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| Encore Azalea 'Autumn Beauty'
An Encore Azalea blooms in the Spring when other Azaleas do, then it blooms again in the Autumn - an encore performance!
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| Butterfly Bush
My Butterfly Bush as been blooming for months, even though I have not been able to deadhead as I usually do. It is really big now, taller than I am. Does anyone have suggestions for me about when and how much to prune it back?
We've had a lot of rain these first two weeks of October. Day temperatures are mild and nights are cool. Our Hummingbirds have left to go South for the Winter, but we have a couple of feeders still out in case stragglers come by. A few days ago I bought Pansy plants (hardy all winter here in US zone 7) so that I will have some blooms as the weather gets colder.
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
To see blooms in gardens around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens: Click Here!
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What a treat to have azaleas blooming :) I have always heard that you can cut butterfly bushes back to 1/3 the original size. I'm sure you will get some great advice today.
ReplyDeleteHappy Bloom Day!
PS I'm going to be late with my post today, I hope you will check in later :)
Lea that azalea is magnificent!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous. I love your butterfly bush, a plant that I have absolutely no success with.
ReplyDeleteHi Lea, I like the idea of an Encore azalea. Just one bloom time a year isn't enough! As for the butterfly bush, around here, we usually prune in late winter and then give them another pruning in the summer to keep them from getting out of hand. I cut my large one back to about 18 inches in late winter. The dwarf bushes get a more conservative pruning.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blooms Lea! I think you could prune your butterfly bush just about any time and it would spring back with no problem. Late winter/early spring before the sap begins to run would be a good time. In my experience, it's very difficult to kill these with pruning.
ReplyDeleteLove your Encore azalea! I planted two last year, and although they were small, they were covered in blooms in the fall. Unfortunately, our hard winter wasn't very kind to them and they didn't bloom at all this year. There is some green foliage near the bottom of both plants, so I'm hoping they will survive and bloom again next year. I've always thought early spring was the best time to cut back butterfly bushes, but it might be different in your zone.
ReplyDeleteLove the drops of rain on the petals of the first flower.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated Bloom Day! I've been toying with the idea of planting Buddleia, because I've seen how attracted butterflies are to it. Your photos are lovely!
ReplyDeletePretty, I saw I had a few blooms too this last week.
ReplyDeleteThe bumblebee is really loving those flowers. They are always so intense. What fun to have a reblooming azalea.
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