We’ve had several frosts now (Indian Summer, where are you?) so the garden is a mishmosh of dead and alive right now. Some things are looking great and so much else is looking terrible.
I’ve been trying to take some mental notes for the future. I went heavier on the annuals this year than I would have liked, in part because I hadn’t decided what I wanted to plant in some areas, but the downside of that is that the garden looks really quite terrible right now. The annuals that are continuing to withstand the frosts are getting gold stars and mental notes for future years.
Verbena bonariensis, which I grew from seed, is still looking good (even with a little Halloween flare thanks to the cobwebs).
And good old Nicotiana alata ‘Lime Green’ is still doing its thing. As though I needed a reason to love that plant any more than I already do.
Vermillionaire cuphea was so wonderful again this year (planted en masse to woo the hummingbirds, a mission that was quite successful), but it has pooped out with the cold. But Artemisia Makana Silver, a new plant from Terranova Nurseries that will be available next year, is just fine and, damn, it’s a looker.
The coleus, of course, is absolutely pathetic. If I don’t find time to pull it out soon I might lose my mind.
And the dahlias are so sad.
Thank goodness for hydrangeas, the floral stars of fall.
Limelight was looking almost golden in the autumn sun.
Most of the Bobo hydrangeas have taken on a brilliant pink hue.
But a few plants have both newer white flowers and blooms turning pink.
The new Japanese maple (I made a video about planting it and redoing the bed it’s in that you can watch here or at the bottom of this post) hasn’t started changing color, but I was surprised to find a very cold monarch butterfly in it the other day. Poor guy was trying to warm his wings, but I fear he may be starting his journey to Mexico way too late.
And of course the monkshood is just starting to really get into its bloom now. It’s so beautiful but I don’t dare bring it inside because it’s highly poisonous and I don’t want to take any chances with the cat or dog.
Whenever the the garden looks a bit unsavory, I can always just look up for a dose of color.
What’s the state of your garden these days?
Here’s that Japanese maple video:
I liked this video. It seemed so real. Some videos I have watched, by other people, seem so robotic.
Thanks, Lisa!
So nice to visit your fall garden. My garden is a bit overwhelmed by green leaves, as we have had a lot of wind storms with the rain. The rain has overwhelmed so many plants this year, even with my good draining soil. But my hydrangeas are beautiful…still with that blush of cold color and my little potted Acer is still holding on to his leaves that are beginning to turn to burgundy and some beautiful fiery reds. My Knock out roses are still erupting with red and pink bursts of flowers. Burgundy mums i planted last year grew into a cloud of color that is now beginning to pale…i need to move them, because i had no idea that they would get as big as they did in a small rock garden area! lol! Ah, and now i’m facing the clean-up. I liked your idea of the shredded leaves as my winter mulch. It worked out great last year. Do you make the leaf cages around your hydrangeas for winter/spring storm protection? Well, the sun is out this weekend so here I go…
Your hydrangeas sound beautiful! I used to make leaf cages around my ‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangea in an attempt to overwinter the flower buds, but it was only marginally successful so I stopped. Everything else manages fine on its own.
Still no frost here but this weekend may bring one. Got all my houseplants cleaned and brought inside. Need to put some big lots of Begonia Pegasus into our tiny green house? Cleanup will have to wait because I injured my knee and have limited mobility.?
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear about your knee. The good thing about fall cleanup is that almost all of it can wait until spring if it has to. Hope you’re back up and on the go soon.
We’ve had two frosts this week, so the garden is bedraggled. We pulled the veggies today, along with coleus, zinnias, and dahlias. Why didn’t I remember to make a bouquet before it hit?
I wish I would have cut more flowers before everything died too, but at least I grabbed several in recent weeks.
Darn, now I want to get outside and move things around! Thanks for sharing videos like this. They are inspirational.
I think I need you to come visit and teach me how to do videos. Loved it! And your garage looks so fabulous. ThoughI can’t believe you can dig in flip flops. My garden is looking so so. Took pix today to remember what looks good which Iwill post next week. Alas most of toad lilies and Anemonies froze before blooming.
Thanks for your spring blog mention of Nicotiana Alata “Lime Green”. I ordered seeds upon your recommendation and the plants are still going…even after being pruned in summer and the frosty northern Indiana nights.
I tried growing Verbena bonariensis from seed this year (twice) and they never germinated. What is your process?