Friday, October 28, 2011

Fall in my garden...

Thankfully our first full day back in Portland wasn’t a complete emersion in the famous Oregon grey skies, the sun came out to highlight some of the changes in the garden since we left town a couple of weeks ago.

The blooms that I was so happy to see on my Clematis tibetana have morphed into these fabulous shiny filaments. Color on the Virginia Creeper. Blooms on the Fatsia japonica. The warm fall color of the Peony leaves always surprises me. I don't think of them as being known for their fall foliage. The yellowing of the leaves on my Ponceris is exciting because it means soon the branches will be bare and thorns will be visible. Mahonia × media‘Charity’ A few red Virginia Creeper leaves stand out against the green Clematis Montana 'pink perfection' leaves. Cardoon blooms, beautiful even in decline. The view when I stepped outside to take the dog for a walk, its fall for sure… Spikes hidden by the neighbors fallen Dogwood leaves. Bright purple on the formerly green Cylindropuntia. Want a fast growing Manzanita? I am shocked at the speed with which the Arctostaphylos x 'Austin Griffiths’ has grown. Agave Americana Wider view… And a couple of Castor Bean close-ups… Our temperatures have dipped to a chilly 36 degrees but the Canna are so far unscathed. Whereas these Sempervivum have their leaves pulled in tight in protest. Does red in the Agave spines count as fall color? Lazy Opuntia. After studying the form of the mother plant to these Agave pups (in New Mexico) it’s quite remarkable how different they are. Shorter wider leaves, is this an adaptation to my climate? And finally a few of the colorful trees I crossed paths with yesterday. We saw plenty of fall color in Albuquerque and Durango but it was mostly of the bright golden variety, it was wonderful to see some fiery reds.

13 comments:

  1. So lovely! Is ricinus hardy in out area? Do you have to take it inside in the winter?

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  2. Live the leave impressions on your agave. Nice specimen!

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  3. Wow, it actually looks like fall in you garden! The leaves are pretty much just turning brown on the trees here in Florida. I'll be checking back in to see how your garden takes the weather!

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  4. Great colors! I love that lazy opuntia. Is that really the way it grows?
    Your agave beds are looking great!
    David/ :-)

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  5. Coming home should always be so good! My first 'Austin Griffiths' grew like a weed too. The new one doesn't get as much full sun and has been slower.

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  6. Stunning fall photos. Is that a pug? We just got a pug..."Stormy" She is 9 wks tomorrow!

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  7. Heather, no it's not (the Ricinus), the plant will bite it with the first killing frost. I have heard stories of it reseeding it's self though, which is why I'm looking at my seed pods everyday hoping they've burst open and babies will be popping up next year! (so far no luck)

    Jenn, me too! (hoping they make it through the winter happily)

    RFG, and I'll be reporting...hopefully all good but either way I'll share.

    David, no it's slowly flopped over like that. I don't particularly care for it but I'm in a watch and wait mode.

    MulchMaid, this one definitely gets the sun, good to know.

    Nantucket, a pug pup! Nothing cuter than that. Ours is 10 years old, she still acts like a pup every now and then, with a lot of napping in between.

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  8. Nice homecoming we ordered up for you, no? Welcome back!

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  9. That fall is more brilliant than Abq's for sure! Most of our fall color is from drought-stressed trees, so early and dull is the theme! Simply impressive is all the variety of textures you show.

    And yes, Poncirus dropping it's foliage than hides those spines, must cheer up your gray days! So funny...

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  10. It is so surreal to be down here and to see your pictures. I'm not so much in denial, I've just totally forgotten about home. Whoops! (As for wine, yes my dear, you'll be seeing some soon.)

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  11. That was the nicest peony foliage I have ever seen, for this time of year. Around here the foliage looks blasted, spotty and generally ugly starting in August.

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  12. ricki, thank you!

    DD, your fall color was better than that! I think it was the Cottonwoods?

    Ann, not bad to forget, it's kind of a blessing really. Wine = :) (smiley face)

    Les, I don't get it! Why is it so pretty? It's even better now...bright golden with a tinge of red.

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  13. Glad to see a snippet of your garden at this time of the year. The remnants of clematis flowers has it's own charm!

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