Finally!

I've been waiting like, for-everrr for my Climbing Aster (Ampelaster carolinianus) to bloom. It's had buds for like, two months and now, finally one of those buds popped open. Here we go! Next spring I'm going to move the plant to a full-sun location and hope it will bloom earlier.

Ampelaster carolinianus

Other late-fall bloomers are this  Mexican Orange (Choisya ternata).

Choisya ternata

I'm happy to see this Hellebore is perking right up and fixing to bloom.

Helleborus foetidous 

Here it is with Nandina, Acanthus and ferns.

 I was happy to spot flowers on this small pot of Polygala!

Polygala chamaebuxus

Polygala chamaebuxus

A bit out of focus, but you get the idea.

 And then there are the diehards--the flowers still holding on despite the short, dark days of late fall and two light frosts.

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Stachys officinalis 'Pink Cotton Candy'

Stachys 'Lilac Falls'

Penstemon 'Enor'

And here are two of the several still-blooming Fuchsias. 

Fuchsia NOID

The last blossom on Fuchsia 'Flash'

And finally, two wide shots of the garden to illustrate how messy everything is.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! 

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.

Happy Camper!

Yes, that's me. I'm a happy camper because finally, there is a blossom on my Desert Four o'Clock. (Mirabilis multiflora). I've been babying this guy since last year when I purchased from Annie's Annuals. 

Mirabilis multiflora

I first saw Desert Four O'Clock at Dancing Oaks Nursery a few years ago. The blue-green, glaucus foliage is  a nice complement to the ephemeral lavender flowers. 

Mirabilis multiflora at Dancing Oaks

Here you can see that yesterday's flowers are about to wither and die and today's flowers are watching the clock.
At Dancing Oaks.

Here is my plant... growing in a very well-draining, gritty soil. There's hope.
I'm concerned about winter-wet so I think I'll keep it in its container under the patio
for at least one more winter.

This silly 'Dreadlocks' Amaranthus is going to town.

Look at the all of the baby dreads it's growing.

Oenothera kunthiana 'Glowing Magenta'
I'm so glad this lovely little plant's flowers are NOT magenta but instead a perfect pink.

I'm a little obsessed with my Candy Lily (x Pardancanda 'Sangria') Check out these colors. It's just exquisite, isn't it? But I only have one variety. Amy Campion has a bunch of them. Check out her blog post here.  I'm so jealous. 

The flowers last for only one day and then they get all twisted up like this.

Kind of looks like a family of caterpillars,  doesn't it?

I love wildflowers. Last year on a hike, I found Coastal Hedgenettle (Stachys chamissonis) growing all along a creek bed. I took just a few little tiny cuttings. They rooted. And this year those cuttings are a nice plant and that nice plant is blooming! Isn't it pretty? 

I'm sure some people consider this a weed and just in case it decides to take over the garden, I'm keeping it in a container without drain holes to mimic a bog. The plant itself isn't remarkable as you'll see below, but I like it because of the flowers. There are tons more buds.

This Meadow Rue is going gang busters. There are probably two hundred tiny button flowers on this plant. Very difficult to photograph.

Meadow Rue (Thalictrum delavayi 'Hewitt's Double') 

Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes'

Monarda didyma 'Balmy Rose' I love this color!

New to me this year, I'm in love with this hardy Lobelia.
I love this color too. Ha ha.

Red Four O'Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) that wintered over beautifully and just started blooming.

More Four O'Clocks. I've got them all over one part of my garden. I love them.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Fuji Waterfall'  new to me this year.
I bought it as a tiny cutting from Fry Road Nursery. 

Penstemon 'Enor' I finally found the right place for this beauty.
It needs as much sunshine as you can give it.

Aster 'Monch'  new to me last year.
I really like how well it mingles with other flowers.

I've been so enamored with this little Cyprus Vine for years and decided to grow it this year. It wasn't until the beginning of August that it really starting blooming. 

Cyprus Vine or Ipomoea quamoclit

The hummingbirds love them.

The flowers only last for the morning. 

By early afternoon they're doing this.

Cannas... I love them!

This Canna is called 'Bird of Paradise'.
I haven't seen blooms yet but it's the foliage I go for.

Tiny Wire Vine in a rusty can. Just for fun.

Honeybee on Anemone 'Wild Swan'

Bees on Dahlia 'Junkyard Dog'

Honeybee on Knautia 'Mars Midget'

Honeybee on Garlic Chives, (Allium tuberosum)

It took a bit of searching to get the identity of this little guy.
He is a Gray Hairstreak Butterfly.

And finally, on Saturday evening, all was quiet as I finished my garden puttering. But then I heard noises in the neighbor's yard. I got closer and through the fence, this is what I saw...

She had her mommy and several relatives with her but they moved on while she stayed, posing for my camera. It wasn't easy to capture her through the fence but I took as many photos as I could. And I was happy when I uploaded them and had one keeper. 

Thank you for your sweet comments, my friends.