternoon. We might give our beds a passing glance during a cookout.

Seldom do we think about appreciating the garden after sundown.

That’s usually when we’re busy with dinner, TV, meetings. But dusk is precisely when many flowers release their strongest fragrance, and the palest colors glow with an intensity not possible in daylight. If you want to get more out of your garden, consider an evening stroll. Some people plant “moon gardens” or all-white cultivars for admiring at dusk, but that’s not necessary.