autumn – Page 2 – Fine for Friday

Fall Week One 27 Sept 2024

The news today is focused on Hurricane Helene and the devastation in north Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. It is a very sad day there for so many. Reports this morning indicated that 3.5 million were without power. Some would be without power for several days. Flooding was reported in north Georgia and the Carolinas.

My location is about 100 miles from the eye of the storm as it passed to the east of us. We have some breezy conditions today but the sun has come out and it is beautiful.

The fall garden is beautiful. The milder temps are bringing much needed relief. It is showing up with a fall outburst of bloomers. The pollinators are out in force.

I will be joining the #SixonSaturday crowd tomorrow. If you would like to join us, take 6 photos and post them on a blog or file. All you need to know is found on this link hosted by Jim Stephens. https://gardenruminations.co.uk

The goldenrod is a signature of the fall and it is just beginning this week.

I have posted the Autumn Joy in the last few weeks but this one is definitely at its peak.

The sasanqua camellia is early this year. It is so colorful that it overwhelmed the processor in the camera.

The pollinators were out in force this morning.

The painted lady is a newcomer to my garden and it is very welcome.

The gulf fritillary loves the lantana. They are my most visible and abundant pollinator.

The carpenter bee was motionless when I took this shot. It was waiting to warm up begin its day.

Happy Gardening!

The Promise of Late Fall 15 Dec 2023

I have been dreading the dull, wetness of the approaching winter. In fact, this week, I thought that I might take the week off from Six on Saturday. I was better motivated today and I resolved to find some worthy snaps for the blog.

To delight, it was a sunny and pleasant day. There were plenty of photo opportunities and I am including 6 of those that inspired me.

If you are new here, we post on SixOnSaturday. I will give you the link shortly. It is hosted by Jim Stephens and there are always beautiful photos. Take the time to visit. The link is here https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The Columbine has appeared. I think it may be A. canadensis which will be a beautiful pink. In my youth, we called it honeysuckle and we would bite off the little tips for the nectar.

The paper bush has steadily healed all summer from last December’s icy insult and is getting ready for next month’ display. It has a wonderful fragrance and an eye catching architecture.

The fig did not bear fruit last summer. This new sprout is making me hope for a crop of figs. If not for me, perhaps the birds and squirrels can enjoy some.

Camellia japonica “Prof Charles Sargent “

The japonica is showing signs of recovery from the disastrous cold of last December. This camellia has been in the garden since 1980.

The osmanthus is also slowly recovering. I have pruned it gently all summer and fall removing the twigs that are dried out. It shows evidence of new growth and I am optimistic for its future.

The hardy mum is a new transplant which I featured a few weeks ago. I am reposting it today because of its little pollinator visitor with the comical name. I came across this on iNaturalist and I am pleased to share it.

I cannot say that I will post next week but I do send you Greetings and Hope for a Joyful New Year.

Happy Gardening.

Late Fall Colors 8 Dec 2023

The weather is mild enough that blooms continue to appear. Most of the leaves have fallen from the trees but there is plenty of color in the shrubs. The garden tasks still are mainly trimming perennial stalks, raking leaves and other general clean up duties.

I still have colorful photos to show you. If you are interested come join us tomorrow morning for #Six on Saturday. This is able hosted by Jim Stephens. Here is the link if you need it. https://gardenruminations.co.uk

So, come along as we tour the garden.

These large hickory nuts are shellback I believe. They are golf ball size and they do cause some pain if it falls on you while you are in the yard.

The azalea leaves had such an usual bronze color. I had to photo this and I want you to notice the bloom bud beginning to form.

The oak leaf hydrangea has such a wonderful late fall display which will continue throughout the winter.

This garden nymph is how I feel about garden problems. Inexperienced but thoughtful.

The obedient plant seems to be on the final rung of blooms. The seed pods are still attracting birds.

The roof lily has been a complete surprise with this late bloom. It is certainly a pleasure to see.

