Gardens – Page 2 – Fine for Friday

Late Winter 6Feb2026

The winter season has been much colder than usual here in Central Alabamal. Since there has been such cold, I have not posted in several weeks.

We are coming through 12 days with frost but the forecast is for much milder weather next week. Rambling through the garden today, there is much more interesting photos for posting. Here we go.

The Camellia japonica was bravely blooming before the cold spell. You can see the effect of temps well below freezing. Some neighbors made a valiant effort to cover their camellias with various covers and blankets but to no avail.

The oak leaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) is showing signs of budding today. If you look really hard, you will see them. Mostly, you will see the pretty winter color of this delightful native shrub.

The limelight hydrangea (H. paniculata) is in winter mode with the persistent panicles but its buds are also beginning to swell. Once I see the buds, I plan to harvest the limbs for propagating and then I will prune these shrubs back to 18 inches or so.

The Hellebore to the left is in a protected shady spot and is blooming magnificently. Soon, its brethren in less sheltered spots will be blooming also. That is my hope.

The Hellebore ‘Fire and Ice’ has been blooming for several weeks now. It seems to be a sterile hybrid.

The Salix species is beginning to open nicely. I purchased two one gallon pots of this species last year. These remind me of the Polish legend I heard in my youth. The mother cat was crying for her kittens that fell into the water while chasing butterflies. The willow branches bent their branches into the water to rescue them. In spring, the trees sprouted soft, fur-like buds where the kittens clung.

I hope to join Six on Saturday in the morning. Come join other gardeners showing their six current photos. Follow the rules and post your own. Here is the site hosted by Jim Stephens. https://gardenruminations.co.uk/2022/11/05/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Happy Gardening.!!

Autumn Colors 21 Nov 2025

The leaves are falling rapidly. Soon the tall tree canopy will be bare. I am gathering up the leaves and they will be composted with the perennials that have finished blooming. Of course, I am leaving enough leaves under trees and shrubs for the insect life, birds and other critters that use it as habitat.

We are expecting some rain this week so I have been busy with the tidy up phase of the garden. The perennials are cut back and the lawn has finally stopped growing. We do have some mole infestation to manage but that treatment is also done. I hope it works because the “tunnels” are unsightly and annoying to walk on.

I will join Six on Saturday tomorrow. I am eager to see the preparation of the bloggers there. Join us and see. The link is https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The Hydrangeas are outstanding this week. I have shown these two before but this look is so beautiful that I thought I would bring them back for an encore.

The native azalea caught me off guard. A bloom was not expected until April but the spell of warmer weather brought it out.

The paperbush (Edgeworthia) is turning leaves and forming blooms at the same time.

Purple Heart (Tradescantia) is also blooming out of season. I do not mind. I enjoy the extra bit of color.

I have show the Dogwood (Cornus florida) recently but once more this is an exceptional amount of red color.

Hope you are enjoying the season. Next week is Thanksgiving in the USA. It will be a busy week at my house. I may not be posting.

Happy Gardening!

Autumn Colors 14 Nov 2025

We had frost 2 nights this week. It was a light touch so only a few very tender plants are done for the season. We are in a stretch of warm days and cool nights so the autumn color will persist for at least the next 10 days.

This week the feature is the Camellia sasanquas. They have emerged this week and they are stunning. The dogwood is in beautiful color as are the hydrangeas.

We are dry again but rain is expected in a few days. We will soon enter the rainy season. I have stopped irrigating and I am focusing watering on bulbs and winter pansies that I planted this week.

I will join the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. Come take a look and see. The link is https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Our capable host is Jim Stephens.

Sorry on naming. I seem to have lost the names on these two Camellia sasanquas. They are beautiful just the same.

The Ruby Slippers has a hint of color and I love the leaf shape. It shows no leaf damage from the frost.

The Limelight continues to have well structured panicles and still some of the lime color in the leaves.

The dogwood is showing gorgeous leaf color. It has not born fruit so it lacks the bright red fruit color.

The surprise is the resiliency of the Purple coneflower. It is truly a hardy native plant.

I hope you are enjoying the seasons changing where you are. Happy gardening!!

Bright October Fall Flowers 24 October 2025

As winter approaches, shorter, sunny days and cooler nights benefit plants by reducing watering needs. Gardening tasks have been completed more efficiently, including propagating perennials and preparing tender plants for winter. Notable plants include Swamp Sunflowers, Brown Eyed Susans, Hardy Mums, and Zinnias, which attract migrating monarch butterflies. Happy Gardening!

The sunny days are continuing to shorten as we approach the winter solstice. Dry conditions prevail but since the nights are much cooler the plants need less water so they are actually faring much better.

I have been able to complete many more gardening tasks once the watering is done each day. It takes a lot less time to water. I have been busy propagating some perennials, removing annuals as the time of frost approaches and preparing the tender plants that will be moved to places of shelter.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday crowd this week. Look for us here at this link https://gardenruminations.co.uk

This helianthus is spectacular this fall after looking quite puny in the heat of August and September.

