Things are really winding down in my flower garden...only the annuals have many blossoms left. The perennials are busy ripening seed. They all know that change is in the air and now it the time to wrap things up. I'm feeling it myself and will be chopping down the plants that are finished blooming this week.

I'm not planning to save seeds for myself this year and want to take out anything that reseeds too heavily or is just past it's prime. Otherwise I may be looking at it until spring! I'll leave the sunflowers for now because they are still blooming. Plus the birds love the seeds and I like to watch the birds. Soon the fall perennials will begin blooming - asters, goldenrod (which I don't have yet), 'Autumn Joy' sedum, etc.

There is one new plant to talk about this week though, Russian Sage! With it's grayish fine textured leaves and airy blue flower spikes, Russian sage is one of those plants that can be combined successfully with just about any other flower or ornamental grass. Technically it's usually listed as a shrub, but I cut mine back to the ground each spring (because it dies back that far here...we are pushing the cold side of it's happiness zone). It smells nice if you rub the leaves and the bees love the flowers. One of it's strongest points is it's bloom time. While everything else is looking tired and dried out, the Russian Sage is fresh and new. I like how it looks combined with the fall asters, Feather Reed Grass, and sunflowers.

• Borage
• Nasturtium
  
• Miniature Hollyhocks
  
• Lemon Mint
  
• Sunflowers
  
• Hollyhocks
  
• Four-O-Clocks
  
• Zauchenaria (Hummingbird Carpet)
• Echinops
  
• Blue Ensign Convolvulus
  
• Perennial Black-eyed Susan
  
• Zebrina
• Snap Dragon
• Evening Primrose
  
• Nicotiana
  
• Wine cups
• Oregano
  
• Fever Few
• Calendula
  
• Bachelor Buttons
  
• Yellow Primrose (Sundrops)
  
• Indian Blanket Flower