What's still blooming?

Things seem so bedraggled this time of year, so it's refreshing to see some things still in bloom in my shady yard.
Here's a cyclamen right by my front door.

This is a shrub which is just now starting to bloom. It will bloom prolifically for the next few weeks.
Thrives in typical woodland setting.
Keiskeia japonica.

Here's a fringe flower. My zone is marginal for fringle flower (loropetalum).
So I don't get a spring bloom - I presume the plants are too ravaged by winter to be blooming in spring.
But this time of year, they're looking good and blooming nicely.
Surprisingly, they do best for me in the high shade of my woodland, rather than full sun.

This is the japanese version of our turtleheads.
It's chelonopsis yagiharana.
My chelones haven't opened yet.

I'm always looking for color in the late summer in my shady garden.
Anyone else with other blooming plants I should consider adding?

You have some beautiful plants and thanks for the amazing pics.

Great subject and photos! Always looking for plants to bloom in early fall in my shady garden. Surprisingly, my Chelone obliqua is blooming beautifully among other shade plants that have dried up and turned brown from lack of rain. Even the foliage is still green. Although it hasn't grown that big in the past 8 years (poor soil I think), it's pretty reliable for a few flowers.

Here are a few more from yesterday.
This is a hardy coleus (Plectranthus kameba).
It's perfectly hardy in my zone.
It reseeds moderately, but so far, not a nuisance.

Here's a salvia. This one thrives in light shade.

This is sweet autumn clematis (clematis terniflora).
I have done a good job clearing it from my yard, but it's ubiquitous along the roadways.

This is another salvia. This one needs more sun, but does fine along the western edge of my woodland,
so he gets blazing afternoon sun. (Salvia chiapensis). It's not hardy, so I grow it as an annual.

This is a japanese woodland perennial which blooms late.
Really clean white flowers. Atractylodes japonica.

Let's see some other fall-blooming plants for shade!

This message was edited Sep 26, 2010 9:18 AM

Hi - a couple that were beautiful yesterday are -- the pink/lavendar chelone (turtlehead in the back), with the blue lobelia in the front --

Next, the liriope, both green and variegated, looks great with the impatiens -

And although most folks think of sedum as a sun plant, they thrive well in high and spotted shade also -- this area combines hosta and sedum very well --

And finally, although not a perennial or blooming, Caladium are now peaking, and bring such beautiful color to the shade! Thanks for the interesting thread! Dax

Beautiful inspiring photos. I see that I must add some things to my "want" list.
Weerobin - what's the variety of the blue salvia?
dax - very nice combo with the Hosta and Sedum. Very unexpected.

Cindy, I was afraid you might ask that ... unfortunately, I don't remember.
It's been a reliable performer for years in moderately shady location.
I'll scrounge around the plant to see if I can see any remnant of the tag.
Alas, I'm not a very organized gardener!

I "try" to be organized and enter my purchases onto my plant spreadsheet. Easy enough to do with mail order stuff but the local impulse buys seem to slip past me into oblivion.
I've tried a salvia or two early on in my sunniest bed but between lousy soil and maybe not enough sun, they haven't performed well for me. To find one that can take the shade would be fabulous.

Black and blue salvia is a reliable bloomer in shade for me.
Here's a post of it.
As you can see fall color in the background, it blooms in the fall, which is great for late season color.
You're in a colder zone, but I would still try it.
It's supposedly 'borderline' for my climate, but it's growth is robust to be nearly invasive.
So I think it may do well a zone colder than me.

I bought 'Black and Blue' for my DD in TN and it's hardy for her but that's 2 zones warmer than me. I might just give it a try though. Once read a tag on it listing the alternate hybrid name as 'Domestic Violence' - really!

Pretty hilarious...

don't forget obedient plant, although some call it DISobedient plant because it can be invasive. I have my shrimp plant outdoors and it has bloomed all summer. It's a little leggy but I'll just cut it back and bring it in.

I still have brugs blooming too, off and on.
Weergarden, what is the common name of the white-flowering shrub?

This message was edited Oct 1, 2010 6:15 PM

I have some Monk's Hood that will be blooming shortly haven't had much rain in the last two months so I'm wondering if it's going to bloom for this year haven't watered that garden this year. Toadlilies are just starting to bloom too.

Could that blue sage be Bog Sage? I just planted some in my shade garden this spring and it's in bloom now not sure if it will bloom for me this time next year after being in the garden for a year. It's suppose to be a taller plant mine is only about a foot right now.

The white-blooming shrub is called keiskeia japonica.
Here's another shot of it.
Unfortunately, this may be the end of it, since my less-than-careful tree trimmers just ravaged it.
Just a tangle of shredded stump left; not a single leaf.
If it happened in spring, I think it would regrow, but I'm not sure this time of year.
It's exasperating!

Weerobin - I like your Keiskeia. How hardy is it?

I want to know ifi Keiskeia has a common name. I can't find it in the plantfiles.

It is a very obscure member of the Mint Family (not genus)

Keiskeia japonica var. hondoensis. Per. PtShade.
24-36 x 18-24". Summer/Fall.
199-White flowers. Rare Japanese native for lightly
shady woodland location. 2-3' tall with terminal flower
spikes Sept-Oct. Zone 5 hardiness.

currently listed for sale at this link

http://www.arrowheadshopping.com/perennials-and-rock-plants-65/j-k-l-110/

How about asters? Did anyone mention them?

Woodspirit, that brug picture is amazing.
Do you have to bring it in for winter in your climate?
I just planted one in a pot for the first time.
I always liked them, but held off getting one,
since it seemed like such a big plant to lug in for the winter.
But your picture shows why I broke down and got one.
I hope mine turns out half as nice!

It's shady here now.We havnt had a full day of sun in weeks.
I have an Oriental Poppy that has 2 blooms on it. Dont ask me how that happens I just bless it.
The rest of this collage are perennial snaps and Sedum Metrona with Zinnia.

This message was edited Oct 5, 2010 5:31 AM

woodspirit - love the yellow color on your brug. When does it start blooming for you? I've never grown one.
greenthumb - thanks for the info on the Keiskeia. Had never heard of that one before Weerobin mentioned it. Will have to add it to my list.
ge - love the poppy! I haven't had the right location (or the attention span) to coax one through a growing season.

This is the second year for the OP.
They usually bloom in late May here.

I grew that brug, Solid Gold, from a cutting in one season. It had 3 flushes. Solid Gold is the most reliable for me. A lot of folks say the most reliable and floriforous is Charles Grimaldi but I have never had a cutting make it. They don't seem to root well here. Maybe my greenhouse is too cool.

wood - I was wondering if the brugs need the heat to start blooming. Congrats on the vigorous cutting success!

nice caladium bloom

I think they need some heat to grow, but most respond with a nice flush when the cool weather starts.

Hmmm - might have to give the brugs a thought over the winter. My little gh is already packed as it is. And there's definitely not enough sun in my house with the overhangs I have.

The Aconitum is in bloom now and much appreciated in mid October along with the asters.

Just lovely Pirl.
I have a white one that blooms in spring.