We had some gorgeous autumn weather in the last few weeks, and then the rain really started in earnest yesterday. Maybe that’s the most gorgeous weather of all!
Below are some pictures from around the garden the last few weeks.
Fuchsia ‘Cardinal’Love this fence displayChasmanthium latifolium, northern sea oats21 Gaura seedlings got potted on this past weekend.Vietnam violet, Primulina tamianaLots of begonias in bloom in the greenhouseBoth male and female flowersCane begonia just getting started with flowers.Streptocarpus flowersMore Streptocarpus flowers–such intricate patterns.I have about 11 Dahlia ‘Collarette Dandy’ started from seed in August. This is an experiment to see if I can get them to develop tubers before it gets cold. I moved them into the greenhouse to help them along because the nights are already cool.I have more than 60 forget-me-not seedlings that I will grow along and set out in the spring in the memory garden under the tulips. I’ve always had a soft spot for forget-me-nots.Lots of asters around the memory garden, the native garden, and even mixed in the driveway beds.Newly planted Colchicum starting to show off.In my head, I thought this aster was an ugly color and form and every time I watered it or looked at it, I cringed a little. But my memory of it was faulty. It is a lovely soft pink color and the form is nice. And I had to take a lot of bee photos. Had to.Nicotiana sylvestris appears to be perennial in the memory garden. There are some fresh flowers coming on in the younger group. The older group set a billion or so seeds and I clipped it back and it is possibly going to throw up more flowers.This Yucca is getting going. It is at least five years old–arrived via mail order as a tiny division. I believe it is Yucca rostrata.Another view of sea oats. I love the pattern.I spent the weekend cleaning up and potting on greenhouse plants–got through seven trays! This is Veltheimia bracteata, extremely potbound with three large bulbs in the pot. Veltheimia is a winter grower, so hopefully, I haven’t thrown flowering off by potting it on now.Verbena bonariensis with a macro lens is kind of fun.This Haworthia is prolific. I divided it last year and it rewarded me with a bunch more offsets. I peeled off a bunch more so I can give them away next spring/summer. The original of this Masdevallia goes way back–probably 20+ years. And I’ve divided it a few times, so now I have eight pots of them. When well grown, each plant will throw 10-20 brilliant electric magenta-pink flowers in later winter and throughout spring. Begonia ‘Gryphon” got a late start, but is putting out massive leaves now as autumn arrives.Funky Pink Begonia is still funky and still pink.Better late than never, the morning glories I started from seed months ago are vining up the pod sculpture by the driveway and they got their first flower buds this week.Poor morning glory opened its first flower during the wettest morning–not much glory in that.Another Dahlia flower, though imperfect, still striking.This aster clone has spread beautifully in the easternmost edge of the memory garden. It isn’t native, but the native pollinators love it.The leaves aren’t too bad with black spot this year. This remarkable hybrid tea rose gives several flushes of bloom with very little pampering. The color is hard to describe (possibly due to my color blindness)–but a brilliant red, for sure. Shrub rose in the memory garden. It never really puts on a big show, but the individual flowers have nice color and form.
The garden reflects two different worlds right now. The first world is a very dry, hot summer world where plants are just trying to survive. The second world is the world of pampered plants that have been watered all along and who love the heat–they aren’t struggling to survive and some are blooming wonderfully.
Seedling Dahlia–really love the form and color of this one.
I barely spotted this camouflage bunny in the front yard.
Pampered begonia on the patio below. This is Funky Pink in its third year from seed.
And a seedling heliotrope below. This one lives up to the heliotrope hype. The color is deep and rich and the fragrance is sweet vanilla honey. Even Leon noticed this one.
And in the greenhouse, the Sinningia and most of the Streptocarpus are blooming.
