Friday, October 14, 2022

October Bloomday, 2022 (feels like summer edition)

Here we are, October in Portland's Never Ending Summer. Am I complaining? Nope.  But honestly it is odd. I mean it's the middle of October and we're experiencing temperatures in the 80's, and it's dry. No rain since the end of June (well, okay, on three occasions the sky spit, but those moments together don't even add up to half an inch so really... it's nothing). I am watching the weather forecast very closely, I know things are going to flip eventually—and I have plants to protect before they do. In the mean time, I am soaking up the sunshine and warmth. This is heaven!
As I said last month, I can't recall if this is Fascicularia bicolor or Fascicularia pitcairnifolia. Either way, the leaves continued to color up until they reached this dark red state, then the center expanded and eventually the small blooms opened, blue with little yellow bits.

The show is quick!

Another bloom in the bromeliad family, a yellow guzmania. This one was a gift, arriving in my garden just a couple of weeks ago. It's definitely jazzed things up as we head into autumn (or what ever this season is).

This NOID tillandsia with a bloomspike came from the same friend, and I am enjoying the hell out of it.

Paris polyphylla 'Heronswood Form'

Chasmanthium latifolium

Two different mahonia getting their bloom on; Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' and Mahonia eurybracteata 'Indianola Silver'.

All of my Tetrapanax papyrifer are pushing out flower buds. Our freak weather should give me hope that they might actually make it to opening this year before a freeze kills them off. However there is talk of a change coming. Maybe even a frost by the end of the month. Only time will tell.

Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’

Eriobotrya japonica, loquat.

Passiflora lutea, tiny little things.

Abutilon 'Nuabtang'

Flowers? What flowers? Cobea scandens is an amazing vine for it's foliage.

Not so much for the blooms. I think I've had four of them open? Here's another thinking about it. No hurry. Take your time. Looser.
Indigofera amblyantha, making the hummingbirds happy.

NOID rosemary, making the ants happy (ant butt there in the center flower).

I'll wrap this bloomday post—hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens, and officially happening tomorrow, the 15th—with the tiny flowers of Mahonia gracilipes. The hummingbirds are enjoying this one too, as are (evidently) the bees.

At just about a quarter inch or so these flowers are tiny, but very colorful...

All material © 2009-2022 by Loree L Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

22 comments:

  1. I do love that Mahonia gracilipes! (And the Passiflora and Paris.) It's odd that I can claim both cooler temperatures and more rain since June than you've had in Portland (0.62/inch in September and 0.18/inch this week) but I expect you'll soon surpass us on both counts.

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    1. Yes indeed, November is looking like a return to our usual autumn cool and wet...

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  2. I hardly notice the flowers for the foliage in your garden. And mostly nothing I can grow. Aargh. I pulled my Chasmanthium latifolium out years ago. Self-seeding monster. But so gorgeous.

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    1. I have never had a seedling of Chasmanthium latifolium, ever—and I've grown that grass for years in both my Spokane and Portland gardens. I cut most of the stems to use in a vase and then cut everything else soon after.

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  3. Love your photos of what's blooming. Always so different than here in the desert! Enjoy seeing them so much!

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  4. Curious - doesn't look even remotely like my Persicaria Red Dragon?? Rodgersia maybe?
    Thanks for ALL the incredible photos!

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    1. I saw a friends 'Red Dragon' blooming yesterday and it looked just like mine...

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  5. Love the Fascicularia foliage/flower colour combo. Totally unexpected and gorgeous!

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  6. Great photos of very interesting blooms and foliage!

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  7. Never-ending summer. That would be nice...I think. Your blooms are lovely; the Mahonia flowers are so sweet. :)

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    1. Evidently there is an end, rain to show up this weekend, cooler temperatures too.

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  8. That last photo stole the show. Gorgeous!. We have yet to have a hard frost here as well (our usual date is mid-September) so I too am enjoying this lovely weather. The move indoors is happening at a much more civilized pace this year.

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    1. Glad you're enjoying the warmth as well. I think I'm going to have to step up my migration efforts this week though, the change is coming!

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  9. The two Mahonia look very pretty together. The sum is greater than the two parts. Enjoyed seeing the Paris--it's an exotic for a SoCal gardener.

    A nice change for you to have a bit longer summer than usual. Soon, the rain...

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  10. Beautiful plants and such nice combo of colors. Our weather is changing for the next three nights, we are expecting frost, so I have been busy moving my potted plants into our shop.

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  11. Taking notes on two Mahonias that I need - Indianola Silver and M. gracilipes. They are beautiful!

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    1. You should be able to find the M. gracilipes at Cistus, and they have a version of Indianola Silver called "Cistus Silvers" which is pretty close...

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