October's Garden and a "Fern Table"

Hi Guys. Boy have I gotten bad about blogging! But this doesn't mean I'm not gardening. I'm just not writing about it. 

The weather has finally turned very fall-ish with mild temperatures and golden sunlight. It's so much easier to putter with the damp soil. I've been slowly getting plants relocated but I've got a lot more to do. It's actually rather chaotic right now. Even more than it normally is. 

Last month, when I was visiting Joy Creek Nursery with my sister I was admiring--among other things--their cool fern tables. Here are two examples of their maturing fern tables. 

Bascially, it's a miniature forest creation using moss, downed tree limbs, stones and soil to hold woodland plants. A few months ago Joy Creek offered a class demonstrating how to create your own fern table. I didn't attend the class but saw several blog posts about it, including Danger Garden and others that I can't recall now. (Sorry.) 

Anywho, I have this one rather sad looking leaky fountain basin sitting in a shady spot planted with  pink, spring-flowering Montia parviflora that I got from my friend Nancy. 

First, the flowers in spring. 

Montia parviflora in flower. Note the plethora of runners.
This is a fantastic, easy-to-grow woodland plant.

Without disturbing the Montia too terribly, I thought I could add a bit more pizazz with some ferns and other woodland goodies, create my own version of a fern table. 

Before

Because its sitting right under my evergreen Arbutus unedo 'Compacta' (which has long since abandoned its "compact" stage) you can see evidence of it constantly dropping its older leaves, an annoyance that I've had to learn to live with. 

A trip to the forest netted me a wheelbarrow full of forest floor goodies. 

Forest floor goodies before the rains, in their faded, dry stage 

I gathered a few plants I thought were up to the task.

Clockwise from the top, Saxifraga veitchiana, Selaginella kraussiana 'Brownii',
Dwarf Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum ssp. pumilum) Leatherleaf Fern (Polypodium scouleri)
Selgalinella krussiana 'Aurea', and Leptinella squalida

Here is the work in progress. 

I will be tweaking it because this is what we gardeners do. But, what do you think? 

Here are photos of what's in bloom right now. 

Clematis texensis 'Gravetye Beauty' is in its second bloom

Clematis 'Huvi'
This is a bargain plant. $3 at Lowe's!

Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea'
The recent rains have rejuvenated these babies.

A recent trip to Dancing Oaks and I'm now the proud owner of
Colchicum sp.
I haven't figured out where to plant them yet.

This is a struggling Alstroemeria finally showing me what color its flowers are.
Me likey!

The very first blossom on Camellia sasanqua 'Narumigata'
It's also still in a pot, waiting for my design inspiration to kick in.

This is also a newbie from Dancing Oaks.
Erodium 'Fran's Delight'

Salvia involucrata or "Rose Bud Salvia"
I purchased this from Annie's this spring. It's grown much bigger than I anticipated
and has been all-leaves until just a few weeks ago when I finally saw the first flowers.
So with my small garden, I'm not sure I will keep it. But the flowers are pretty.

'Rip City' Dahlia is a non-stop bloomer!

Dahlia 'Ivaneti' is trying so hard to bloom in its too shady spot.
I'm going to move it to a full-sun spot next year. Poor thing.

Another Dahlia, this one a dwarf, dancing in the soft, autumn light.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Glowing Embers' living up to its name.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' is also blushing up nicely.

Good ole Heliotrope, fragrancing the patio.

Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii'

Dianthus x isensis 'Dancing Geisha' is another newbie from Dancing Oaks.
I am so in love with these unique, wispy flowers.

Serratula seoanei

That's all for now. I hope you're enjoying your garden. Thanks for visiting.