Plant ID Needed

                         
This really beautiful vine just appeared along the creekbank at the Big House.  Unfortunately it is slowly going up and over the azaleas, though in a very delicate way.  The flowers are exquisite, but it's looking a little like a wisteria relative to me.  I haven't called the Extension office yet, but anyone have experience with this one?
                        

Wisteria can be beautiful, but in Atlanta it can also be like kudzu with pretty flowers!

Photos from a Foggy Morning

I absolutely love fog; perhaps it's from growing up on the coast of New Hampshire, where it creates an eerie magical feeling when it swirls around the boats and piers. When I took Sadie for her early walk yesterday, some of the autumn flowers looked particularly good in that light (or lack of it...)

Above is Cuphea, with dew clinging to the webs that have engulfed it overnight.

Tatarian Aster is a favorite of mine, and is the perfect foil to the swamp sunflower and moonvine.

Is there any more beautifully formed flower than moonvine?

The moonvine has grown so large that people can no longer walk under the arbor, and need to walk around the corner to the driveway!

This is a set of photos that are worth "double clicking" to see the detail of the fog and dewdrops...

The White Scents of Summer

We were walking home from dinner around 10 last night, on one of those cool evenings that happen so rarely in Georgia in August. There was a slight breeze, and with each step through our own garden, there seemed to be another wonderful scent coming our way. This is the time when the white flowers seem to take over the evening garden.

As we walked under the arbor, we saw the giant flowers of the moon vine opening for the night, releasing that wonderful light fragrance. Further down the paniculata hydrangeas were filling the air with their citrus-y scent, as they've been doing for a few weeks now. Rounding the corner, the first bloom of the white ginger was visible in the light, and its aroma is nothing short of intoxicating!

As we approached the door, we were overwhelmed with the fragrance from the white "Four O'Clocks" that self seed themselves all over that area. Even Sadie the Dog couldn't resist pushing her nose into the cluster of blossoms. Just a few days ago I was complaining about how poorly behaved the Four O'Clocks are, popping up everywhere, and questioning if I should try one more time to eradicate them from the garden......after last night's stroll, I'm convinced it's worth putting up with a little bit of unruliness.

Some August Blooms

Even in the crazy heat of summer, there are some really beautiful blossoms to be found.

And it would hardly be a Georgia garden without a peach.....but check out the size of that Moon Vine bud! The vine is climbing up the tree, and I didn't have the heart to pull it out.

Some Photos of the Stepchild Garden

Here is a photo of the arbor that Chuck built in June, which is finally starting to look at little more "settled in." The New Dawn Rose had to be seriously whacked back when I removed the old arbor, but it doesn't seem to be any worse for the wear! I trim this back at least once every ten days and it always looks like Medusa, waiting for unsuspecting pedestrians. The great part is that all of those tentacles are covered with hundreds of pink blooms in May, in time for the tour! The Moon Vine is racing up to the top of the arbor, and just starting showing off some blooms last week.

The top shot is the sylphium I mentioned last week. It's the perennial that everyone mistakes for a small tree. To give you an idea, the sad looking dark-leaved canna in front of it is about 3 feet tall. It puts on this much height every summer, and still manages to throw off at least twenty "babies" each season.

The seond one is showing some of the perennials that are strutting their stuff this week. The "Hot Lips" salvia is light and whispy, but holds it own with the rudbeckia and "Victoria Blue" annual salvia. That Teddy Bear Magnolia just went in last year, and will ultimately shade out the perennials, but such is the nature of long term gardening....

PS Try as I might, I never manage to pick up the hoses before the photos are taken....

Some Edibles

Not sure they're really edible, but there are the most adorable peaches on the "Bonfire" Patio Peach that is in a container near the pool. Can't wait to see what happens as the season progresses.

Since it's really about "the look," I'm pointedly not thinning out the fruits unless their weight becomes an issue for the branches of the tree. Since I assumed it would mostly serve for foliar interest in the container, I planted a moonvine in the same pot, which is growing like a weed! Can't wait to see those giant white blooms against that foliage.

In the veggie garden, the blueberries are getting close!!!