We expect some rain this weekend. That should bring down the majority of the leaves. We have no frost in the forecast so I may have more blooms to show you next week.

Until then, Happy Gardening!!

Winter is Approaching 1 Dec 2023

The calendar turned over to December and Christmas is approaching. Things are very slow moving in the garden. I searched for photo worthy plants today and I had a lot of success.

Here in the American South we don’t expect snow or deep freeze temperatures. We may have a light frost every week or two but it is still a good time of year to plant trees, shrubs and even some perennials if we are forecast to have above freezing weather for a week or 10 days. We can do that because the ground temperature will remain above freezing and plant roots will be undamaged.

Here is my six for this week. Perhaps, you would like to join our group tomorrow. It is Six on Saturday which is hosted by Jim Stephens. It is a group of gardeners from around the world posting 6 photos for the week. If you enjoy gardening, come visit. The link is https://gardenruminations.co.uk/.

I keep the begonia ready to return to the cold frame if the temperatures dip. In the spring, I will take cuttings to propagate new plants and use them to fill my window boxes until the next fall. This has successfully worked with this begonia cultivar and pelargonium/geraniums for 3 years now.

The succulent is perhaps a “panda”. It tolerates some light frost. It is near the front door and I can move it in if there are very cool nights.

The larkspur is a perennial that I purchased recently and it will be planted in the garden come spring. At the moment, it resides on the front stoop where it is protected from wind and heavy rain.

The pansy is a frequent selection for fall planting in our region. They do not like temps above 80F but they will tolerate a moderate frost. I do like their cheery faces. I have grown some from seed in the past but it is so much easier to choose from the many varieties at the local nursery. These populate my window boxes until it’s time to replace them with the dragon wing begonias in the spring.

The dogwood has such lovely leaf color and seed pod. This photo captures it for you. The dogwoods are disappearing from our landscape. They have been devastated by a dogwood borer.

I was gifted the cleome seeds back in the spring. The seeds did not germinate for me in the pots that I had filled with potting soil. I didn’t give up on them and they began appearing 2 weeks ago. I potted them up today. I will keep them under grow lights until they are large enough to take them outdoors. They will remain in the pots until spring planting with protection in the cold frame if there is freezing temps.

So, there is still a lot happening in the garden.

Happy gardening!!

Fall Colors Continue 17 Nov 2023

Thanks for dropping by again. I still have some blooms to show you. Next week is Thanksgiving in the US and there will not be a post.

Visit our SixonSaturday group in the morning. Gardeners from around the world will post 6 shots from this week. It is always wonderful to see the variety and the color.

The beautiful fall weather is continuing. We are forecast for rain Monday of next week and we had some this past week. This is definitely needed and has prolonged the blooming plants.

Here are my six for this week.

The geranium which is really a Pelargonium sp began blooming when the fall temperatures arrived. It is listed as an annual but I have been successful with this type keeping them in my cold frame. It is a subtle color but very refreshing looking.

This mum was acquired in September and soon after planting the 3 that I purchased the tops were eaten by the local deer. I don’t think they liked the taste since they have not returned to finish eating the rest of the plant. This past week I saw that one of them had begun blooming. It is a beauty. It is tall and not prostrate like the other mums I have.

The camellia sasanqua (cultivar unknown) is blooming spectularly. It was hard hit by the hard freeze from last December but it seems to have recovered very nicely.

This is another Pelargonium that I have successfully overwintered in the cold frame. This is its 3rd season. I have used stem cuttings to propagate several of these in terra cotta containers. They seem to really like that.

This is the third year for the Poinsettia that I originally bought from a nursery for the holidays. They seem to thrive in the heat of the summer. I keep them out of the direct sun. In September, I put them in deeper shade and now I see the red bracts.

The tall ginger lily (Hedychium sp) bloomed this month. It has a pleasant fragrance. This is a second season for these which I acquired from a friend. It is beside a fountain and must benefit from the occasional splash and higher humidity.

Thank you again for stopping by.

