Monday, October 26, 2015

The Last Week of October? No Way!

It's really true that the older we get, the faster time swifts by. Despite the reality of the calendar, there hasn't been a frost yet and my garden is still doing its best to hold on to summer. I have to keep reminding myself to stop all toiling and enjoy the moment.

Clematis 'Ville de Lyon' leaning on Sedum oreganum

A single blossom of Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill'

Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill'

Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill' didn't start blooming until a few weeks ago.
The thrill isn't exclusive to Otto!

Dahlia 'Creme de Cassis' has really cool coloring. 

Volunteer Love-Lies-Bleeding growing with my fragrant! Nemesia.

A delightful surprise on one of my Stachys officinalis 'Pink Cotton Candy'

A few last flowers on my Hollyhock

Finally a few buds on my Climbing Aster Ampelaster carolinianus. 
I purchased this plant last fall so I don't know if this is normal behavior or not.
Anybody know?
 Garden shots:

This is where the pear tree once stood. I'm in the process of redesigning it now. Fun!
You could say this is the "before" photo. The after won't be published until next spring.

The south bed, with tired plants.

A very happy Clematis 'Madame Julia Correvon' 




Just behind the uncharacteristically lush (for this time of year) Canna foliage,
is my burgeoning Gardenia 'Frost Proof' and behind that a blushing Nandina.

Here's another shot. In front of the Nandina is Hellebore foetidus already in bud.
I cast those cement leaves several years ago.

While the Hostas are looking very sad, this variegated Comfrey is still pretty chipper.
Symphytum x uplanicum 'Axminster Gold'
Here's a wider shot. Behind the plants is the area where the pear tree was.

Here's a shot from the far-north end of the garden. The closest raised bed is where I
grow my 'Fall Gold' raspberries. In front of it is an old water meter cover
 I found at the ReStore for a buck. It makes a fun stepping stone.
The shiny grate is another fun piece.

This hypertufa container was looking very sad so last July I gave it fresh soil.
It's responding very well.

And finally, a healthy clump of toadstools making a brief appearance
thanks to the recent rains.
I hope you all are enjoying the final fall days in the garden.

15 comments:

  1. The beauty of your garden can be seen by style of your pictures. You take panoramical pictures that means you do many work to set so beautiful place as your garden is. Greetings.

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  2. You have a wonderful garden. All flowers are bloomed beautifully. I can smell the fragrance. Many colorful plants...

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  3. Your dahlias are so big and beautiful, Grace! I had to wait a long time for mine to bloom too, it's tempting me to dig them this year to see if they would be earlier. Your red clematis blooming is so phenomenal, mine are done after spring. It is so beautiful. I am interested to see what you do with your new area where the tree came out.

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  4. Wow, every time I visit your gardens via the web I want to jump out of my chair run outside and start working in my own gardens. :-)

    So much loveliness and wonderful colors and textures, not to mention your garden accessories.

    Happy Fall dear Grace ~ FlowerLady

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  5. Your garden is still looking good despite the lateness of the year. Great pics!

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  6. Hi Grace! There are some plants in your garden which certainly still look summery. All those pinks! I like little vignettes as those in the first and second pictures!
    My garden has only patches of yellow and brown. In some parts, it looks like summer. We might have another warm winter!

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  7. You still have so much summer going on in your fall garden Grace!

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  8. Those dahlias are spectacular! While are nights are cooler again, the days are still very warm with temperatures hovering just below 90F so it's still hard to believe it's fall here.

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  9. It is hard to believe it's nearly November already. We haven't had enough rain yet for October. Your Clematis is spectacular.

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  10. It is hard to believe November is next week....especially seeing your garden pink blooms....mine is all but done. And the blooms are beautifully displayed too Grace.

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  11. Hey there Gracie girl !
    I have a couple of Madame Julia Correvon and they just keep at it all season long ! LOL .. I will be transplanting a large section next Spring so fingers crossed it will keep doing so well.
    You garden is always so intriguing to me ... I always see something different and unusual ... those dahlias are amazing ! .. I loved that little china saucer in the container with the sedum ? ... so cute!
    We are being soaked with rain finally ... it will help the gardens immensely to slip into a gentle sleep for winter.
    Happy Autumn girl !!
    Joy : )

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  12. I agree: 'Otto's Thrill' is definitely thrilling! Today was a chilly day, so I actually completed some inside work for once. I understand your thoughts about savoring the mild days because they're numbered now. Your Clematises are amazing! I only have spring-blooming ones. Maybe I should mix in some later-blooming ones. So much beauty in your garden!

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  13. Hi there Grace! I've been traveling, so it took me awhile to catch up. I wanted to tell you that those shots of the dahlias by the gate are just so stunning. They are a visual reminder to me of a piece I once wrote about a Japanese Gardener who grew a flower so that it would bloom just once in the middle of his moon gate. Actually now that I'm remembering, it is my post on the Portland Japanese Garden--a poem about that magic of creating a moment in time. That is what you have there--a magnificent moment in time. One flower, one gate. That perfect moment.

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  14. That sure doesn't look like an October Garden to me! Especially that crazy clematis, does it always bloom that well, that late?

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