False Blue Indigo seed pods against Hamelin fountain grass against Blue Fescue grass .. having a few varieties of ornamental grasses now .. I can't think of my garden without them ! .. they are a great foil for blooming and seeded plants. They aren't too fussy about soil quality .. in fact like "lean" conditions which is really helpful by now since "prime" space,soil, is less and less available.

This native plant has a lot of different names .. Black Snake Root .. Cohosh .. etc ..
I planted one on either side of the cedar arbor and the difference in growth between the two is stunning .. the left side is much taller and larger .. as is the Joe Pye .. there is one year difference in them .. but I'm wondering if that slight difference in sun exposure has that much of an impact .. the kiwi vine next to it also is slightly behind it's twin on the other side .. and both were planted in tandem .. so obviously something is up with sun exposure !

Sparkler Echinacea has been an amazing surprise this year for me. I bought one to "add" to my collection of Echinaceas but I saw that it struggled with something chomping on it's leaves and I wasn't really keeping an eye on it .. the colour of it's flowers has been shockingly beautiful ! This picture doesn't do it justice but it is a pretty contrast with Hamelin fountain grass.

One last Dr. Rupple clematis bloom of the season. The earwigs were such a problem this year I was giving up .. but next year I intend to give them a fight to the bitter end ! haha
Next Spring I will trim this clematis back and start it off with healthy vines encouraged with a good dose of fertilizer !

Another 'sage" .. Purple Sage has done very well in this dry season .. you can really count on most herbs for withstanding poor conditions .. and of course lavender is a workhorse of any garden for scent. I have stuck with the older varieties .. Munstead etc ... and they have not let me down !

Russian Sage "Little Spire" I really like this blue both the large cultivar and smaller one shows off. It is a great survivor of dry "lean" conditions and is such a pretty colour ! I am re-thinking most of my plants now since rain is a luxury in the summer .. the native plants are holding on quite well thankfully !

Pink Turtlehead would be very nice if the earwigs would stop snacking on everything in the garden.
I have different heights since reading about pinching back in "levels" for variety in bloom. I think it does work quite well.

Our Morning Doves love to perch on this wooden arbor. I thought it was a nice "still life" of a "Dove among the grapes" : )