Great Combo: Black Mondo Grass and Golden Moneywort

I'm loving this combination of black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens') and golden moneywort (also called Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea') in my shade garden. The dark black leaves of the black mondo grass contrast nicely with the lime green of the Creeping Jenny. The golden moneywort also helps to crowd out the weeds and provides a lush groundcover that is just unstoppable. I got these on the sale table a while back and they just took off!

Black Mondo Grass with Creeping Jenny 

Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' and Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'

Black Mondo Grass with Golden Moneywort

The black mondo grass has been growing but not very fast. It put out little side shooters - it will slowly (SLOOOOWLY) spread by rhizomes to populate the area.

Here is a throwback to when I first put them in... I can't believe this groundcover took off and covered the whole area in only one season, since March 27. I'm also a little frustrated with how slow growing the Black Mondo Grass is, which I guess is why it's so expensive. I sure hope it lives through the central Indiana winter.

Throwback from late March

Bright Pink Fiery Feathery Annuals

I saw these at my brother's house and I didn't ask him exactly what kind they were, but from a quick Google search for bright pink feather like fire looking annuals, they appear to be wheatstraw Celosia argentea var. spicata 'Flamingo Feather' - appropriately named from the hot pink color (no filter). 

Celosia argentea var. spicata 'Flamingo Feather'

Celosia argentea var. spicata 'Flamingo Feather'

They seriously look like you took bottle brushes and dipped them in a vat of pink highlighter ink. I was so amazed I stopped mid conversation and walked over to take a picture. 

If anyone knows exactly what variety these are, let me know in the comments, but I'm fairly certain Celosia argentea var. spicata is close enough. 

Mulch and Late Summer Blooms featuring BELLEZA Dark Pink

The little prairie patch near my utility box got a bit of a facelift today. AT&T finally came out to bury the new cable line, so I was able to mulch and clean up the area. My new Gaura lindheimeri BELLEZA™ Dark Pink are going gangbusters and already started flowering and rooting in well. I can't wait to see them in the Spring and blooming all next summer.

  Gaura lindheimeri BELLEZA™ Dark Pink

Here's my mulched utility bed

In other parts of the yard, my dwarf red hot poker plant is taking it's transplant to the rock garden very well, and even put up 2 new blooms. I'm hoping that's a sign that it will survive the winter and come back next year. Glamor shot!

Kniphofia hirsuta 'Fire Dance' - Dwarf Hot Poker Plant

Also in the rock garden, this Sedum 'Dazzleberry' is blooming even though the rest of the plant looks a hot mess! I hope it comes back a little less leggy next year. Also check out these grasshoppers mating, and my aster 'Purple Dome' is getting ready to put on a HUGE fall show with tons of purple blooms ready to pop. Any day now!