Progress in the rose garden: late summer

I've taken pictures three times now and not gotten around to writing about the rose garden - and then the pictures get old because flowers come and go so quick! I just looked back at my last post about this area, it's been over 3 months, and the plantings in front of the roses look completely different.

I love how quickly some of the perennials are growing in, and what a long blooming season the roses have. They'll likely still be blooming in October. 

Looking north

In the middle

Looking east

Lower section, looking east

Most of the seeds that I planted in late winter grew well, especially the thyme. I transplanted them in a few different batches but found that those that were transplanted earlier have grown larger. Here's the full list that I grew from seed:

• Calamintha "Marvelette Blue" 
• Calamintha "Marvelette White"
• Nepeta nervosa "Pink Cat"
• Veronica hybrida "Blue Bouquet"
• Mother-of-thyme, thymus Serpyllum
• Columbine Blue Star, Aquilegia caerulea
• Columbine Origami Red & White, Aquilegia x hybrida 'Origami Red & White'

Aquilegia, hiding behind the fern leaf lavender

I was tempted by a creeping bellflower in July and planted two of them: Campanula portenschlagiana ‘Catharina’

Bellflower, reblooming

My only recent plant acquisitions for this area, early in August were five bearded irises: Hemstitched, Slovak Prince, Speeding Again, Jesse's Song, and Italic Light. All blue, except the last which was a freeby, and all either reblooming or scented or both.

Oops, always more plants - also a few succulents that my mom sent home with me in June and I had growing in pots until recently. Those are at the top of the lower section of roses, which gets a lot of foot traffic so I hope they are tough enough. I'm pretty good at not actually stepping on them though.

Mystery succulents

A pretty mystery

I've been very pleased with how long most of the new plants are blooming for, or reblooming. There has been nice color all summer, and will be fun to see how early it starts next year - and how big everything gets when it's full grown.

Yarrow, reblooming

Creeping phlox, reblooming - and thyme

Heron's bill, slow growing but keeps blooming

I did some deadheading of the roses and raking up fallen leaves and flowers this week, but foresee a lot more to come in the fall. At least I should be able to stop watering soon!