Act III, Scene 3 in my garden. The play is nearly over for this season. The flowers, who are the actors in this drama of seasons, are just barely hanging on, waiting for the final curtain to fall.
They have switched from the bright colors of Act II, Summer, to the muted, faded colors of Act III, Fall.
They barely whisper their lines now, standing off to the side so that briefly, the brightly colored fall foliage can shout from center stage, before it, too, performs a final scene, falling down on stage, to be swept off by a gust of winter winds, marking the beginning of Act IV and the end of the play.
In other words, there is not much to show in my November garden. The only plant I could honestly say is actually still blooming is the Aromatic Aster, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’.
Even the rose pictured above, Rosa ‘Radsunny’, isn’t really blooming right now. It is more frozen in time and will wait in that state for the winter snows to finally knock it down.
Everything else is merely seed heads including the Tall Sedum, Hylotelephium telephium.
I still laugh when I think of one of the common names of this plant – Witch's Moneybags. I look at the flowers and can not imagine where that name came from.
Another plant that I will leave the seed heads on this winter is Short’s Goldenrod, Solidago shortii.
I have no idea if this seed will be viable, but I hope that it is and that the plants produces dozens of seedlings, which I will gladly share with anyone who wants to grow this beautiful, rare goldenrod in their garden.
It is wise to never reach an ending without a new beginning. Thus it is fitting that as I wandered the garden in search of the last blooms before the final curtain call of the season, I found these sprouts of what will surely be some of the first blooms next spring, when we begin again with Act I, "Spring, A New Season".
What's blooming in your garden on this fine November day? I hope you'll join in for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day by posting about what's blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month.
It's easy to participate! Just post about what's blooming in your garden, leave a comment below to tell us a little about what we'll find in your November garden, then leave a link to your bloom day post in the Mr. Linky widget below so we can find you.
All are welcome to participate!
"We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Comments
THis time I posted my blooms along with those from the chrysanthemum show at Brookside Gardens.
Happy Bloom Day, and thanks for hosting!
I love the picture of the sprouts -they add such a contrast to the preceding pics of fall flowers.
My first GBBD post is of my potted plants on my patio. I refer to them fondly as my potty ladies. Have a look at them when you can.
Thanks,
Rosie
I hadn't heard the common name "witch's moneybags" before for a sedum, but I vaguely remember a name relating to purses for some sedum: something to do with being able to inflate the leaves if you blow into them or pop them open if you squeeze them? Not a very big purse, though - more appropriate for fairies, perhaps?
Happy Bloom Day
Y
Happy Blooms Day everyone!
day! gail
The garden is definitely heading toward winter hibernation, but I am cheered to see my lavender and Bonica roses still blooming madly, even after a couple of frosts.
I have a few blooms that are persevering.
Arghh, I thought Bloom Day was tomorrow--looks like I'd better get busy to get a post done. And I still have to find out the last two secrets to garden happiness:(
Thanks for Hosting Carol!
I've got my GBBD post up. Enjoyed reading about your Act III.
I like the look of this time of year, as the leaves carpet the ground on their way to mulch.
If you are making notes of it, I would really like to have a couple of those rare goldenrod seedlings when they are ready. I think they would like the Petite Prairie.
But the leaves, oh the leaves...
Fall does have it charms that even a diehard winter hater like me must acknowledge. A garden getting ready for its winter sleep does have a unique loveliness.
Can't wait to read the zillions of other bloom day posts!
Jan
Always Growing
Thanks for keeping the GBBD going, Carol!
With the end of the outside plants, guess we'll be seeing bloomdays from Carol's Compact Conservatory next month?
My November GBBD post is up here, and the list of botanical names is here.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I look forward to checking out all the other blooms!
Wendy/AKA The Lazy Composter in San Francisco.
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed that with the sun's love,
In the spring, becomes the rose.
Westlife
Thanks again,
Rees
Not many blooms here in MN in November. I love the ones that I was able to post though...such cool blooms and some of my favorites.
http://getbusygardening.blogspot.com/2010/11/november-blooms.html
Your 'Radsunny' has performed beautifully and makes me want to add it to my garden, as well as 'October Skies', which still looks pretty.
The name Witch's Moneybags will make me smile each time I look at my Sedum from now on :)
Daffodil shoots at this time of year? Now that's amazing!
Happy (late) Bloom Day, Carol.
I don't find common names to be peculiar -- there is always something behind them, even if it's a children's pastime as in this case.
I love the drama of seasonal change!
See "How is gardening like politics?"
at http://www.the-next-stage.com/2010/11/how-is-gardening-like-politics.html
Karen Bojar
http://www.the-next-stage.com/