WHO CAN BELIEVE it's almost October already? Here in the Pacific Northwest, the weather has been absolutely stellar all month. Many of my flowers are still blooming which is very unusual for this time of year.
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| Crocus |
The fall crocuses are in bloom around town. I've never grown them in my garden. However, I bought Saffron Crocus bulbs a few weeks ago. They won't bloom until next fall when I'll harvest the stamens and dry them for saffron seasonig--just for fun.
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| Wild Chicory |
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| Wild blackberries |
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| The Willamette River, view from the trail hubby and I hiked last Saturday |
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| Poison Oak (?) |
I thought I took more photos on our hike but that's it. But below are a few drive-bys.
Look at the giant, yellow bamboo growing around this house. It's a little informal but I think it's kind of cool. Just for curiosity's sake, maybe I'll come back and get another photo in January when all of the surrounding deciduous trees are leafless.
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| A sunny border |
I took the photo above because of the huge red-leaved Phormium. I should have gotten closer because the strips aren't evident. It's a beauty, nuzzled as a vertical, spiky, juxtaposition among its rounded neighbors.
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| Crape Myrtle |
Just like the blackberries, the crape myrtles, typically at their best in late August, are looking gorgeous right now. The photos above and below depict the two trees on either side of the entrance to this building.
I took the photo below today also. This crape myrtle is a little more free-form but still very pretty, don't you think?
My sister, who lives in the eastern part of the state, has already had a frost. Have you had a frost yet? Is your garden ahead or behind or right on time?
Grace, your camera is ready always! I love the unusual view of myrtles, I have never seen them before.
ReplyDeleteOh those crepes are so wonderful, especially that first picture with the sunlight hitting the top.
ReplyDeleteYour hike and driveby pictures are great too.
Frost? Rarely do we get any of that down here.
Enjoy your lovely autumn weather.
FlowerLady
Can you believe this weather we have been having? My yard is looking a bit worse for wear. Did you hear two of our firs are coming down in two weeks?!!YEAH!! And since they are using a crane apparently I won't have to move everything off of our deck. Now maybe we will all stop being covered in pitch. You should see our dog. It isn't pretty.
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures!!
The pruning job on the first two crape myrtles appeals to me no end...makes them look more modern and really shows off the leaf form. I think poison oak leaves are more oak shaped and very, very shiny. I have had enough run-ins with them to have a pretty good idea. They are gorgeous this time of year, and I once picked a big bouquet.
ReplyDeleteHere the Crape Myrtles seem a few weeks behind as well.
ReplyDeleteThat bamboo house is sort of fun. Victorian with random bamboo makes an unexpected combination.
we are ahead still which is unfortunate...love that crape myrtle..I have fall crocus and the saffron but haven't see the saffron ones this fall..no frost yet...keeping my fingers crossed...
ReplyDeleteGrace, I'm new to your blog and enjoy your pictures and comments. The Myrtles are amazing. Here in MA, the weather went from oppressive to cool as soon as Sept. arrived. It's been in the 40-50 at night and mostly low 70's during the day ever since. No frost yet......
ReplyDeleteWe have had nice weather also this week, no real frost yet. I have some coleus that did not like it dipping into the low 40's but most of the darker ones did fine.
ReplyDeleteThat Cape Myrtle is beautiful, too cold here to grow it. However, with going up a half zone and getting warmer each winter and summer who knows.
Eileen
no, no frost yet. That would suck - I'm excited about fall, but not frost yet! My saffron is not up yet, but unfortuantely, I may have planted some things right where the bulbs were. I may have to dig around alittle and see if they're hidden.
ReplyDeleteGlad to read that September was serene in your garden Grace. Here we had a light frost a few days ago which is most unusual. We quite often get to November before we get our first frost but this has been a most unusual year as far as the weather is concerned :) Love the blue of that chicory.
ReplyDeleteMother Nature decided to skip the frost and go straight to snow. About eight inches at my house. So I guess when the sleds come out, the garden must go to bed? The kids enjoyed it, me, I'm still trying to find all the hoses, tools, and planters that should be put away for the year.
ReplyDeleteThe bamboo and Phormium are my favorites. My Phormium came in for the year a week ago. He already looks miserable but I'll be darned if I am going to pay $80 for him to winter over at the nursery again.
Christine in Alaska, whining and snowing
That crape myrtle is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe poison oak around here is looking beautiful also.
And yes, we've had a frost.