I'm sneaking in with this post for October's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Many of the plants that were blooming in September continue now, since we haven't had a frost yet.
Since time is short, however, I'm sharing only a few flowering plants--six that are new to my garden this year. The purple Allium (A. thunbergii) 'Ozawa' shown in the first photo above is blooming under the dappled shade of the old Oaks.
Borage (Borago officinalis) is yielding more pretty periwinkle flowers now than it did earlier in the season.
They make pretty toppers for our salads.
Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias currassavica), grown from seed, continues to put out buds and blooms. I doubt the seedheads will have enough time to mature before the first freeze, although it could be a couple of weeks yet.
The Dahlia 'Figaro Yellow Shades' I planted in several pots are still vibrant. I'm contemplating whether to dig out the tubers to save for next year.
The combination of Petunia 'Vista Bubblegum' paired with Sedum 'Lemon Coral' in a hanging basket makes me smile every time I see it. These were gifts from Proven Winners at the August Garden Writers Conference in Buffalo, N.Y.
Zinnia (Z. elegans) 'Zahara Sunburst' is a short (about 12 inches) beauty in the front border of the potager. I'll probably harvest some of the seeds for next year's garden, along with seeds from other Zinnia cultivars.
That's all for now. For more October blooms, head on over to Carol's May Dream Gardens for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.
lovely! I've been missing my own dahlia and zinnia...
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I understand! This is my first year with Dahlias, but I've been growing Zinnias for decades. One year, I didn't plant Zinnias, and I missed them so much!
DeleteSuch a pretty allium! I didn't realize there was a fall-blooming allium. I should put that on my list for next year. Love tropical milkweed; I didn't get any planted this year--I'm impressed yours was started from seed!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it pretty? I'm planting tons of alliums in my shady perennial bed to try to spook off the rabbits. They did nibble on these alliums a bit, but hopefully the combinations of a bunch of new alliums will drive them out of the area. Someone on Facebook recently described this allium as "frost-chased," which makes sense because it blooms so late in the season. I was so pleased with the Tropical MW in pots. They grew fast, they're so pretty, and they helped to feed the Monarch caterpillars that I rescued. Love the colors!
DeleteThis year I have read about a few fall blooming alliums. I need to seek them out. I love alliums. I used to have borage in the garden. When I see these blooms it makes me miss it. I am already thinking about next year despite this warm autumn.
ReplyDeleteI love alliums, too, and I'm planting tons this fall--alliums to bloom throughout the growing season. Borage is fun, too. To be honest, it didn't bloom as much all season as it is now--maybe because some of the trees are losing their leaves, so it's getting more sun. I love that periwinkle shade of blue!
DeleteThat salad looks yummy. Like Lisa and Rose I need to think about fall blooming Alliums. I also used to have Borage. Love those flowers but what a prickly plant,
ReplyDeleteIt was so yummy. Thanks for sharing some of your 'Summer Beauty' Alliums a couple of years ago--they bloomed nicely this year. Yes, I agree about the prickles on the Borage. I have some in pots and I almost thought about not growing them again. But now they're blooming so much that I think I must have them again next year.
DeleteAll gorgeous, but the purple allium is a real show-stopper. Hope your blooming October continues.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina: Isn't that a pretty Allium? I was worried that it wasn't going to bloom because it took so long. But then the flowers opened a few days ago and it was magic. They're quite small (only about 12 inches tall), but they pack a lot of beauty in a small package. I imagine that drifts of them would be incredible. No frost in the next week, but I know it's just around the corner.
DeleteStrange autumn we're having isn't it? Enjoy your blooms while you can! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, strange growing season, overall--from early spring through now! Enjoy your blooms, too, Heather! I noticed the fall color is really coming on now. :)
DeleteLovely borago flowers, but I also like the here not so usual Asclepia. I had these Asclepias once in my garden sown from seed brought from Portugal.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Tropical Milkweed is really special, isn't it? I'm in love with it, and it works well in pots. The monarch caterpillars liked it, too. :)
DeleteLove the purple allium and the sweet borage flowers but all are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI know we're lucky to have blooms this late in the season. I almost wish I could bottle and preserve the moment before it all fades.
DeleteThe borage flowers in the glass dish are stunning! With the blue petals, green sepals, and glass rays, it's definitely a masterpiece. I love photos like that :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hollis. The light was playing nicely with the glass containers when I took those photos. And the Borage flowers are just very special. :)
DeleteYou have so many pretty flowers still blooming! I love the Allium and Borage.....I've had my eyes on Borage for a few years now....I'll have to try growing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed that you haven't had a frost yet.....I'm always a little envious of growing seasons that are longer than mine.
