Caryopteris Week

The Rudbeckia has run its course in week 2008/38 and the slack has been taken up by the slightly smaller sunflowers that I believe to be Helenium autumnale (though there has always been a suspicion here that they are Helianthus decapetalus). Coming into flower now: the taller Aster laevis with their delicate mauve-reds: The lower Aster novae-angliae are not there yet, holding back almost till the falling of leaves. Among the sub-shrubs, Caryopteris clandonensis 'Heavenly Blue' has come into flower at last with its cornflower-style blues: amazing that any woody plant can wait so long in the season before giving its best.