Bloom Day – October 2011

Ann Varner Daylily

In spite of the warm fall, with only one real frost, the garden is beginning to die. Its demise seems to have been hurried by the three days of rain we just had. All these photos were taken in the rain. This is the very last daylily of summer. Ann Varner is a real trooper. Behind her you can see there are a few Buttercream nasturtiums crawling around, and it has been so warm that even the canna foliage isn’t completely fried.

Double Red Knockout roses

The double red Knockouts on the Rose Bank are still putting out a few blooms, as is Pink Grootendorst and ‘The Fairy.’ Too few to photograph.

'Thomas Affleck'

‘Thomas Affleck’ on the other hand is still blooming and budding, right near the entry walk. I got a lot more than I bargained for when I bought this rose.

This chrysanthemum, one of six (only three survived a spring bunny attack) is just beginning to bloom amid a tangle of black netting (against the bunnies) weeds and morning glory vine.

Its sister mums have been blooming for a while and the rain is making them look a bit bedraggled.

Love Lies Bleeding

Most of the potted plants are pretty well gone. I did not get the show I expected from Love Lies Bleeding, but I did not expect it to survive our frost either. You can see the petunias behind are still blooming.

Neither did I expect the lantana to be blooming still. I couldn’t resist that funky, wiry grass, but you can see I have a lot to learn about container planting design.

I love this annual salvia, my faux lavender hedge around the roses in the Shed Bed. The photo might be slightly out of focus, but I am going to blame the softness of focus on the rain.

The cascade of morning glories was still blooming in the dim showery light yesterday morning. ‘Granpa OttI’ is one tough old guy. I am really going to miss him, and they cannot go on much longer.

The rains were torrential yesterday afternoon, but it looks like we might have some sun today.  It is trying to peek out the patches of blue sky.

To see what else is bloom around the country be sure and visit our gracious hostess at May Dreams Gardens.  When I first began participating around three years ago I never dreamed that I would be creating a wonderful, and useful, record of what the garden was doing in every season. I send grateful thoughts to Carol every month.

Color may be all gone from the garden, but the last few days have finally started bringing a vivid blush to our woodlands. I had to drive to Springfield and even in the rain, on the highway, the drive was a pleasure.

 

This Post Has 17 Comments

  1. Rebecca

    We haven’t had a frost yet, but most of my blooms are gone for the season except for a few annuals. (Next year I’ll have to remember to plant more annuals!) The trees are just starting to turn in Missouri–probably in another week the maples will be gorgeous! Happy GBBD 🙂

  2. What a pleasant surprise to see your blooming daylily – mine are long gone. Isn’t it nice to have the colorful foliage to look forward to now? Happy GBBD!

  3. Jeane

    I am sad to see my garden plants dying, too. Very few blooms left here, mostly marigolds. But delighted with the onset of fall colors, so vivid and bright!

  4. Rockrose

    A frost already-winter is truly on the way. We feel changes int he air too. I was tempted by that corkscrew grass at the nursery last week but wasn’t sure how it would fare over the winter. It was a very touchable plant. Hope you get to enjoy some of your lovely blooms for a little longer.

  5. Rosie@leavesnbloom

    I love red daylillies – I’ve never come across that variety here in the UK. Happy GBBD.

  6. Alana

    We haven’t had our first frost in upstate NY but the trees are finally coloring. As for the rain – I feel your pain! Happy GBBD, as we both put our flower gardens to bed for the winter.

  7. Holley

    So sad to see our gardens in retreat. But your mums, salvia, and rose are beautiful! And the fall color is spectacular! Happy GBBD!

  8. Pat

    Rebecca – Annuals do make a big difference in the fall. I’m going to try and remember that too.
    Dee – A sweet demise, and I am ready for a little rest.
    Rockrose – I am not counting on that corkscrew grass overwintering, but I have enjoyed looking at it all summer.
    Rosie – Ann Varner was the first daylily on my Daylily Bank and she is a real winner.
    Alana – Thanks for visiting. I suspect we have similar climates. Most of the time I love and welcome the rain, but we have had so much rain over the last 6 weeks or so.
    Holley – Sometimes I am surprised at how much color there is late in the fall.

  9. Lisa at Greenbow

    Funny that you started with a daylily. It jogged my memory about a daylily that is blooming in my garden. This is the first time it has ever rebloomed. I think the weather confused it. You have lots still blooming. Happy GBBD.

  10. Pat

    Lisa – After more torrential rains last night and high winds we lost the autumnal color of the trees to a large extent. But the blooms continue. It hasn’t been that cold.

  11. Rose

    What a gorgeous tree! I think I have the same salvia–‘Victoria Blue’? It’s such a trooper: I plant it every year. We haven’t had a frost yet, nor have we had the rains you’ve had. But I think the end is near as temperatures are supposed to be much cooler this week. Enjoy the last of the season’s blooms.

  12. Pat

    Rose – I think that is Victoria Blue. I plant it every year around the Shed Bed.

  13. Scott Weber

    Lovely post…I just love that pot with the Corkscrew Sedge in it…such a distinctive plant!

  14. Corner Garden Sue

    I like that Grandpa Ott morning glory. I’ve never tried it. I don’t think I have a big enough spot for it, though. I think your love lies bleeding looks good for the size of pot it’s in.

  15. Leslie

    I’m so glad you have so many blooms still! Makes it a shorter haul till spring 🙂

  16. Pat

    Scott – Thanks for visiting and reminding me of the name of the Corkscrew sedge.

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