Early November in a Tiny Oak Woodland

Pretty in Pink at the End of October

This may be the most comfortable October I've ever experienced. I'd describe the perfect conditions, but...

OK, here goes: Imagine warm but not hot temperatures, a bit of rain, vibrant fall foliage, and a touch of wind. A nip of frost halfway through; mild after that. Yes, perfect. Anyway, the annuals and a few perennials are still blooming, so I have plenty of supplies for floral displays. Yay.

Here are two vases I've pulled together in the past week or so:

Vase 1

Cosmos bipinnatus

Cosmos and Hydrangea foliage

Zinnia elegans

Cleome hassleriana

Conoclinium coelestinum

Vase 2

Cosmos bipinnatus

Zinnia elegans

Unknown Chrysanthemum/Pyrethrum/Tanacetum hybrid

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting the lovely meme, "In a Vase on Monday."

Buffalo's Architecture and Artsy Garden Vibes

It's mid-autumn, and I'm still reflecting on July's amazing Garden Fling in Buffalo, N.Y.! Our final day included visits to Draves Arboretum, Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House, several private gardens, and a self-guided walking tour of Buffalo's Cottage District.

Lasting memories of this last day of the Fling include the homes, themselves, and the gardeners' plant choices that so artfully complimented Buffalo's architecture. Other highlights included:

The Draves Arboretum, home to a tree collection including more than 900 woody species from around the world.

 




The arboretum is a luscious 30-acre property, featuring peaceful wooded pathways, and open areas with water features and wetland plants.



It was fun to explore the many tree varieties, including Redbud cultivars (Cercis canadensis),



Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora), and



This Sweetgum cultivar (Liquidambar styraciflua), which I believe was 'Variegata.'

Next, we headed to the beautiful home and property of Brenda Fox:



The house, featuring pointed arches along the roof line, was beautifully designed and landscaped.



This fun, tunneled pathway and arbor connected unique garden "rooms."



A simple rock-bordered micro garden gave me ideas for future garden plans.



A quaint garden shed was surrounded by more expertly placed rock borders and fun plants and shrubs.



This winged, horned gothic statue seemed perfectly at home in its spot.



Even the work areas included artful, resting benches and impressive trees.

Next, we headed to Joseph Bove's "Bove Grove," an English arts and craftsman-style property and private garden:



It included another nifty cottage-style garden shed.



A beautiful Rose arbor was flanked by towering Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea).



And an artful, rounded trellis was crowned with a gazing ball.



My favorite part of this garden was the alley arbor:



Flanked by beautiful, lush Roses.



The Bove property also boasted an impressive display of Dahlias.

Next, at midday, we visited Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House, designed and built in the early 20th century and restored in 2019:



I'd visited this house and many other Wright-designed buildings in the past, but this time I focused on the plants and their placement surrounding the building. It gave me a new appreciation for the lines and geometry of Wright's vision.



The landscaping made it feel welcoming to visitors.



At the same time it drew the eye to the angles and creative features of Wright's design.



Some areas were simple and sparse.



Other areas celebrated the lacy effects of plants as "dressings" for the building's simple "prairie style." Examples included Lilies (Lilium var.) and Big Leaf Geraniums (G. macrorrhizum).



A perfectly placed line of Astilbes (A. chinensis) dressed this little corner setting of the house.

Finally, in the afternoon of our last day at the Buffalo Garden Fling, we explored Buffalo's Cottage District, the heart of the city's annual Garden Walk event. In addition to the quaint and creative 19th century homes, themselves, highlights of this tour were the nonstop, creative touches gardeners offered as inspiration. Here are just a few:

If you have a chance to visit Buffalo, N.Y., in the summertime, I highly recommend it. Thanks, again, to this year's organizers and to the Fling sponsors! (For more information on this and future Flings, visit the Garden Fling website.)

Scouting for Fabulous Fungi

It's that wonderful time of year when cooler air temperatures and autumn precipitation encourage the growth of fungi. Here are several examples I've noticed recently during hikes and at home. I'm including this post for "Six on Saturday," hosted by Jim at Garden Ruminations.

I'm not a mycologist or a fungi expert, so please correct me if my ID here is errant:

Giant puffball
Calvatia gigantea

Atkinson’s fungus
Cortinarius atkinsonianus

Bonnet fungus
Mycena inclinata?

Giant funnel
Aspropaxillus giganteus

Shaggy ink cap
Coprinus comatus

False turkey tail
Stereum fasciatum

Here's a great resource describing the benefits of fungi--in our gardens and beyond: Ten reasons why fungi are crucial to the planet.

For more fabulous "Six on Saturday" entries, visit Garden Ruminations.