My Garden in September 2023

As summer comes to an end, the garden is filled with a beautiful scenery that signals the transition of seasons. During this time, while summer flowers still bloom, the colors of flowers like hydrangeas gradually deepen, transitioning into autumnal hues.

This year, I attempted to grow without using chemical treatments. The reason being, I wanted to minimize the effort this year, and also, I had the experience last year where plants were damaged by chemical treatments. Whether it was because I've been using the same chemical fertilizer every year, or if it was due to excessive application, I do not know the exact reason. However, from now on, I intend to actively incorporate natural methods and avoid excessive treatments.

After several years, I purchased roses again. I bought three varieties: "Pop Art," "Purple Tiger," and "Love Song." Since I bought them at the end of summer, I was able to get them at half price. I found them at the nursery when I went looking for roses with variegated patterns and light purple hues. I'm looking forward to them blooming beautifully with plenty of flowers in the coming season.

The corkscrew rush grew large, so I divided the clumps afterward. It's strong and grows well.

The Mrs. Tingley Camellia has been in the ground for about five years now. It seems to dislike chemical fertilizers - a few years back, when I applied chemical fertilizer around its base, the leaves suffered quite a bit. Ever since then, I've been growing it without any fertilizer.

Here is the rose, 'Eden', and it's been nearly a decade since I planted it. I've been hoping to train it onto the arbor, but it hasn't quite reached there yet. I'm thinking about moving the arbor a bit closer to help it along.

Here is the rose, 'Bolero', and next to it is Santolina. I planted Santolina in the ground the previous fall. It has grown vigorously, about three times its original size at purchase, and bloomed with many lovely yellow flowers. Additionally, I've propagated cuttings from pruned branches and am growing them as well.

It's oregano, Kent Beauty. It's one of my favorite plants. There's also oregano, Kirigami, which looks similar. I've planted it as well, but since it was just planted this spring, it's still a small plant, so the differences aren't very noticeable.

In my garden, I have two arches and one arbor installed. Their primary function is to create pathways by blocking the intrusion of plants, but eventually, I hope to turn them into arches covered with roses.

The hydrangea 'Vanilla Strawberry' initially blooms white flowers but transitions to pink as autumn approaches. Additionally, its foliage exhibits stunning autumn colors, making it particularly eye-catching in the garden.

The dwarf pampas grass didn't bloom this year, which was disappointing since I was looking forward to those feathery blooms.

At the base of the Star Magnolia is the Cordyline 'Can Can'. I'm hoping it will survive the winter in this spot. Additionally, since there are some offshoots, I'm considering potting them indoors as a precaution for winter.

Eupatorium, Baby Joe is planted at the base of the dogwood tree. It just looks like ordinary grass to me. Will it start to look more attractive once the plants grow a bit larger? Behind it, there's Acanthus 'Whitewater' planted. I'm a bit unsure if it can survive the winter here.

In the middle ground is the Euonymus japonicus, Silver Queen. I particularly like the cream-colored edges of its leaves.

This is an arborvitae, Emerald. It grows quite fast.

I wasn't sure where to plant the Corokia cotoneaster I bought a few years ago, so I kept it in a pot. But when I planted the new roses in the ground, I decided to plant it there too. I placed it next to the Pop Art.

This Little Lime has been planted here for about 10 years and blooms abundantly every year. I discovered it in the gardening section of a nearby supermarket when I first started gardening. Initially, I was searching for 'Limelight', but since I found a similar variety at an affordable price, I decided to purchase it.

I have planted two varieties of Brunnera at the base of the Little Lime hydrangea. On the left is 'Jack Frost', and on the right is probably 'Alexander's Great'.

The Fatsia japonica looks beautiful. I planted it about 10 years ago, but it hasn't grown much. The color contrast with the groundcover ajuga is noticeable.

In my garden, which has many straight lines, I've opted for a design with curved pathways. I'm debating whether to lay down bricks or keep it as grass to minimize strain on my dog's paws.

Here's Iceberg rose, thriving in the garden for about a decade, blooming beautifully each year with abundant flowers.

In the foreground is the Elderberry, Black Lace. Its black leaves create a contrasting vibe amidst the greenery.

Thank you for reading my article once again.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and memories about your garden and plants.

Your stories will surely be a great inspiration to all of us.