Unusual annuals grown from seed come on strong late in the season. Nicotiana langsdorfii is one of my favorites. Anna, this would be a good one in your garden of green flowers.

Another is Leonotis nepetifolia, and you can just see a few bright Cosmos ‘Budda’s Hand’ peeking through towards the top of the photo.

Statuesque Nicotiana sylvestris volunteered in the tomato patch. It has a lovely fragrance late in the day. I’d like it to show up in more opportune locations, but I’ll take it wherever it chooses to flourish.

I admire Dahlias worked into borders, but I put mine in more of a cutting garden setting. This one is ‘Akita’. I picked it up from Jockey Hill Nursery at the Scappoose Farmers’ Market. This Saturday will be the last market of the season, 10am-2pm. If you happen to be heading for the coast on Hwy 30 it’s a fun stop.

Dahlias make terrific cut flowers. This one is ‘Alfred Grille’, with the berries of Hypericon ‘Albury Purple’ and some crape myrtle foliage.

Most Alliums bloom in the spring, but the unassuming puffs of A. senescens ‘Glaucum’ are late arrivals.

Solidago ‘Fireworks’ earns its name and does its bit to keep those bees busy.

I have these fireworks going off in several locations and they are none too picky about conditions.

This is the last bloom on Hibiscus m. ‘Plum Crazy’. It’s been doing its thing since just after the last Bloom Day.

I’ve been seeing Liriope used in mass plantings lately and like its grassy presence. The little flower spikes are a nice bonus.

Most of the erect sedums are coming into flower. This one is ‘Stardust’.

Blooming for the second time, Acanthus sennii produces uncharacteristic, bright red blooms.

If you look carefully, you can see the brown remains of the earlier flowering stalk below the new bloom. It shows how much growth this plant has experienced. I guess it’s happy (and so am I).

Phygelius ‘Moonraker’ is shrubbier than others of its kind, and has a very long bloom cycle. I will bring at least one of these to the swap.

Another rebloomer is Kniphofia ‘Percy’s Pride’. I think the secret is cutting off the spent flowers.

Helianthus maximilianii is not as tall as it was last year, but it is multiplying nicely and it stands up to rainstorms without staking.

This is where Scott’s photography skills would come in handy. Persicaria ‘Lance Corporal’ produces delicate wands of tiny, bright red flowers. When they catch the light the effect is magical, but I guess you will just have to take my word for it.

From here on out, the hunt for something to post on Bloom Day, sponsored by May Dreams Gardens will get tougher, but we will soldier on…we are gardeners and we’re proud.