Thursday, October 15, 2009

A Wet October GBBD

It's the 15th of October, and you know what that means--time to celebrate another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, a time when garden bloggers across the world show off what is blooming in their gardens right now.





This will be a short tour today because it's pretty nippy out there--about 40 degrees. And I do hope you have brought your umbrella and some old gardening shoes for sloshing through the mud. We have had rain, rain, and more rain for the past few weeks, but I did hear we might have a change in the weather soon--a chance for snow this weekend! Looks like we'd better hurry . . .



Aside from the potted mums purchased already in bloom, there are still some spots of color in my garden. One of those mums purchased two years ago has happily established itself in my shade garden.


What has surprised me, though, are the annuals that are still blooming. After being gone for the weekend when we had a freeze here in central Illinois, I didn't expect to see anything still alive in my garden when I returned. But the "Victoria Blue" salvias and Homestead Verbena are still going strong, though the Victorias are beginning to lose some blooms and turn to their silvery winter coat.



In Roco's memory garden the Profusion White zinnias are full of blooms and show no sign of giving into the cold just yet.


Most of the blooms in the Butterfly & Friends garden have given up, but the nasturtiums are still looking good.


As is the Salvia "Black and Blue." This is one annual that will definitely be purchased again.


Not a great photo, but I have been so pleased with this begonia, its name buried somewhere in my archives. I don't think I have ever been able to keep a potted begonia alive all summer before, but this one has continually bloomed on my porch all summer.



And, of course, the old standbys geraniums/pelarogoniums are loving this cool weather. It will take a hard freeze to make them give up for the year.


The Butterfly & Friends garden was a new addition this year, and it took some time for some of the plants to achieve their full potential. This pineapple sage has really taken off and is finally in full bloom. I don't know much about this plant, including whether it is an annual or a perennial, but I need to do some research soon. If it's an annual, I need to see if I can collect some seeds for next year--this one is definitely a keeper.



This one I know will be back, though--a chocolate Joe Pye, a gift from Monica, seems unfazed by the cool weather and is setting out more blooms.



Of the few perennials still in bloom here, the Knockout Roses, are putting out the best display. I think they're just so happy that all those pesky insects that plagued them all season have finally left. They will bloom their heads off until a hard freeze.



The "Rozanne" geranium in Roco's garden also seems undaunted by the cold.




I wasn't surprised to see this "Becky" daisy nearby still in bloom, but I was amazed that we still had some bees in the garden. Apparently, these hoverflies
are hardier than most of the other species of bees.


It has been a strange fall with much cooler and wetter conditions than last year's ideal autumn. This hydrangea "Let's Dance in the Moonlight" still is hanging onto its faded blooms, but the foliage hasn't turned to the bronze color I liked so much when I bought it last fall. I think everything in the garden is a bit confused this year.



Nothing, though, is as confused as this clematis. You might remember last year when I showed two different blooms on this clematis, finally deciding that I must have gotten a "two-fer" in the pot I purchased. In the spring I had a mass of blooms from what I think is a "Nelly Moser," but last August I also had these lavender, unnamed blooms. I have been waiting since late summer to see if they would bloom again and had given up on them. To my surprise, this bloom just opened up. If there are going to be any more buds on this plant, they had better hurry up before the snow flies!




While my garden is definitely winding down for the winter, I know that many of you in warmer climates are still enjoying spending time in the garden. These lovely asters are not in my garden, but from the "mystery" garden I posted about on Tuesday. On our way home from Tennessee we made a slight detour to visit one of several gardens I've always longed to visit. Many of you recognized that peaceful scene of the chairs in the front garden . . .




Yes, I finally got to see in person Gail's Garden of Benign Neglect! As much as I love this name, though, it really doesn't fit this wonderful setting of native and native-friendly plants. Gail's friendly bumbles weren't sleeping on this morning; they were busy going from one bloom to another, enjoying their feast. Our visit was short, as Husband was anxious to get home before dark and, truth be told, I was anxious to see Sophie, but we managed to fit in a grand tour of Clay and Limestone before leaving. I wasn't sure we were going to be able to fit in a visit at all, so I arrived empty-handed--shame on me!--but left with a bounty of Tennessee plants. Next year on this Bloom Day, I hope I'll be able to show you a giant aster now blooming in my Illinois garden! Thanks, Gail, for being such a gracious hostess and the tour of such a beautiful garden.



