Friday, October 27, 2017

Favorites at the end of October, giving into autumn

Explaining why she does not care much for autumn my friend Grace once wrote (I'm paraphrasing) "I spend all year trying to make my garden look good, why would I enjoy watching it all falling apart?" (apologies Grace if I've butchered that too badly). I tend to agree with her, and I deny the arrival of autumn as long as I can, for that, and may other reasons. Like that I love summer!

So I deny, until I can't any longer. I'm finally just giving myself over to it. Enjoying the changes it brings to the garden. Of course it's helped immensely that with a few notable exceptions (like last weekend's "atmospheric river" and the incredible rainfall it brought) we've had some amazing weather this October.

I should also note I keep intending to declare this end-of-month "favorites" meme dead. It was fun, until it wasn't. Maybe this "mash-up" favorites of autumn post will be the finale? Or maybe I'll find something in the November garden that must be written about? Dunno. We'll see. In the mean time that's Peony foliage turning all golden with a bit of Leucosceptrum japonicum 'Mountain Madness' on the left and Daphne x burkwoodii 'Briggs Moonlight' in the front.

Imperata cylindrica, aka Japanese blood grass, with Yucca recurvifolia ‘Variegata’.

Unlike most Euphorbia, which really shine in the spring, I find E. x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' to be at its best in the fall. In fact it kind of irritates me in the spring and I have to remember "but it's fabulous later" and not rip it out. Here it's looking good with Euphorbia rigida.

And with Hebe ochracea 'James Stirling'.

Something else I should mention about this rambling post. There will be washed out sunny photos, and somewhat somber shady photos — of the same plant. I took photos throughout the day and ended up with several I wanted to use. Poncirus trifoliata, fruit...

Foliage...

And both, with that gorgeous blue sky. Oh, and spikes too of course.

Fothergilla gardenii 'Blue Mist', which is usually pretty stingy on the fall color. This is a good showing.

Now let's wander into the back garden for a bit. Hosta don't generally slide into autumn gracefully, at least in my opinion. These NOID (long story — a time killing stop at Bi-Mart) Hosta are kind of putting on a nice show this year.

The Clematis tibetana var. vernayi are not slowing down one bit.

The volunteer Virginia Creeper (it stowed away with a plant I brought from my Spokane garden) is coloring up nicely.

Hosta 'June' ages gracefully.

Syneilesis aconitifolia is going out in a blaze of yellow.

Ditto for the Chasmanthium latifolium, aka Northern Sea Oats

Podophyllum pleianthum

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Rochester'

Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida' is coloring up at the bottom.

But staying green at the top.

Hosta 'Empress Wu' wears autumn well.

Where as Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart' just kind of collapses.

I love a plant that's already looking forward to the final days of winter and early spring, like this Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Akebono’ with it's flower buds.

Back out in the front garden Cotinus ‘Royal Purple' is on fire!

As seen with a Yucca rostrata...

And through the branches of Arctostaphylos x ‘Austin Griffiths'.

Yucca aloifolia ‘Purpurea’ with Artemisia versicolor 'Sea Foam'.

A golden Tetrapanax leaf with Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Harmony’

Up at the front of the house Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn) is starting to take on hints of gold.

Highlights you might call them.

Whereas the Amsonia hubrichtii is full-on colored up, with another Yucca rostrata for contrast.

Possibly my favorite autumn vignette...

You, know, because there's an Agave!

Amsonia does glow in the sun...

And that Daphne x houtteana will forever stop my heart. Okay...that's enough autumn love. What's looking great in your garden on this last Friday of October?...

Weather Diary, Oct 26: Hi 71, Low 51/ Precip .01"

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

27 comments:

  1. Fall looks pretty fabulous in your garden to me, Loree. We've none of those wonderful color changes. My own Cotinus simply dropped all its brown leaves following one of our earlier heatwaves and the current heatwave is having a similar effect on the persimmon trees, which can turn pretty colors under cooler conditions. I really like Amsonia and have repeatedly considered acquiring some as Sunset claims it'll grow here but would it turn yellow like yours? Doubtful. I found some favorites to join in again this month, though: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2017/10/october-2017-favorites.html

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    1. Ugh, that doesn't sound pretty Kris (your Cotinus). So do you think your Amsonia would just keep on growing then, and stay green? That wouldn't be so bad, to not have it die back.

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  2. The color on the plants we mutually grow seems much better in your garden. Of course, drought in Aug. and Sept. with 90+ temps might be why my autumn garden is pretty sad. I dug up my Syneilisis and divided into 4 pieces so we'll see how that turns out. Looking at your Amsonia I realize I need a better color next to mine than just greens. Yours is glowing with that deep purple neighbor. Your garden looks lovely at this season. Frost is predicted this weekend and part of me is ready to let it go. Though there is still quite a lot of work left to do outside. Hosting a workshop in our garden last weekend meant we put off a lot of fall chores.

