I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus, and for the first time in years I even missed last month's GBBD. I'm not sure just what happened - day after day went by and apparently my garden just wasn't inspiring me enough to blog about in those hot, dry days of September and early October. Or maybe I was just having too much fun in real life.
Anyway, now that the rains have decidedly returned, I plan to be a bit more regular. So I'll start with the few flowers I have for this month's Bloom Day.
Every year Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue' looks so wimpy and takes so long to bloom that I swear I'm taking it out. Then along comes that bewitching color combination and I'm enthralled once again. This year it's been particularly striking backed by Pennisetum rubrum.
Punica granatum 'True Dwarf' took a mid-summer break from blooming but came back again in September and has been blooming ever since. Do you suppose that was because I watered it?
Phygelius 'Passionate' feeds the hummingbirds after everything else they love is over. I love its dark orange flowers and reddish leaves so much that I bought another plant when I found it at Windmill Gardens in Sumner, WA, two weekends ago. That 75% reduction in price didn't hurt, either.
Agastache 'Acapulco Orange' is seemingly back from the dead: a happy volunteer seedling from the dear-departed mother plant is now gracing Longview Ranch. I couldn't be happier!
Rosa 'Sally Holmes' is a little rain weary, but I had to include this shot: most of my flowers are small or quiet which makes 'Sally Holmes' the showiest blooms in the garden this month.
Rosa 'Perle d' Or'.
Hakonechloa macra has pretty light red seedheads that match its reddish autumnal stripes.
Erigeron glaucus just blooms on and on.
This Penstemon is on its third bloom phase.
I can't ever get the minute flower/seeds of Persicaria 'Lance Corporal' in focus!
Our new Berberis verruculosa are sending out a few little bright yellow blooms. Check out those handsome thorns, too!
Eucomis pole-evansii gets honorable mention this month for its resolutely upright bloom spike. This one has never been staked and is still standing tall.
Last today is a Streptocarpus I've had for at least twenty years. Re-potting by the Mulch Man and a summer vacation on the patio was the secret to these beautiful, rich blue blooms.
Bloom Day is generously hosted each month by Carol Michel of May Dreams Gardens. Click over there to see more October flowers. To participate just visit her site, upload your blog post there, and then add a link to it on your own post.
Happy Bloom Day!
Anyway, now that the rains have decidedly returned, I plan to be a bit more regular. So I'll start with the few flowers I have for this month's Bloom Day.
Every year Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue' looks so wimpy and takes so long to bloom that I swear I'm taking it out. Then along comes that bewitching color combination and I'm enthralled once again. This year it's been particularly striking backed by Pennisetum rubrum.
Punica granatum 'True Dwarf' took a mid-summer break from blooming but came back again in September and has been blooming ever since. Do you suppose that was because I watered it?
Phygelius 'Passionate' feeds the hummingbirds after everything else they love is over. I love its dark orange flowers and reddish leaves so much that I bought another plant when I found it at Windmill Gardens in Sumner, WA, two weekends ago. That 75% reduction in price didn't hurt, either.
Agastache 'Acapulco Orange' is seemingly back from the dead: a happy volunteer seedling from the dear-departed mother plant is now gracing Longview Ranch. I couldn't be happier!
Rosa 'Sally Holmes' is a little rain weary, but I had to include this shot: most of my flowers are small or quiet which makes 'Sally Holmes' the showiest blooms in the garden this month.
Rosa 'Perle d' Or'.
Hakonechloa macra has pretty light red seedheads that match its reddish autumnal stripes.
Erigeron glaucus just blooms on and on.
This Penstemon is on its third bloom phase.
I can't ever get the minute flower/seeds of Persicaria 'Lance Corporal' in focus!
Our new Berberis verruculosa are sending out a few little bright yellow blooms. Check out those handsome thorns, too!
Eucomis pole-evansii gets honorable mention this month for its resolutely upright bloom spike. This one has never been staked and is still standing tall.
Bloom Day is generously hosted each month by Carol Michel of May Dreams Gardens. Click over there to see more October flowers. To participate just visit her site, upload your blog post there, and then add a link to it on your own post.
Happy Bloom Day!
You got lucky with the Agastache seedling -- could have been ho-hum (if there is such a thing with Agastaches!) but that one is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteWould love to hear about your bamboo some time. :)
Welcome back to blog land Jane! Love that Eucomis pole-evansii and wish mine would decide to bloom again (maybe next summer?)...
ReplyDeleteNo one could fault you for having "too much fun in real life", but it's nice to have you back. I guess we will have to rely on Scott to capture the magic of Lance Corporal's flowering stems. They are certainly elusive. The blue of your Streptocarpus is the very definition of heavenly.
ReplyDeleteAll beautiful blooms! I have two Black and Blue Salvias that have basically just withered away to nothing over the last two years since I first planted them. If they return in the spring I may pot them up and offer them at the next swap. Nice to have you back blogging. I've taken short breaks over the years, usually because I feel like there's nothing interesting to share. Every time it's hard to get back in the swing.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane, I've been wondering where you've been. :) I think the heat was getting to all of us. I'm so grateful for the fall cool-down and the rain-soaked soil. Now I can get some work done. I love all your blossoms. Interestingly my Erigeron glaucus and my Penstemon have not rebloomed like yours have. You must be doing something right. Maybe I need to get some rocks for them to cascade over. Yours look so good that way. Great post as always.
ReplyDeleteHey, we've both been on blogging hiatus. Welcome back! I'm impressed that penstemon is still blooming. Looks like a native, P. serrulatus? I have that one but I don't think it blooms this late. Maybe if I dead-headed it or gave it some water in summer...
ReplyDeleteLooks good, your garden. The rain on the flowers and foliage is my favorite. Water from the sky! Down south we are waiting and hoping.
ReplyDeleteLots of flowers still blooming for you. I planted an Erigeron this year but I guess I will have to wait until next year to see it bloom. I also have a Streptocarpus I've had a long time that suddenly decided to bloom heavily. Aren't they wonderful plants!
ReplyDelete'Black and Blue' never does much in my garden, but it looks great in yours. I also grow 'Sally Holmes', it's one of my favorite roses.
ReplyDelete