Frost was close last night, but we escaped it for at least another week. So, the growing season continues. We often have frost in early to mid-October, but the past few autumns have been warmer longer. Yes, Borage is a fun plant. I wasn't impressed with it earlier in the season, but I think with more sun (fewer tree leaves blocking it) and cooler temperatures, the Borage seems to perform better.
DeleteThe salad with Borage blooms looks good enough to eat!
ReplyDeleteIt was a tasty salad. Red Mizuna, lettuce greens, and Borage play well together--both visually and on the palate. :)
DeleteOur annuals last even longer in flowering than the temperate flowers. It is a pity yours are shortlived. I love those cups decors, but if we do that here because of the heat flowers wilt fast.
ReplyDeleteIt is a pity our growing season for annuals only lasts from May through mid-October. I'd love to have a longer season! Re: the flowers in the bowl--I had to keep them in the fridge so they wouldn't wilt. Well, I guess I could have kept them out for decoration for a couple of days, but since we were going to eat them, I refrigerated them for the salad. :)
DeleteBorage is a wonderful plant. There are lots in my garden at the moment, and the bees are blissing out. I still regularly forget to pick the flowers for salads. Happy GBBD.
ReplyDeleteI really like Borage. At first I wasn't sure because the blooms were few and far between, but lately it's blooming up a storm. Love the color of the flowers!
DeleteAlways nice to see your flowers, the first flower is beautiful. We have just had a small conservatory built on the back of the house, have been looking for a flowering plant that likes full sun to grow in there, in summer it will get very hot. I wondered if you know of a plant that would be suitable.
ReplyDeleteAmanda xx
Thanks, Amanda. Yes, I'm pleased with the 'Ozawa' Allium. I hope it will expand a little in the garden for next year! Regarding a plant for your conservatory, would it be a plant that would stay inside all year long? A potted plant? Sunflowers love full sun. So do citrus trees. I guess it would depend on a lot of different conditions. I'll try to email you about this. :)
DeleteYou still have so much going on in the garden! There are only a couple of flowers left in my garden for cutting - specifically dahlias and calendula. We do have a few white echinacea that are just lovely by the front door but I'm leaving them as there are only 2 blooms and they will likely last longer outside rather than in.
ReplyDeleteHi Margaret: It's funny that you mention having a lot going on. When I look out the window, it seems few and far between regarding blooms, but I guess for this time of year I should be happy. Your white Echinaceas sound lovely!
DeleteThese are pretty blooms! I am glad to see a type of allium that grows in the dappled shade!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tatyana. I've had 'Summer Beauty' Alliums blooming in shade, too. I think all Alliums bloom more prolifically in full sun, but they do survive and bloom in shade, too. I'm adding a bunch more this fall! I think I remember seeing some incredible Alliums on your blog, right? Were they in full sun?
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI have a question? How do you prepare your dahlia's for winter storage? This is my first dahlia season. I have dug the tubers, I have them drying in the shed to knock more dirt loose.
Thank You,
Carla
Hi Carla: I guess I'm the wrong person to ask about Dahlias, since I'm new to them this year, too. I love them, but I have limited experience with them. Sounds like you're on the right track. I'll need to ask you for advice when it's time for me to pull the tubers. :)
DeleteI like how you use the Borage. The Alliums are nice, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to have pretty salads, and floating flowers are fun, too. I'm glad I added 'Ozawa' this year. I was worried it wasn't going to bloom, and then it did--just in time.
DeleteI adore borage and love how you displayed yours in this post. I was mad at myself for not planting any this year, but of course it self seeded -- in a surprise spot by the potting shed door. P. x
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your borage made a surprise reappearance. ;-) I'll be curious to see where mine pops up next year. It's a lovely bloomer.
DeleteI love that allium, what a stunner. One to look out for.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is lovely. I really didn't know what to expect in my dappled shade garden. 'Ozawa' performed well in its first year. I hope it comes back again next year.
DeleteI envy your allium! Unfortunately, it does not grow well here; though I wonder why, as its cousin the wild onion grows prolifically. I also love your asclepias. That one does a bit better for me than the alliums.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many cultivars and native alliums--I love them all! I don't know why it took me so long to add a bunch of them ... probably because it involves a lot of back-breaking deep digging. LOL. The Monarch caterpillars really enjoyed the Tropical Milkweed (along with the several native MW species in the garden). :)
DeleteBeth - Your garden is just beautiful. Great pix too. I am particularly interested in the allium because I am working with two groups choosing plantings for 2 public gardens. We are striving to have blooms early and late in the season. Pollinators welcome especially.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat. Yes, it's fun to have those new Alliums this year. I was concerned that they might not bloom, but they finally did. They're beautiful. Good luck with your public garden projects!
DeleteI've always loved the color of borage flowers. The pink purple of the garlic is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love them, too! Sadly, they are done for the season now. I wonder if they will self-seed for next year? Time will tell!
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