The Rudbeckia is a winner. I will be looking for more locations for this celebrity.

This mum is ‘Peachy Pink’ I think. It is putting on quite a show in the bright sunlight.

The Roselle is also a winner for me. It is annual so I will log it as a must seed start for next year.

The zinnias are such a pleaser and not just for me. The monarch butterflies have arrived on their journey south to the Gulf Coast and Mexico. They are seen here frequently.

The Confederate Rose is Hibiscus mutabilis. The blooms turn from white to pink. It indicates to pollinators that this flower has been pollinated so move on.

I hope you are enjoying mild weather that lets you enjoy your garden.

Happy Gardening!!

Bright Fall Flowers 3 October 2025

The October weather features blue skies and cool mornings, aiding garden work. Fall flowers are blooming, including swamp sunflowers and toad lilies, drawing bees and butterflies. The fragrant tea olive is a highlight. The author shares their gardening experiences and plans to post on the Six on Saturday group. Happy gardening!

The October skies are blue. I expect that this time of year. The morning temperatures are cool. I am grateful for that. The garden continues to produce bright fall flowers. I am grateful for that too.

Garden work is so much easier in these temps. It is still dry so a lot of work is being done. The butterflies are still abundant and the hummingbirds are still with us.

I hope you enjoy today’s photos. I will be joining the Six on Saturday group tomorrow and posting my blog there. Come look if you are curious. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The swamp sunflowers are finally blooming. These blooms are bright yellow atop this 6 foot stem. The bottom leaves have browned as a result of the low rainfall.

The Solidago is attracting bees as you can see. The yellow is very intense.

The toad lily opened its blooms this week. There are several dozen blooms on this plant. The rest of the year it is nondescript. It does well is this part shade area of the garden.

The tea olive is very fragrant. In fact, I can smell it on the other side of the house from which it is located. It is a very pleasant fragrance.

I caught this swallowtail cat eating my parsley. This parsley is almost spent for the year so I was not unhappy about it.

The hydrangea is one of three that I bought last month at the Birmingham Botanical Garden Fall Plant Sale. This cultivar is in the Endless Summer series which blooms on this years growth and blooms for months. I will keep my I on it.

Hope your weather is favorable for gardening.

Happy Gardening!!

6 Drought Survivors 26 Sept 2025

Recent rains ended the drought, providing relief to plants and creating ideal conditions for growth. The author shares six flourishing garden photos, including cosmos, foxglove, echinacea, roselle, goldenrod, and ageratum. They invite readers to join the “Six on Saturday” group for further garden sharing and appreciation. Happy gardening!

The drought broke here yesterday. Two inches of rain blessed us yesterday. I could almost hear a collective sigh of relief from the plants in my yard. With the rain, the temperatures have fallen. Conditions are now ripe for a “green revival”.

I am showing 6 photos from those that have fared the best in the recent 30 days of heat and drought. Mercifully, we have returned to normal growing weather.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday group in the morning. The group will be posting 6 photos from their own gardens. Come join us. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk. We are ably hosted by Jim Stephens.

This sprightly, perky cosmos is from the seed packet sent from Susan B. Komen. This is the breast cancer support foundation. I like the pink edging on the petals.

This foxglove was a surprise in my windowbox this week. I did not plant it. My explanation is that I put in some compost from my own pile earlier this spring. I last had foxglove several years ago and composted the spent plants.

My purple coneflowers have long been through blooming. I don’t dead them until the goldfinches have finished feasting on the seeds. They have but this remnant was still beautiful.

The Roselle is new to me. It have performed beautifully this late summer and fall. As you can see, this plant is a hibiscus. This one is H. sabdariffa. The red calyces can be used for jellies, teas and sauces similar to cranberries.

The goldenrod (Solidago altissima) started blooming this week. I do not cultivate these since they proliferate on their own. The photo does not quite capture the intense yellow color of these blooms.

The blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) is a native here in Alabama and as you can see, it is a pollinator favorite.

Hope you are enjoying good gardening weather as the seasons change. Happy gardening!!

Fall Bloomers in the Heat and the Drought 19 Sept 2025

It’s hot again. It’s dry. Very dry. It’s a test to see which plants do well in these conditions. I have no butterflies or insects to show you today. The butterflies are there in abundance except for the Monarchs. They are said to be migrating south but I have seen none in my yard.

I am spending most of my time watering and removing dried up leaves. I have some shrubs that I bought at the Fall Plant Sale at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens but I am not yet ready to plant them.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. Come join us. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The azalea is in it third blooming for the year. It is a magnificent color.

The Physostegia is also in its glamour. It is slowly spreading but it is definitely controllable. A good friend characterizes it as ‘Disobedient Plant’.

The Gaura has appeared. I had two but the other has completely disappeared. This is a crowded corner of the garden with rudbeckia, Shasta daisies and obedient plant being very competitive.

The Lycoris has also appeared. It is commonly called surprise lily which is an appropriate name. It completely dies back and shows no trace until a week before it blooms.

I have shown these two recently but in the morning light they really caught my eye.

The Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is in a concrete container which really shows it off.

The limelight hydrangea is now 8 feet high and the mophead panicles are turning green and bronze. It is by far my favorite hydrangea.

Happy Gardening to all!!

Plants that bloom well in fall 12 Sept 2025

The summer blooms are dwindling, but some plants remain vibrant. Hot, dry conditions require daily watering, especially for newly planted shrubs. The Clethra alnifolia and Euonymous americanus are highlighted as native species benefiting from increased sunlight after the removal of a dogwood. Butterflies thrive, and a Mediterranean Gecko is residing in the mailbox.

The best of my summer bloomers are exhausted. There are some that are still blooming. There is some other colors that are from seed structures.

It is hot and dry now. I have needed to water sufficiently to keep plants from becoming crispy. I have planted some small shrubs this month and I am busy watering them daily.

I hope to join the Six On Saturday group in the morning. If you are curious, here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

On the left is the Clethra alnifolia or Sweet Pepperbush. It is a North American native which tends to sucker forming clumps which have fragrant little flowers attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. This plant was shaded by a dogwood (Cornus florida) which I had to cut down recently since it was a casualty of dogwood borer.

On the right is Euonymous americanus or Strawberry bush. The fruit has this cracked open look so that another common name is ‘Hearts a’busting’. This native North American shrub will also benefit from more sun after the removal of the dogwood.

This coleus is self seeded from last years parent which was grown from seed. It is crowding a Dragon Wing Begonia in a small container. Since both are thriving, I will enjoy the combination.

The Rudbeckia triloba or Brown Eyed Susan is another North American native which is doing very well in the garden. It is acting as a tender perennial and it is tolerating the heat and drought extremely well. It will be used in more locations in my garden.

The gulf fritillary has thrived in my garden this summer. They are by far the most abundant butterflies. They have passionflowers as a host plant of which there are plenty in my yard. This one is nectarine on a golden buddleia.

I have mentioned the lizard in my mailbox which is located at the street. The mailbox is covered with a Sweet Summer Clematis. Here is a close up. The iNaturalist app identifies it as a Mediterranean Gecko. Hmm. It seems quite happy and harmless so it is being allowed to continue squatting.

Wishing you Happy Gardening!

6 Plants for Early Fall Color 29 Aug 2025

The Great Pollinator Southeast Census was a success. I completed my 15 minute observation period and submitted my results. I have not yet seen an analysis but I am hoping that participation has climbed and that the census shows improving numbers of pollinators.

I am happy about the approach of fall. Today, my photos have glimpses of fall color. Our temps are noticeably cooler so I am accomplishing many more outside tasks. A little more rain would be appreciated.

I will join the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. If you think about it, come join us. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk

This liriope always catches my eye in the fall. The lavender colored flowers are so attractive. It clumps beautifully and looks so fresh after a morning rain.

The beauty berry (Callicarpa Americana) began to show the purple berries. This large shrubby plant is a native here and reseeds very nicely. There is a cultivar that I have which has white berries.

This Cornus florida has begun to change leaf color. It is a cultivar which is expected to have pink spring blooms. It has not yet done so but maybe next year. For now, I find the leaves to be very attractive.

The coral honeysuckle is blooming again this month after having put on a good display this spring. It is a very pleasing color. The plant is a vigorous grower so I have had to prune it.

The clematis grows around my mailbox. It just began blooming this week and does have a sweet fragrance. I have mentioned the Anole lizard which lives in my mailbox and frequents the clematis vine. He is just as cute as the Geico lizard.

The lily is new to my garden this year. I successfully grew 4 plants from seed purchased from Monticello. Monticello, located in Virginia, was the home place of Thomas Jefferson. He was quite a gardener in addition to his many other achievements.

I hope you are enjoying this most beautiful time of year. Happy Gardening!!

6 Great Pollinator Plants 22 Aug 2025

Today is Day 1 of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. It’s a simple task. You spend 15 minutes counting the pollinators seen of a particular pollinator. In my case, I was watching a zinnia and lantana combination. You use the dedicated website to upload your observations. This can be repeated as often as you like. This was originally a project in the adjoining state of Georgia but this year my state of Alabama is included. The website is https://gsepc.org

I submitted my observations but took 6 photos at the same time for today’s blog. Of course, it is zinnia and lantana. It is a departure from the norm, but I know you will appreciate the photos.

I will be posting them on the Six on Saturday blog tomorrow. https://gardenruminations.co.uk . Look for the group on that site hosted by Jim Stephens.

My zinnias have been magnificent this year and here is a swallowtail enjoying them.

Next, is a ‘fuzzy butt’ bumblebee on a small white zinnia.

This gulf fritillary is on the ‘Miss Huff’ lantana.

The cloudless sulphur is on another simple zinnia with wonderful color.

The ‘shiny hiney’ carpenter bee is on a chaste tree ‘Vitex agnus-castus’

Hope you have as many pollinators in your gardens as I have in mine this year.

Happy gardening!