Happy gardening!!

More Fall Colors 10 Nov 2023

After a very dry fall up until now, the forecast is for a typical November rainy period for the next 10 days. That is refreshing since the ground has been parched and the plants show signs of drought stress. Maybe, it will soon be time to plant bulbs and move some plants. Despite all this there are still plants that show plenty of color. There is no frost in the forecast so this should continue for the foreseeable future.

I love this time of year in the American South. The moderate temperatures make the outdoors so pleasant. It is cool enough for a sweater or jacket in the morning but that needs to be shed by mid-day. The garden work is easier since there are much less weeds and the bugs are minimal.

So let’s walk and look at the colors that I lured you with. I know you will enjoy the colors.

Perhaps, you would like to join us tomorrow morning with our Six on Saturday group hosted by Jim Stephens. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk

The ageratum came as a surprise. I have a large container filled with sedum and Mexican petunias. I do not how the ageratum arrived there but it is a keeper.

The azalea was a solid pink color at its last bloom in the summer. Now, many of the blooms have this white variegation. I will have to keep an eye on this.

The coneflower began blooming in April and it is still blooming. It has self seeded in several locations in the garden over the last few years.

The Croton alabamensis is now flashing its beautiful fall foliage. It is a small shrub and has managed to reseed itself in a few locations near the original plant. I have been able to replant these seedlings in other locations in the yard.

The Shasta daisies stopped blooming several weeks ago but this straggler appeared this week.

The Virginia creeper is an annoying vine most of the time. Here is it in its fall finest. I cannot be annoyed with such a display.

Hope you enjoyed your visit.

Happy gardening!

The Colors of Late Fall 3 Nov 2023

It may be November and there may have been a touch of frost but the autumn colors are persisting. The usual late autumn and fall rains have not yet arrived. In fact, you could describe a lot of leaf foliage as crispy.

I helped harvest some fall vegetables for a friend and I was out at the Corner Garden this morning. I was surprised by how many blooms that I saw.

Come visit with me as we explore what I saw. If you are interested, come join the group of gardeners from around the world who post on Saturday mornings under the meme #SixonSaturday. Our host is Jim Stephens and you can find the link here https://gardenruminations.co.uk/.

By the way, Junior is unavailable this morning as I took the photos. It seems his curiosity is leading him to seek for some of the other creatures that inhabit the yard.

The sweet potato harvest was poor this year. The drought affected the growth and my friend was unable to water as much as usual. The voles were active and I am not showing the other half of the crop damaged by them. You did know that the sweet potato is a member of the morning glory family so this is really a blooming plant.

The Rudbeckia has not given up blooming. Rosette formation is progressing nicely so I suspect most of these perennials will persist into next year.

Callicarpa americana continues to display the purple berries. The birds do not seem to like them much. I am told that Northern cardinal and Towhees will eat them.

I have misplaced the name of the Camellia cultivar. It is just beginning to bloom and is a delightful shape and color.

Here is the Hydrangea producing its fall and winter glory.

The paper bush is an architecturally unique shrub. The arching branches are so noticeable in the winter. It is now putting out its central flower buds which will open in January with their golden throats.

I hope you find that to be peaceful. The fall coolness is refreshing, isn’t it!

Happy Gardening!!

Fall Color Continues 27 Oct 2023

Halloween is just a few days away and the color of that season is orange. It is visible in the neighborhood in great abundance. To me, that is not the most attractive color of autumn. I prefer the yellows, golds and reds. There are still some blooms in the garden but the most spectacular item this week is the autumn leaf color.

We are in a dry spell but that is our usual October condition. I have been doing some watering but mostly for those plants in their first year.

Come and let us visit my garden and let’s enjoy the beautiful colors. If you would like, come back tomorrow and visit the Six on Saturday gang. It is hosted by Jim Stephens. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk. Gardeners from around the world from Finland to New Zealand post photos from their gardens. It is a great experience.

Here is my six for this week.

