Second Bloom Second Bloom A little faded, vintage-looking, delicate flowers fill with the casting sun of an autumn afternoon. The old-fashioned phlox that has its way with the edges of my garden is typically a spring and early summer flower, brilliant magenta just after the summer solstice, calling hummingbirds and butterflies from all points in the area. But in the heat of August the last straggling blooms have dropped their petals leaving the clusters of round seed pods to turn a coppery brown as the days grow short. They can bloom quite tall—as high as six feet. I discovered that cutting them back when the last petals have fallen in summer will encourage them to bloom again in autumn, and while their flamboyant first bloom matches nature’s passion in midsummer, so their delicate blooms, a little smaller, a little fewer, white centers tipped with a delicate pink, reflect the aging of the year. Both smell just as sweet, though. Below is a photo of the same plant blooming in early July; click the image to read the original post. Cloaking, Clothing and Fireworks . . . . . . . For a print of any photo, visit “purchasing” for availability and terms. For photos of lots of black cats and other cats—and even some birds as I first published this post there—visit The Creative Cat. 00Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading... Related Post navigation Troy Hill, PittsburghRipe Purple 3 Comments I like the delicacy of the autum color. Loading... Reply Maru, I like them each in their season–I love the brilliant magenta in summer, and now I’m ready for the fading colors of autumn. Loading... Reply Each one with its magic… Loading... Reply Leave a ReplyCancel reply This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Maru, I like them each in their season–I love the brilliant magenta in summer, and now I’m ready for the fading colors of autumn. Loading... Reply