For other blooms across the world, be sure to visit garden guru Carol of May Dreams Gardens.


41 comments:

  1. So great you have annuals blooming after a freeze. They look so nice. It is always a pleasure seeing another blogger's garden.

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  2. How wonderful to have such a nice opportunity to visit. Kudos to your husband for stopping. I know when the trip is long it is hard to convince the driver to make a detour!
    Wonderful blooms Rose.

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  3. Your flowers are still giving you splashes of welcome colour, Rose. I'm so glad you and Gail had a chance to meet. :)

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  4. I was surprised Victoria blue and my petunias survived the 25-degree freeze. The perennials usually get thru freezes until it gets down into the low-20's. My Joe Pye is blooming too.
    Marnie

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  5. I'm glad the hard freeze didn't make it down to your garden. There's still plenty to enjoy. You've got to love those annuals that keep plugging along. Things still look lovely in your garden.

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  6. What fun! I am sure "The Garden of Benign Neglect" was even more inspiring in person! Love the pic of the two of you together.

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  7. Lucky you for being able to see Gail's garden in person! I can't believe how many blooms you still have going. Love, love, love the Victoria Blue salvia. Actually I don't think I've met a salvia I didn't love. I encourage you to get more of the Black and Blue salvia. They're terrific hummingbird magnets.

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  8. Hi Rose.....I am so envious, I would love to see Gail's garden. It always looks so beautiful....

    You have so much colour in your garden Rose....I am surprised the blooms are so healthy with all that rain. I do hope that snow stays away....

    It is still bright and sunny here....I miss the rain but have to say we are having perfect autumn days.......they are forecast to last right into next week at the moment......

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  9. That rustic bench with gorgeous mums just invites to sit on it! The daisy bloom with several bees is another extra good shot!All of them are good! Very nice post Rose!

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  10. You have very beautiful flowers. I think the Blue Salvia is my favorite. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  11. Rose, Your garden is still blooming beautifully! I am so glad the frost didn't take everything out~~that might have been hard to arrive home to see! I used to love to travel now i look forward to rushing home to see the garden, to pet the kitty and sleep in my own bed! You are too kind and I mean that seriously! I loved seeing you again and hubby is a treasure! gail

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  12. I enjoyed your garden tour!
    It is wet and coldish here too. My bees are "sleeping" until it warms up....
    Always a delight to meet fellow bloggers. Her gardens are so lovely.
    Sherry

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  13. My goodness Rose you still have some great looking blooms.

    Glad you got to meet Gail. I bet her gardens are lovely.

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  14. What a wonderful display. That becky daisy (complete with little creatures) is a great one as well as the clematis & hydrangea......... just a few that caught my eye.
    Great picture of the two of you as well!

    Nuts in May

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  15. My goodness Rose, you have lots blooming this month. What a lucky lady getting to visit Gail and see the GBN.

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  16. Your garden is still delightful! Those mums are beautiful, roses divine, clematis so pretty and all the rest too! But it's cold here too. I still have some geraniums, mums, and impatiens, but that's about it!

    How nice to meet a fellow gardening blogger! I like the pic of you two.

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  17. You must not have gotten as cold as Nebraska, because some of your plants that I have didn't survive the cold temps of a few days ago. You have a nice assortment of blooms yet.

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  18. That's so fun that you got to see Gail's garden in person! And you garden still has lots of great blooms! I particularly like the confused clematis. It's like my confused Zizia!

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  19. Good showing in your garden for October and how nice to visit Gail's garden in Tennessee. I heard about that snow. Remember, I get your weather a few hour so after you, so please do me a favor and KEEP THAT SNOW to yourself.