The first leaf color is from the PawPaw (Asimina triloba). No fruit from this native this year but it is less than 5 years old.

The Japanese persimmon (Fuyu) is also but 5 years old. It started out with many fruit this spring but dropped them all. I am hopeful.

The third is Cerca canadensis (Red bud). It is notable for the small pink blooms in early spring but it is less appreciated for the golden, cordate leaves of the fall.

The hardy mums are beautiful this fall. They are slowly creeping outward since being planted 3 years ago. They really put on a good show.

This is the knockout rose. This Rosa “Knockout” has bloomed continuously since late February after pruning. It has more flower power than any other plant in the garden.

This gulf fritillary is enjoying the nectar from the lantana “Miss Huff”. This plant is shrub sized and has bloomed continuously since mid Spring. It will die back after frost but returns more vigorous than ever in the spring.

One last thing before I go, I want to introduce you to “Junior”. He is feral but he seems to enjoy my company as long as I remain at a safe distance. He is being well fed by feline fanciers in the neighborhood. He patrols my yard and so far, he has not been observed having any of the homicidal behavior for which his like have been accused.

Happy Gardening!!

Fall Color 19 Oct 2023

The color of summer bloomers has definitely faded. The garden is being cleared of spent summer plants. Plans are being made for next year’s plantings.

The good news is that there is still abundant fall color to replace it.

Come join me as we stroll through the garden and survey the fall scenes.

The sunflower is either maximiliani or augustifolius. Whichever it is, it is magnificent this year. The stems are over 6 feet tall. I have been told to chop them back in midsummer next year which will promote branching and more abundant flowering.

The goldenrod is adjacent to the sunflower as you can see and this native has also been very prolific this year.

These two plants have been rejuvenated with relief from the summer heat. The heucherella does well in a container and the Turk’s cap has tall stems that “flop” but can be easily supported. I added in the fruit of the Turk’s cap because it is so colorful.

I am flagrantly breaking the rules and including these three other photos. The Salvia is such a tough plant. It keeps blooming througout the summer and it is putting on a good show this fall. I recently purchased another variety with white blooms.

I added the other two succulents which are winter hardy for us here in Zone 8A. They are also rejuvenated by the milder autumn temps. I have added the names but I stand to be corrected if anyone is more expert than me in the correct nomenclature.

Thank you for joining me as we surveyed the garden. It is a pleasure to share it with you. If you like, you might enjoy coming to join our Six on Saturday group. We are a group of gardeners from around the world who share on the site hosted by Jim Stephens. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/.

In the meantime, Happy Gardening!

Fall 13 October 2023

Fall color is now dominating the landscape. Beautiful yellows, golds and reds are enhanced by the softer light of the fall sun. We had rain yesterday which was welcome.

There are no new blooming plants to show you but I have selected some plants that usually are in the background.

Let’s take a stroll and let me show you what I had in mind to show you.

The heuchera is doing very well in a container in my Shade Garden. It was a little slow to respond this spring but it is stepping out in the fall weather.

The Siebold’s fern is unusual and mysterious looking. It lurks near the back step which leads into the Shade Garden.

The Holly fern is a new addition. Its name suggests it is related to spiders. It doesn’t suggest that to me. I like the glossy finish and yellow spine of the leaves.

The brown eyed Susan has been a wonderful addition to the yard. It is drought tolerant and thrives in full sun and part shade. It is one of the few producing new blooms.

The dahlia is the same. It is still producing a few blooms and seems quite happy.

I found the ragweed in my yard and at first I did not recognize it. It grows well at the same time as golden rod. It is abundant this year and if you are a hay fever sufferer, it is a real aggravation. I was surprised when I researched it to find its misleading scientific name.

It was a treat to find these photos for you. I hope you enjoyed them.

If you like browsing gardens, come join us tomorrow as fellow gardeners post their photos online. It is called Six on Saturday. This can be found at this site which is hosted by Jim Stephens.

https://gardenruminations.co.uk/

Happy Gardening!!