
By mid-October, the flowers in the garden seem to be merely hanging on, much like the gardener, waiting for the inevitable “killing frost”. In many ways, the frost is welcome. It answers the question as to when it will happen. It is the cue to begin the final act of the garden.
And for this final act, the Endless Summer® Hydrangeas have changed from their girlish pink color of summer to a more mature mauve of fall.
The ‘Earthwalker’ sunflowers no longer have petals, but are just seed heads left for the birds to eat.
In a few days, I’ll cut them down, and if there are any seeds left, I’ll put those out for the birds and compost the rest of the plant.
The Asters, a passalong plant from my aunt, are still blooming, though they’ve clearly seen brighter days.Soon I’ll cut them back, too, to avoid their inevitable self-sowing, though as I cut them back there are always clouds of seeds that escape into the wind, giving me plenty to weed out in the spring.
Elsewhere in the garden, I see many of the same blooms of the October bloom days of 2008 and 2007, including mums, toad lilies, verbena, sedum, hydrangeas and a few errant roses from the two or three roses I have.
A new bloom this month is Kalimeris pinnatifida ‘Hortensis.’, also known as the Oxford Orphanage Plant or Double Japanese Aster.I planted this in early September and it is fully blooming now, as fully blooming as the tiny plant can bear. I like it and think of Elizabeth Lawrence when I see it, and I always will, giving it my own common name of “Elizabeth Lawrence’s Oxford Orphanage Double Japanese Aster”. It is welcome in my garden, adding more bloom to October, a month that needs more blooms.
By this time next week, I expect the real color in the garden will come not from flowers but from leaves, as they turn to all shades of yellow, orange, and red. They will be the final curtain call of this year’s garden. And while this final curtain call goes on, I won't just be standing there clapping and heading for the exit. Instead, I'll be on my knees, planting bulbs for the new blooms of spring and the beginning of a whole new show.
How is your garden blooming this month? Are you ready for a killing frost, the end of the show, or is fall the beginning of your second gardening season?
Whatever your circumstances and however your garden looks during these October days, I hope you’ll join us for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day this month. All are welcome!
It's easy to participate. Just post on your blog about what is blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month and then leave a link in the ‘Mr. Linky’ widget below and a comment so we can find you and visit your garden to see what you have blooming. If you don’t have a blog and would just like to share what is blooming, feel free to leave a comment.
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” – Elizabeth Lawrence
Comments
Happy Blooms Day everyone!
My post is here:
It Was a Dark and Stormy...
Thank you once again for hosting GBBD.
As for your question, it's too late. The frost was actually a killing freeze, but that doesn't stop some plants from blooming. Thanks for hosting Bloom Day and making it into such a fun event.
The hardy perennials and annuals are still going strong in my garden and Sunday and Monday promises the return of October-like weather which will find me out in the garden again.
Hope you are hanging in there, and you still have grass to mow :)
Cheers!
I am hoping for warmer weather before a killing frost, but it doesn't look promising. Right now I'd just like a day of sunshine to get some gardening chores done! I finally have my Bloom Day post up after working on it all morning--it's 10:45 and I'm still in my pajamas, though:)
I finally got my post up, and I have to say that down here in this zone we have a lot more going on still. That is due to change soon, we have been promised a killing frost by the weather guessers for this weekend. So we have a lot of preparation to do still. We need to deploy the cold frames and harvest the chard. Meanwhile it is very pleasant to have all these gardens to visit on this rather cold and wet day.
Thank you for hosting GBBD once again. Winter is nipping at the heels of many members already. Cool air is moving our way, but no frost predicted.
Happy Bloom Day, All. I'm loving the asters and mums and other fall beauties.
It's great to see the changing seasons in peoples posts. My post is now up.
Thanks for hosting GBBD!
I love asters but had no idea they self seeded. I thought they just sent out runners under the soil. That explains why I have them all over the place only mine seem to bloom in the early summer. Climate difference I expect. Your Oxford Orphanage plant has a very pretty flower.
Thanks for hosting and Happy Bloom Day.
I must cheat, because I have been working on my vege garden rather than my flower garden at home, and working at work rather than at home... *bah* SO! I used my Garden Center pictures, where color is still rampant, and I can still feel that Summer has not quite left us...
At home, my flowers are gone, and left standing as seedheads for the birds.
Happy Gardeninng!! & thank you, once again, carole for such a lovely venue!
>^,,^<
Thanks, Carol, as always.
cheers, kris
Darn this whole work thing, though: I completely forgot about bloom day until the end of the day!
What a community you've created here with GBBD. It's as much fun reading the comments as looking at the gardens. Thank you again for acting on your inspiration.
Jan
Always Growing
I love your idea of GBBD and will have to start participating.
This has been a great October for Austin gardeners as it's been raining since mid-September almost without let up. Every once in awhile you'll hear someone start to complain about the rain and then catch themselves. My first October GBBD, the drought was just beginning and I was discouraged. Last October, I was too depressed even to write a GBBD post. Finally, our reprieve has come.
I wish our deadly summers had a concept like a "killing frost", something that would provide a sense of finality and enable us to get on with planning for the next season. But then I don't live in your reality--I can't really imagine how hard it must be for you to put the garden to sleep for the winter.
I am -not- ready for the first frost since I still haave a couple of perennials that have yet to bloom.
Happy Bloom Day, Carol!
I do so love the colors in your first photo ... the hydrangea with the silver blue gray in the lambs ear. Lovely Photo! Have a good weekend. Carol
http://thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/2009/10/october-2009-garden-bloggers-bloom-day.html
It's somewhat of a cheat, but you've got to see my dad's chrysanthemums.
Most of what I have is going - like you, I have a errant rose or two... but I have high hopes for next month. I have several chrysanthemums in bed so if all goes well then next month...look out! I love GBBD.
No frost here yet. This morning, for the first time in a week it's not raining. I took a break from building the Ark, snapped a few shots of what's still blooming here, and did a late post. Thank you for hosting GBBD!
Thanks for talking about the Kalmeris and adding the photo. I'd read about this little plant a long time ago -maybe via Allen Lacy? It was listed in the 1993 Montrose Catalog -all text, no photos - for $4.75. I wanted it then, but Zone 6 wouldn't work in IL and now TX would be too hot. So it's fun to see a friend enjoying Elizabeth Lawrence's treasure!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Carol - apologies for being so very late with my post - but I am sure you didn't miss it as you have 119! What a fantastic amount of bloggers joining you on the 15th of every month.
K
Found you through Frances! Can high mountain gardeners join in this fun? It's snowing outside but I have lots of pretty flowers blooming in the sunny window... Just wondered if those would count. :)
-kate