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    1. Well...we had a 3 month "drought" (no rain) during the summer with many days over 90F and over all a very hot summer, so I'm not sure that's entirely the cause. Although your late heat certainly had to play with autumn color. Our autumn here in general (all around the Portland area) seems to be exceptional this year. I have a friend who was very successful dividing her Syneilisis, so it can be done!

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  3. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite vignette, which is why I so love autumn. I'd miss it with a perpetual summer. This way, there is always something to look forward to. Does Northern Sea Oats seed readily? I love how it looks, but scared of over abundance of volunteers.

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    1. Others report that yes, the Northern Sea Oats does seed rather prolifically. I've not had any issue — then again I tend to cut it back about now. In fact it will show up in a vase tomorrow...

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  4. Your favorite autumn vignette is pretty spectacular with the gold, blue, and burgundy foliage (and of course, an agave.) I sort of enjoy watching the garden falling apart and thinking about what spring will bring. (It helps that I don't have much time to spend keeping the garden together this time of year.)

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    1. I'm glad you can put a positive spin on your restricted garden time...

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  5. Oh my friend! Your autumn garden is a delight. The subtle changes and the bold. Perfect vignettes, purple and charteuse hues and delicate details to boot. Fall has been fabulous this year. Enough that crisp air at night and the warm sun during the day. Spring will not be far behind.

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    1. "Spring will not be far behind"... oh you know how to make me smile!

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  6. If this is the end of the end-of-month favorites, the meme's going out with a bang! The blazing smokebush seen through satiny-smooth arms of manzanita... that's what it's all about. And the whole scene of which the Synielesia is the star; just wow.

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    1. Syneilesis, that is. (Lots of Latin in school has helped me make sense of many plant names, but the Greek ones remain Greek to me...)

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    2. Thank Nell, and like they say when it comes to "proper" Latin pronunciation. As long as they know what you're talking about that's all that matters.

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  7. I'm glad we've had some nice weather to help you reconcile with fall. Your Poncirus is enviable with all those fruits, and I love the Cotinus through the Arctostaphylos branches. I love fall, but I'm already impatient for things to start growing again next spring. It's going to be a long winter for me.

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    1. You and me both! We'll have to plan a few blogger get-together's to help us through it.

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  8. This particular Autumn is enough to make a believer of anyone. So many bloggers have been declaring it their favorite season and I always think of you. I know it will never supplant summer in your heart but nice to know you are enjoying it. Could this be the swan song of Friday Faves? Guess I'd better jump in: http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/5917

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    1. I'd enjoy autumn a lot more if it transitioned straight to spring...

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  9. Ah, I can understand Grace's feelings about autumn, because that's how I feel about summer. My garden starts falling apart early, as soon as the rain stops. The only reason I welcome autumn is because the rain returns and I can stop worrying about things dying of thirst. My soil is so well drained, even after the torrential rain last weekend, I dug down to replant those lilies I dug up, and the soil 6 inches down was bone dry sand. Your garden is falling apart very prettily, I think.

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    1. You have me wanting to go dig a hole to see how far down our moisture goes!

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  10. I'd hardly call that "falling apart"!

    No October favorites from me. I'm afraid to go back out there after 5 days of 100F+ It's been brutal.

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    1. Maybe you'd have a different opinion if you had to clean up the mess?

      Your weather has been brutal, I am sorry.

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  11. Lots of sighs and oooos from me scrolling through your post.

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  12. Oh dear, here I am drifting along in the rear of the finale... ;-) I thought the pictures of your Poncirus would be my favorites - until I reached the Cotinus + Yucca rostrata - fabulous! I wish I could find a better selection of Yuccas locally; they always seem to take a back seat to Agaves. I like both, and they're not exactly interchangeable - huff, huff!
    I'm hoping you won't mind my very late link, posting was superseded by a row with (and over) weed clearing...: https://www.smallsunnygarden.com/2017/10/29/a-pair-of-favorites/

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    1. I don't understand why the shortage of Yuccas elsewhere, like your hood. After all I think most of my Yucca rostrata came from Mountain States Wholesale nursery which is very near you!

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  13. Wow, you really saved the best for last in this collection of (all great) photos. Call me weird, but I love the falling-apart phase, whether it's a vase of tulips past their prime in May or the coloring and falling of leaves or even the smush of hostas. Thanks for the lovely pics.

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  14. I don't really see fall as a "falling apart"season down here, but then in zone 10, the rains usher in new growth, and all the subtropicals really come into peak bloom, usually continuing into Christmas. But I agree with you about the short and colder days of winter; not my favorite weather at all.

    Fabulous photos, love all those contrasts, so different from Berkeley.

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