Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, the first of the autumn crocuses, Crocus speciosus, showed up in time for bloom day. This truly is a flower that belongs to October.
If you look closely at the picture, you'll see a little bee buzzing around it.
This time of year, it seems every flower has a bee or butterfly on it. They know the season will soon be over so they aren't wasting any time when the sun is shining and the flowers are open for business. They want to get whatever nectar they can now.
The crocus is the only new bloom this month. Every other flower in my garden is a bloom that's holding over from earlier weeks, but since they are still blooming in October, they count for bloom day.
Come and zig-zag through the garden with me, checking blooms in the order the photos uploaded.
There are still some toad lilies, Tricyrtis sp., blooming in the shade. I apologize I don't know what this one is other than "variegated". It's a keeper.
I need to deadhead these Joe Pye weed seed heads or I will have Joe Pye weed everywhere next year.
Last year at this time, the asters were still going strong. This year, I think the dry spell we had through much of August and September did them in early. Not much left of them now compared to other years.
Who can resist a monarch butterfly on a zinnia?
Or another monarch butterfly on another zinnia?
Wowser, this hyacinth bean vine didn't look like much all summer, but it is knocking it out of the garden right now.
And it is providing a nice resting spot for a monarch butterfly. There's a painted lady butterfly on there, too, but she's hard to see.
Good ol' marigolds. They just keep blooming. I bet they would look even better if I deadheaded them occasionally.
Here's an annual alyssum that's been blooming like this since early spring when I planted it. (If we ignore that dandelion in the picture, maybe it will go away?)
I cannot get enough of the new 'At Last' shrub roses. I love the color. I love the scent. I love that a little bee is loving them, too.
And I love that the 'Rozanne' geraniums I planted in the spring are still blooming in the front.
And I love these tiny blue flowers of leadwort. They have the big name of Ceratostigma plumbaginoides.
And that's October here at May Dreams Gardens. Not a bad showing, if you ask me.
What's blooming in your garden on this fine fall day? We would love for you to join in for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and show us. It's easy to participate. Just post about what's blooming in your garden on your blog, then come back here and leave a comment to tell us what you've got and a link in the Mr. Linky widget so we know where to find you.
"We can have flowers nearly every month of the year." ~ Elizabeth Lawrence.
Especially if we plan for it!
Hi Carol! I can't believe another whole month has gone by and that it is autumn already. Your garden still has many blooms for fall and the color on your new 'At Last' shrub roses is simply beautiful. It is also so nice to see the Monarchs and bees enjoying the flowers. Thanks for hosting and happy Bloom Day!
ReplyDeleteI love Crocus speciosus; I have been struggling to get it established in our garden back home, perhaps because the rabbits nibble on the foliage too much. Thanks for hosting as always!
ReplyDeleteThat hyacinth bean vine is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see we both feature a bee enjoying our gardens this month Carol :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Blooms Day everyone!
Could you remove my first link which was incorrect. Sorry
ReplyDeleteNot a bad showing at all for such a dry spell. I really like that variegated toad lily. It has given me a bad case of the wants. Happy GBBD.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Lisa. I love that toad lily. Though I grow a number of them, that is a new one to me. Given that they are a foliage plant for so much of the year, that makes quite a statement.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting. Fun and lovely blooms as always.
ReplyDeleteLots going on in your garden. The toad liles is lovely, you should keep them and it's gorgeous to see the monarchs enjoying your blooms--good work! That hyacinth bean vine--swoon! Thanks for hosting and happy bloom day.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting, Carol! Beautiful blooms and butterflies. I especially like the foliage of your toad lily, it's spectacular! Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteThe bees here are still happily a-buzzing too. Thanks for hosting, Carol!
ReplyDeleteMy toad lilies are still going strong. I haven't had any monarchs in the garden recently, but there were a couple of weeks when I had five at a time. It was heartening to see them dancing about on the Joe Pye weed. My milkweeds are all gone by.
ReplyDeleteMonarchs for you too. I can't believe how many there have been flying all over this area. It almost has me worried. We've never been successful with toad lilies, and we've never tried autumn crocus here, either. Sad knowing this is the last growing season GBBD - now comes (for me) the struggle to feature flowers until the spring. But, every 15th of the month, your blog will help sustain me. Thank you again for this meme!
ReplyDeleteHappy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day Carol! All of your photo's with butterflies and bee's remind me of the important role we gardener's play in hosting wildlife!! Bravo :)
ReplyDeleteI'd say not a bad showing for the middle of October. I thought the same about my zone 4 garden after I went out and took some pictures and started going through them. I'm sure we are mere days from our first hard frost that will wipe most of my beauties out. I still have lots I want to get done, but I'm ready for it all to go to sleep for the winter.
ReplyDeleteCarol your garden looks stunning. Thanks so much for hosting this link up and for sharing your garden pics!
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great Bloomday Carol.
ReplyDeleteHi Carol,
ReplyDeletelovely to see that there is still so much blooming in your garden. I especially like your toad lilies. I am thinking about buying some toad lilies for my garden. In my garden the cosmos plants are blooming beautifully at the moment.
Best wishes,
Lisa
Isn't it wonderful to see so many Monarchs this fall? They love the zinnias in my garden, too. Seeing your photos reminds me that I fully intended to plant Hyacinth Bean vine this year, but didn't; I must remember that next spring. And I planted a toad lily somewhere last year that was a no-show this fall. It's been a challenging season with the lack of rain, so it's great to see any blooms at all this fall!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely fall showing - I am so NOT ready for the first frost/freeze to take this all away!
ReplyDeleteFunny you have the same experience with Hyacinth Bean Vine in two such different climates.
ReplyDeleteYou have quite a few blooms for mid-October.
Thank you for hosting!
You have a good showing of flowers for October, flowers are so precious for the wildlife at this time of year, they need all the help they can get.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful in October! It's lovely to see the summer blooms extend so far into autumn! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy October Bloomday Carol, I'm a day late...
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Crocus speciosus in my garden for three years. Then they just disappeared. I suspect voles, even though each bulb was surrounded by grit. I hope you have them for decades!
ReplyDeleteHappy belated Bloom Day, Carol. Thanks again for hosting.
ReplyDeleteHi Carol, I too find that many of the flowers from last month are still blooming. But I've added crabapple flowers to the list now. Who would expect that in October? — jw
ReplyDeleteHere's mine, late but, not forgotten!
ReplyDeleteI love to see those butterflies! Pretty flowers are nice, too. :) Happy late Bloom Day from Utah!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see what everyone else has in their gardens at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteCarol - Your garden looks great. Thanks for the warning about the Joe Pye weed. I've been debating cutting it back, but worried I was too early. We had several Monarchs in the garden this year, the first time in many years. I hope that is a good sign.
ReplyDelete