Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Beginning of the End

There is some wet, slushy snowflakes falling from the sky this chilly October morning. It's just too early for such nonsense! We haven't even had our first frost yet, but we're having a little snow. It just doesn't make any sense. I knew it was coming, so I spent all day outside yesterday making ready. It was time to let go of the zinnias, they looked so very bedraggled. So I cut a vase full, then pulled them out. There are a few near the house that still look good, but the rest are gone.


I'm so glad that I planted ornamental grasses around the new patio. Now I can enjoy them throughout the winter, just by looking out the kitchen door. These Karly Rose pennisetum were planted in June, and have looked this beautiful ever since then. They flop a little in the rain, but perk right up when they dry out. Please, you must have these in your garden!

On the other side of the patio I have another grass, Morning Light miscanthus. I have three of them there in a row, and when they bloomed recently, it was in an odd pattern. The bottom one is fully bloomed, the middle one is lightly bloomed, and the one nearest the house has barely bloomed at all. I'm trying to analyze why this may have happened.

Fall also means that the Montauk daisies are in bloom. The plant itself is large enough to be considered a shrub, so I suppose I'd better pinch them back next year to keep them under control. Still, it's always nice to have fresh flowers in October.
It's been a good year for roses, and I'm sure it's because we actually had enough rain. For some odd reason, there were no Japanese beetles to bother them this year either. There are a few blooms here and there, I hope they hang on for weeks yet. I often have a rose or two in early December, but the snow this morning tells me not to get my hopes up.


I do enjoy the reblooming iris, but don't they look odd in the fall garden? This one has been blooming over and over again for awhile now.
This container was almost entirely dead after we went away on vacation during one brutally hot week of summer. I'm so pleased with the way it rallied.
These two plants have been blooming in harmony all summer. This is Autumn Sage Wild Thing, and Supertunia Cotton Candy. It's not easy to photograph how pretty they are together, but maybe you'll get the idea. A perfect combination!
What fall garden would be complete without dahlias? What lovely ladies they are! As the frost threatened last night, I was out in the dark, snipping myself a bouquet. How it pleased me to see that pretty vase this morning when I went down for breakfast. The glowing look you see in the photo is real.



And of course, my containers were tweaked for fall. Summer flowers were discarded, and pumpkins and gourds were added, along with fall flowers.


Yes, it's the beginning of the end, despite all the pretty spots I found. The weather forecast for this weekend is not good at all. Our first frost will be here in the next few nights, and then many of these beauties will be gone. Guess it's time to hunker down and dream of next year's garden. Every year, I hope for the best year ever, but this year really was one of the finest ever. Next year's garden has a hard act to follow.

12 comments:

  1. All your flowers are still so gorgeous...you know I dread win*** as much as you do! I LOVE ornamental grasses. We bought some a few weeks ago for the first time and planted them in a little ditch area beside our driveway. I can't wait to see how they do by next fall. One of our neighbors behind us has some planted in his backyard and I can see them tall and swaying as I look out one of the back windows in my house. So pretty!

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    1. I took these photos the day before our first frost, because I knew they'd be gone in the morning. It's sad, isn't it?

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  2. Oh my goodness WHAT A TREAT!!!! I loved all your beautiful flowers and I can smell the sweet perfume of those roses all the way down here! You have a wonderful green thumb!!! I am going to show this to my husband gives me so many ideas for spring.. ..
    Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thank you very much Marissa, I always get so many ideas from garden blogs around the world!

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  3. Hi Robin, sorry it's been so long... busy here with projects that have now ended and maybe i'll do a bit more blogging... love those pink and green zinnias at top, haven't seen as nice a ones here. all your arrangements and containers are gorgeous! i'm growing that miscanthus as well, and it's really beautiful when the frost hits is. unfortunately, my dog is chewing it up, apparently it's his fav grass as well. you know my daughter is there at Denison complaining about the cold! I'm still harvesting, but think the tomatoes won't be around much longer. ah well, it was a great year for vegetables. wish you all the best.

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    1. Those pink and green zinnias must be grown from seed, I've never seem them growing, or the seed in the store. If you like Queen Red Lime, you best order them early because they always sell out.

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  4. Robin, it's so pretty there. I want to come visit and sit with you on the patio. I love my grasses too. They make me smile all winter. Really, don't you think grasses have three seasons of wonderful interest? They only time they look bedraggled is right after we cut them back in early spring. Hey, what zinnias are those? I love the colors. ~~Dee

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    1. Those are my much loved Queen Red Lime zinnias, which I flaunt shamelessly all summer! I can't live without them here.

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  5. I am in love with your Autumn sage, to the point that I can't focus on many of the other flowers...gardeners love that's what it is.

    Going to have to see if that grows here.

    Jen

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    1. It's a form of Salvia Greggii, and the usual red version is easy to find. This one is called Wild Thing, and I have scoured all the local nurseries for naught. I'll be ordering it online next year, for I must have more! I actually purchased it at Home Depot last fall, and out of the three I bought, only one came back. Hmmm. Of course, HD, didn't carry it this year.

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  6. Looking through your blog posts, you surely had a wonderful gardening year, Robin. I just let go of my zinnias, too. It is so sad when it comes to an end, but I must confess I need the break. And I'm dreaming of next year's garden. P. x

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    1. As much as I enjoy gardening, I also enjoy the break over winter. And I must admit that I did have a good gardening year. It was the first year with me not working, so I think the extra time I had allowed me to make especially pretty. Thank you!

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