Garden Photo of the Day

Anita’s Illinois Garden

Some favorite flowers

close up of moth on bright yellow coreopsis flowers

We’re visiting with Anita Drendel today.

I garden in Yorkville, Illinois. I have about 20 different garden areas, including six 3-foot tall raised garden beds for my vegetables.

close up of pink and purple flowers in the gardenHuge flower heads of ornamental onions (Allium sp.) show off in the back, with salmon Osteospermum (Zones 9–11 or as an annual) and purple Scaevola (Zones 10–11 or as an annual) in front.

close up of pink rose of SharonHardy hibiscus, aka rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus, Zone 5 – 9) is a dependable bloomer and is great for adding a punch of color to the midsummer garden.

close up of pink and purple flowers and interesting foliage plantA large-flowered clematis (Clematis hybrids, Zones 4–8) has been trained up the fence in the background, while a smaller blue clematis hybrid blooms in front. In the middle, an asparagus fern (Asparagus densiiflorus, Zones 9–11 or as an annual or houseplant) gives great texture from its dense foliage.

garden bed with lots of purple flowersIt looks like purple flowers are the theme in this area.

close up of light purple siberian irisLook at this gorgeous Siberian iris (Iris hybrid, Zones 3–8)! Siberian irises are durable, very-easy-to-grow plants that thrive in a wide range of conditions, and newer breeding has really given them ever more beautiful and dramatic flowers.

close up of moth on bright yellow coreopsis flowersA Virginia ctenucha moth stops by to check out the sunny blooms of a Coreopsis.

large planting of mexican sunflowerHot colors only here, with Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia, annual) in the center covered with bright orange flowers. Mexican sunflower is a great long-blooming plant, and butterflies love the blooms.

close up of light pink English-style roseWow—a perfect, romantic, English-style rose. I bet this smells amazing in person!

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

View Comments

Comments

  1. User avater
    treasuresmom 10/20/2023

    That purple Scaevola is so pretty. For the first time, I used the white one in my containers & despite the drought did very well.

  2. User avater
    simplesue 10/20/2023

    You sure have an amazing collection of flowers! I so enjoyed seeing the Mexican Sunflower with the background of corn in the fields- such a beautiful sight.
    That's the most beautiful Siberian Iris I've ever seen!

  3. anita55 10/20/2023

    Thank-you! I believe that Siberian Iris type is ‘Giggles’.

    1. User avater
      simplesue 10/27/2023

      Thanks for your reply!

  4. btucker9675 10/20/2023

    Everything is so pretty - is the plant next to the Mexican sunflowers Salvia 'Hot Lips' by any chance? It looks so much like mine.

  5. anita55 10/20/2023

    Btucker9675, they are a combination of heat elite Mojave red salvia and hummingbird forest fire salvia. Thanks for your kind words.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest