autumn – Fine for Friday

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!!

Autumn Colors 7 November 2025

As autumn’s first frost approaches, temperatures are set to drop, prompting preparation for tender plants. This week showcases peak fall colors, particularly from Hydrangea quercifolia and Vaccinium ashei. Observations include various blooms and wildlife. The writer looks forward to sharing more photos and encourages participation in the Six on Saturday community.

Our first frost of this autumn is coming. It is cooling today and tomorrow. By Sunday morning, the temp will hover near freezing. During Sunday, the cooler air will move in and the temp will drop another 7 or 8 degrees Fahrenheit. I have my tender container plants ready to be placed in shelter. The other container annuals will have to fare the best they can.

We are at our peak color this week. My photos today will reflect that. I hope some other blooms survive for next week. If so, I will have them for next week’s photos.

I will join the Six on Saturday crowd tomorrow. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Come join us and enjoy the photos.

The best color comes from the Hydrangea quercifolia. This is the ‘Snowflake’ hybrid famous in these parts. You can see some purple and green in the leaves and the bronze blooms which will persist all winter.

The Vaccinium ashei ‘Rabbiteye’ has beautiful red color. It is very distinctive as well as a heavy fruit producer this year.

The ‘Fuyu’ persimmon is visible throughout the protective fence which wards off the deer.

The Alabama croton shows its gold leaf here. This plant is an endemic.

This beautifully colored hardy mum is ‘Mrs. Gloria’s Thanksgiving Day’. I have forgotten the explanation for this name but it would be just as beautiful if I did. This is the best bloom so far for this plant.

The anole was sunning on the edge of a container which was recently emptied of its plant. It may be he was residing in it and now is in need of another home.

I hope you are enjoying the color of autumn if you are in the Northern Hemisphere. It is beautiful for us now. More rain is expected this weekend which is good news.

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!!

The Last Fall Colors

Frost is expected this coming week. There are still a few blooming plants but for the less hardy plants, the season is over. The garden needs the rest. It is the end of a glorious season. I am grateful.

The tender plants are placed in their shelter. The falling leaves are being chopped by the lawn mower and placed in the compost bin. The bulbs will be planted next week. The seeds for next season will soon be purchased. Holiday decorating is in progress. It is Thanksgiving this week.

This may be my last post for this year on the Six on Saturday group today. I will resume again when the spring blooms emerge in February. If you have time, come visit the group and see the posting of gardeners from around the world. If you wish, post to a blog or social media and leave a link. Here is the site hosted by Jim Stephens https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

I am featuring the persimmon again. It bore fruit this fall and is now bearing gorgeous leaf color.

The Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has a grand display of color as usual. The bloom heads certainly add to the display.

The indoor Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera sp) is blooming abundantly just in time for Thanksgiving. These blooms are a pink shade.

The two ferns (Dryopteris sp and Adiantum sp) have performed marvelously this fall after the intense summer heat passed. Sorry that the maidenhair photo didn’t turn out as well as it looked.

The hardy mum also wins a beauty contest this fall.

Happy gardening! To my American friends Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn Colors 2 Nov 2024

We had some rain overnight. Our first rain in 30 days. It was marvelous. My wife and I stood and looked out the window to bear witness to the phenomenon.

With the daylight diminishing and the temperatures gradually declining, I can now stop the need for watering. Thank goodness, since the expense is dreadful. There is still plenty of color since there is still no frost and none in the 10 day forecast.

Fall tasks continue. Tender plants are being moved to places of shelter. Decisions are being made on which ones will be protected. The bulbs have arrived but ground temperatures are still above recommended levels for planting.

I will be joining and posting on the Six On Saturday group tomorrow. Here is the link. Come and see or join us and post 6 of your own. https://gardenruminations.co.uk/

The dogwood is the adopted tree of my suburban city. This one is still hanging on. The majority, unforturnately have succumbed to the ravages of disease and insects.

This Purple Heart is showing pretty color for fall.

The sasanquas are abundant right now. They are beautiful until the Japonicas appear in December.

This ginger lily is thriving in full sun and in a well drained area.

I am showing this Alabama native because I so like the leaves that take on this copper color in the fall.

Last of my six is a Monarch butterfly on a zinnia. This is my first Monarch butterfly seen this year. They are migrating south and some will winter along the Gulf Coast of Alabama in the area of Fort Morgan. Another main route of migration is further south into northern Mexico. That group will overwinter there until February when the northern migration will begin again. It is a truly remarkable story.

Happy Gardening!

October Colors 26 Oct 2024

Frost is not expected for at least another 10 days. It has been dry and the skies have been so wonderfully clear. I stepped out to find bright or changing colors and discovered these for my six for this week.

Fall preparations continue. I have planted a few bulbs but most are waiting for ground temperatures to fall. My fall vegetable raised bed had been planted but it was decimated by a squirrel or some other digging creature. I had to bolster the wire fencing to fend off the rude intruder.

I am joining the SixOnSaturday group this morning. If you want to come and wander through the gardens of those sharing I am providing the link. We are hosted by Jim Stephens here https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

First, the pinks and reds. The Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutability) photo shows the stages of color change from white to pink. It later become red before it shrivels to the lavender ball and then drops off to the ground.

The E. purpurea continues to bloom although this one is a little ratty.

The shrub is a sweet spire (Itea Virginia) which produces striking red leaves.

Next are the yellows. The Rudbeckia hirta is “Indian summer” I believe. This cheery after a long season of blooming.

The triloba is a native which seems to be quite happy in this container.

The Zebra grass (Miscanthis sinensis) is newly planted this year. I have planted several clumping grasses in this area as a barrier from the nearby gutter. I am optimistic they will form a worthy grassy hedge.

Happy Gardening!

October Hunter Moon 18 Oct 2024

In these parts, first frost is from Nov 1 until Nov 15 according to the sources. We did have some temps in the 40’s this past week which is to be expected. I have been planning on moving tender plants where they will be sheltered when frost comes. I have also been cutting back spent stems and putting them into the compost bin. It has been dry so I have spending time watering perennials and shrubs.

Many plants have been rejuvenated by the autumn coolness and there are even some blooms to be seen in today’s selections. My bulbs arrived this week and I am waiting for the optimum time to plant them.

As per routine, I will be posting my blog with the Six on Saturday group. Come take a look over a cup of coffee and enjoy the gardens from many different parts of the world. It is easy to participate. Choose 6 recentish photos and link to your blog. The rules and website are here https://gardenruminations.co.uk. Jim Stephens is the host.

The bloomers today are a Confederate rose. This is also called Dixie Rosemallow. (Hibiscus mutability). The blooms begin white and may end the day as a reddish color. You can see a spent bloom in the background.

The Camellia sasanqua is a lavender like color as seen with small exquisite blooms. Sorry, name shall have to be anonymous.

The remaining photos are of various sedums which are all hardy in our climate. I have placed them in several non functioning garden fountains. The creeping Jenny makes a great “filler in containers”. I particularly like the Angelina and the Blue Spruce.

As always,

Happy Gardening.

October Moon 4 Oct 2024

At our latitude, the days are considerably shorter now. Sunrise is today at 644 and sunset at 628. There is less daylight to do gardening chores but the plants are definitely slowing down. This leads to more creativity in choosing items to photograph.

With so much less weeding and pruning, I have begun more planting and editing of the garden since we have several more weeks before frost. This is a good time to add new plants and shrubs the garden.

I hope to join the #SOS group tomorrow. I will be traveling to the Gulf Coast tomorrow for a week of change in latitude, change in attitude. I do intend to post my blog on the blog posted by Jim Stephens here https://gardenruminations.co.uk. If you have 6 photos to share from your blog or file, join us there. The rules will be posted to get you started.

The little yellow is a new butterfly to my garden. He was frantically looking for nectar and he was not easy to photo capture.

The mantis was very easy to overlook since he looked like a bit of plant debris caught in a spider web. He did not move and allowed me to close in to get the shot.

The ginger lilies are a wonderful late fall bloomer. I don’t have the specifics on this one since it was a gift from a neighbor.

The Tick Trefoil in included since it has a pretty pea shaped flower which I have not seen before. This may be its only saving grace. This plant is native and grows best in disturbed soil. I know it particularly since the seed pod sticks to your socks and pants and can be a real nuisance. It is commonly called beggar tick.

The blue ageratum is a beautiful color and adds such a soft presence in the landscape this time of year.

The Alabama croton is a native but grows nicely in my garden under some towering crape myrtles. It is beginning its fall display which was very striking last year.

I will be taking a break next week. Happy Gardening!