The End of Summer

I can hardly believe that summer 2015 is gone....I did not even get to enjoy the deck ... not once did I put out the rugs, quilts, or pillows to spend a relaxing weekend at home...

I went out at 9am this morning and took this picture of the two whiskey barrel planters full of yellow daisy-like dahlias and yellow calla lilies. The callas have finished blooming, but you can still see the huge white spotted leaves.

Here are the same planters two hours later;

Everything has been dug out and placed on the back lawn to dry:

It always amazes me that those HUGE calla leaves came from one of those small croms with the white roots!

I left the other two whiskey barrels planted because the Tropicanna Golds are just beginning to throw up their bright orange flowers and I can enjoy them inside from my family room windows.

I like the spotted calla leaves with the striped canna foliage.

One of the new dahlias that I bought from Breck's has put out its first flower:

It's called 'American Dawn'.  I am less than happy with this one. It's almost the end of September and I have had only one flower which is full of bug holes...but at least it bloomed.  Maybe I will see a  better performance with more of a purple center next year.

I am hoping to get at least 3 more weeks from my garage urns and under-the-window garden of  pink dahlias.

 The Sedum Autumn Joy  really brings this garden to life. 

SAJ is such a  carefree perennial...once planted it takes almost no work.. never needs watering...just a bit of weeding...nothing more...gotta love that!

Last night I made ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner.  I took the time to caramelize the onions prior to baking and left the skins on the potatoes, then poured the roux atop:

 and baked until the taters were tender and the top was browned:

YUM! The perfect side dish to a brown sugar/mustard-glazed ham.