Even though we have had a dry month, the colors this week have been magnificent. There is a forecast for rain this weekend which will knock a lot of leaves down so this week my be the maximum for color.
The grass is still showing some color but the growth is slowing. There are still some blooms appearing to delight and surprise.
Here is this week’s efforts.
First is this patch of mums growing along the busy street. Sunlight here is mostly afternoon so the stems stretch in that direction. I do not know the name. These are transplants from a volunteer patch.
Next is the magnificent shades of a sweetspire (Itea virginica). This is an Alabama native.
Next is a cultivar of a camellia. These are Camellia sasanqua. It just started blooming this week. It is a beautiful fall blooming plant. It is covered in blooms. It is usually smaller than its relative Camellia japonica which will bloom in winter.
Next is the Sedum “Autumn Joy”. It is doing very well in a container that gets plenty of shade. The blooms are now in the brown phase as they decline but this is their prettiest phase.
Next, is the Rudbeckia hirta “Indian Summer” around the flagpole with the border of alyssum. They are beginning to show a little end of season fatigue. These have been prolific bloomers all summer and attract the pollinators.
Last but not least is my best photo of the week. This was shot at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. This Acer rubra (red maple) is really showing out.
As winter approaches with its drabness and wetness, it is such a joy to experience these displays of color in the landscape.
If you have a chance, venture to Garden Ruminations where Jim Stephens is not hosting Six on Saturday.
Happy gardening.