fall – Fine for Friday

Fall is Here 29 Sept 2023

The thrill of the garden all summer has been the appearance of colorful flowers ever growing larger and brighter. The buzz of insects and the erratic flight of butterflies was the other most notable experience.

Now the summer colors are less vibrant. The sounds of insects are less noticeable. Different colors and hues are appearing.

The air is clear. The days are shortening and the calendar confirms it is now Fall. It is time to look for other features that signal this change.

Come lets stroll along the garden paths and glimpse the change for ourselves.

The goldenrod began to bloom this week. The tall waving stems of solidago are streaking the green with yellow stripes. The allergen laden ragweed must be closely.

The Brown eyed Susan began to bloom this month. The bright yellow is the main color of the garden.

The Holly Fern is beginning to have a tint of yellow.

I noticed this Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum sp) which is now much more evident as its neighbor’s become less gaudy.

The croton is beginning to take on its golden hue. You can still notice the silver underlay which flashes as the wind blows.

The dogwood is flashing red now and you can just see the appearance of the seed. Alas, this native small tree which is a stunning herald of the coming of spring with its abundant white blossoms is in danger of extinction. The primary cause is the dogwood blight.

Thanks for joining me on my stroll. The end of summer and its flashy color is being replaced by the quieter but welcome appearance of the subtler shades of fall.

Join us for SixonSaturday hosted by Jim Stephens. Link is here https://gardenruminations.co.uk

Happy gardening!

Frost 18 Nov 2022

In our part of the American South the first frost date averages November 15. It is 26 F this morning, so we are on schedule. The air is crisp and clear with a forecast for a bright sunny day. On this type of days, the light is so bright that it becomes a little difficult to see.

Garden tasks will be delayed today but they are few. In fact, the most important task will be to check the LED lights for our outdoor Christmas decoration.

However, I have still been able to find some colorful items to show you.

First, here is a blue ageratum or mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). It is perennial with striking lime green foliage and the misty blooms that have been there for weeks now.

Second is a kerria bush (Kerria japonica). It had stopped blooming but I found this bloom down low in a protected area. It mostly blooms in the spring but sporadically there have been blooms all summer long and now well into fall.

Third, I have a photo of the pansies I planted as a fall/winter annual. They do so well in windowboxes and containers on the patio or deck. This cultivar is in the Matrix series. They are able to tolerate cold down into the low 20’s. The bright faces are much appreciated in the cold mornings we will experience the next few months.

Fourth is a rhododendron that I found 2 days ago with a well developed bud. It looks well wrapped to bear the cold. Anticipate this will be glorious in the spring.

Fifth is a Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). It is a native. The name derives from the frond leaves which resemble hanging Christmas stockings. I will leave that to your imagination.

Sixth is an indoor plant but I keep them outdoors during the warm months. It is a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). It is a succulent which is very easy to propagate. It is sometimes called a Thanksgiving cactus which seems more appropriate at this time of year.

Be sure to follow Jim Stephens at Garden Ruminations

He is hosting the Six on Saturday group. There is an abundance of great photos and dialog there.

Happy Gardening!

Fall Colors 11 Nov 2022

The garden is continuing to ebb as the temperatures slowly decline. It is a slow march into winter but this past week, the colors of the changing leaves have been unmatched. It is made ever more noticeable because of the clear blue skies and the dry weather.

In addition to the leaves, I still have some persistent blooming flowers to show you.

Chestnut Oak (Quercus montana). This tree stands near the Mens Garden along the side of the elevated roadway. Last year, I found some acorns underneath it that were sprouting. I took them home and I now have a chestnut oak in my own yard.

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). This native shrub provides four season attraction. The red fall coloration is beautiful. This particular shrub is at the edge of a small woodland and really stands out since it is south facing.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). This dogwood was planted several years ago and has taken some time to be established. It performed well this year so I am expecting to see it bloom this spring.

Sweetspire (Itea virginica) This small shrub is another Alabama native which performs so well. It has thrived in this location also on the south facing side of a small woodland. It should also bloom well in the spring with its characteristic tassel.

Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana). This native established itself near the fountain of the Mens Garden. It is a fall bloomer and really shows out.

Red mulberry (Morus rubra). This is a well established tree, along the east facing side of my property line, which bears a lot of fruit in the spring. If you want some of the berries, you have to beat the squirrels and the birds to it since they really love them

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum). I planted two of these trees along my property line 40 years ago. Each year I think they will show the rainbow of colors characteristic of this tree but each year it produces this brilliant gold.

Zinnias. These zinnias haven’t given up. I am still seeing Monarchs, Gulf fritillaries and Clouded sulphurs coming for nectar.

Well, that’s my lot for this week. I enjoy this exercise of finding six photos (more or less) to keep up to date with the happenings in my garden world. If it brings you pleasure to view them, then my job is doubly fulfilled.

Check out Jim Stephens Garden Ruminations. He is hosting Six on Saturday where you can view gardeners from around the world who share in this exercise.

More Fall Colors 6 Oct 2022

Our weather continues to be dry. Hurricane Ian passed well to our east and delivered no rain to us here in Central Alabama. There is a chance for rain in the middle of next week. On the other hand, the temps are slowly declining and there is only a very mild wind. Nevertheless, watering is in order.

I am enjoying the fall colors and I have some photos to show you of them. I also want to show the progress of my fall garden.

First, here is a beautiful goldenrod that appeared in my perennial bed.

Next is a Max Sunflower or Helianthus maximiliani. It is also called Michaelmas daisy. It is a native. It is about 6 feet tall and has just started blooming.

I have a vine to show. I planted it last year and I thought it didn’t make it through the winter. I found it growing and I hope it begins to climb the nearby oak tree. It is a Dutchman’s pipe and is the host plant for the Pipevine Swallowtail.

The next vine is the yellow passionflower or Passiflora lutea. It is the host for several butterlies including Gulf fritillary and zebra longwing. It seems to be thriving but did not bloom this year.

The next photo is a cardinal flower which is also a native I found nearby recently. Hummingbirds like the tubular flowers.

My last photo shows my fall/winter garden. It is off to a great start. Here are the radishes which are called Rhapsody. The fencing seems to be keeping the rabbits and deer from feasting.

I hope you are having good gardening weather.

Don’t forget to look at the propagator blog. I enjoy his weekly blog Six on Saturday.

Happy gardening!!