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  20. Rose, you really do have a lot still blooming in your gardens. My salvia and profusion zinnias are still hanging in there as is the Verbena B. And the Heavenly Blue moring glory on the deck is finally blooming, but is not heavenly blue.:)

    I think most of our annuals survived the frost because they were so wet with all the rain. The one thing to be thankful about the rain for. Great GBBD post!

    Oh, and what a treat to get to see Gail again and have a grand tour of her lovely gardens!

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  21. Tina, I was surprised all the annuals didn't get zapped by the frost. The coleus are looking pretty puny, though.

    Janet, It was really a treat to see Gail's garden in person, and I was pleasantly surprised non-gardening Husband was willing to stop.

    Nancy, I enjoyed the short visit with Gail so much!

    Marnie, The Victorias usually stand up well until a hard frost. The new Joe Pye is doing better than the one I planted in May!

    MMD, Thanks; I was surprised we weren't hit harder, but your garden looks equally untouched.

    MG, Thanks! It's always so much different to see the whole garden in person. Gail's garden is huge!

    Jean, The Victorias have been long-time favorites of mine, and the "Black and Blue" was added after I saw it on so many blogs last year. Love that bright blue color.

    Cheryl, You would love Gail's garden--it was literally humming with bees. And I know you and Gail would become friends immediately. So glad you're getting some sunshine--can you send some my way?

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  22. Tatyana, The bees on the daisy really surprised me; most of the other winged creatures have left for warmer temperatures.

    Azplantlady, Thanks for dropping by; the salvias are definitely favorites of mine as well.

    Gail, I was expecting to see a garden of brown mush when I returned:) Hubby and I both enjoyed the visit so much; I do hope if you ever drive to Chicago or St. Louis, you'll stop by here. Just remember--think small:)

    Sherry, I don't know enough about bees; I wondered if the bumbles might return if the weather gets warmer. They'll need winter coats this weekend, though:)

    Susie, Gail's gardens were beautiful--and huge! She has a beautiful view from her front porch.

    Maggie May, I'm surprised to have anything blooming at all as cold as it is here. Thanks for the compliment--hopefully, my wrinkles don't show:)

    Lisa, I just couldn't drive through Nashville without stopping; it's not often I get to Tennessee. Yes, I guess I should be thankful to have some blooms left.

    Wendy, We're not used to such cold weather in October, but what makes it worse is that it keeps raining! I'm hoping for some Indian Summer before true winter arrives.

    Sue, I watched the Weather Channel over the weekend, and I'm sure we didn't get as cold as Nebraska! Did you get all of that snow, too?

    Rose, It was a treat to see Gail's garden in person! I've got a long list of other gardens I'd love to visit as well. It's no wonder our poor plants are confused.

    Carol, I'm hoping the weathermen are wrong as usual. Let's think positive thoughts.

    Beckie, That's a possibility about all the rain. I wasn't here to see just how cold it actually got. I hope you've saved some of that verbena B. seed for me!

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  23. I envy you touring Gail's garden! I'm glad you were to able to stop. You still have a lot blooming in spite of the freeze. I especially love the pink mum and the white zinnias. And of course the lovely confused Clematis!

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  24. simply beautifully captured shots...lovely!

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  25. A chance of snow already... Oh goodness!

    Beautiful photos of your colourful blooms Rose!

    There is still so much going on in your garden. I do like your Salvia, 'Black and Blue', so pretty and your Hydrangea 'Let's Dance in the Moonlight'... what a delightful name!

    I have had a lovely tour of your garden, Rose, I just need to go and scrape the mud off my shoes now ;)

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  26. Hey Rose,

    Nice October showing of blooms. That clematis looks like the one I have named ' Bee's Jubilee ' and unlike Nelly Moser, is a true repeat bloomer.

    I just love Tennessee with its scenic beauty. So glad you had time to stop by and visit Gail and her garden.

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  27. What a lovely photo of you both.

    Lovely Salvia.

    Can't believe you are expecting snow soon!

    Sx

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  28. Isn't it wonderful spending time with friends? Your blooms are magnificent!

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  29. You've got some nice things blooming, but the best part of your post is the photo of you and Gail!! It's wonderful! I'm so jealous you got to see her again, and her garden, too. Lucky you, Rose! :-)

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  30. A lovely post, Rose. You are still blessed with beauty in the garden. We must hold these thoughts through the long winter. Are you and Gail too cute together!
    (Wish I could super-impose myself beside you both!)

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  31. What a lush garden despite the chill! This post is wax paper to press the last blooms. That clematis is beyond gorgeous. We are dipping to freezing tonight too. Brrrr!

    How nice to meet with a blog buddy. You look so happy. A most happy GBBD to you.

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  32. What a treat to visit Gail's garden. Lucky you! You have some beautiful blooms this month. I adore Black & Blue Salvia and Pineapple Sage. :)

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  33. Very nice October blooms Rose! How fun getting to visit Gail. Sounds like a very nice, if brief visit, and what a nice photo keepsake of the two of you.

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  34. I grow the pineapple sage here in New Zealnd, and just love it as flowers all through the winter, cut it down in early spring, and away it comes again

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  35. You have lots happening, even if it's wet and cold! That first image of mums on a bench could have been taken in my garden. Nothing like a pot of mums in the fall to brighten things up!

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  36. how fun to get to see gail's garden.
    yours is still full of wonderful colour. the cold is coming.
    hope all is well with sophie.
    happy autumn.

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  37. Sweet bay, Since this post appeared, we've had a REAL freeze and most of my blooms have now wilted.

    Flystars, Thank you!

    Shysongbird, The snow never materialized, thankfully, but we've since had a hard freeze. This week's weather looks more promising, and I'm thrilled to see the sun shine today!

    Carolyn Gail, Thanks for the possible id on the clematis--I will have to check out "Bee's Jubilee." It doesn't produce many blooms, however.

    Suburbia, We're back to sunshine this week!

    Life, Time spent with friends is always special, and meeting another blogger is such a treat!

    Kylee, It was such a treat to get to see Gail's garden. If I'm ever passing through your part of Ohio, don't be surprised if I come knocking at your door:)

    Joey, I'd love to see your Michigan garden!

    Sarah, I love that image of pressing the blooms between wax paper here:)

    Racquel, I think we share a love of those two plants. They will definitely be added again next year.

    Linda, We were at Gail's for just an hour, but enough time to re-connect and get a good tour of the gardens--so much fun!

    Jean, I wish my pineapple sage would last through the winter, but I don't think it's hardy here. I've taken a cutting in hopes I can start a new plant for next year.

    Linda, Mums may be over-used in the fall in some people's minds, but I love their bright fall colors.

    Marmee, I enjoyed meeting up with Gail so much! Thanks for asking about Sophie; she did surprisingly well, but when we returned she wouldn't leave my side for a long time.

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  38. Dear Rose,
    The sun is shining and the Painted Ladies are out in abundance!
    I was thinking of you when I took photos this afternoon. My bees come out even in the winter if we have a warm snap. I like to set out rotting fruit for them.
    As the Indians say, "Stay strong",
    Sherry

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  39. Sherry, I have lots of apples that have fallen to the ground this fall--I hope that will satisfy my bees! I didn't see any Painted Ladies today, but lots of small bees were out and about.

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  40. Seeing that first photo made me smile, Rose - but by the end I was grinning...how cool to see you and Gail together at Clay & Limestone! Did some practically perfect phlox hitchhike home with you?

    Your three salvias, Pineapple sage, 'Black & Blue' salvia and Salvia farinacea 'Victoria' make it through most of our winters so they're considered perennial here. I'd throw a little mulch on the ground after pulling up the frozen Victoria and frequently found seedlings in spring...good luck with rooting some Black & Blue and the Pineapple sage or with cutting them back to pot up for a sunny window.

    This comment is getting long, but had to note one of my clematis purchases also turned out to have two separate varieties in one package...neither of which matched the label. I like them both but never did figure out their names. You got a pretty bonus!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  41. I just love the vibrant fall color! My chocolate Eupatoria is blooming now, too. It's always been a late-bloomer (man, can I relate ha ha)! Great that you got to visit Gail--that's a great photo of both of you!

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