Showing posts with label my fav plants in the garden this month. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my fav plants in the garden this month. Show all posts

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.

Friday, September 29, 2017

End of Month Favorites, my how you've gown...

For this September's End of Month Favorites I thought it would be fun to check out how the trio of succulent dish planters have filled in over the summer, since their days in the sun are sadly numbered. I ventured out to take photos one morning after an overnight rain, just as the sun was peeking out. The light was quite magical in person, but might not have been the best for photography. Oh well, it is what it is....(aka 'Que Sera, Sera')...

Then (posted on June 5)

And now...

This one is kind of crazy, how much it's grown.  Aeonium 'Kiwi', several cuttings of Echeveria setosa 'Arrow Shaped' and Mangave 'Bad Hair Day'...now...

And then...

Agave angustifolia 'Marginata' has relaxed and opened up, Opuntia erinacea 'Browse Cherry' has grown entirely new pads.

Another photo from last June, that's Mangave 'Catch a Wave', on the far left.

And another "now" view...

Taken together — all three have almost gotten so overgrown it's hard to see the dishes and to visually separate them from the surrounding foliage.

Back in June it was much easier...

The front dish now...

Sadly the Raoulia australis (silver tiny-leaved ground cover) wasn't happy in the dish planters, just not moist enough.

But the Aeoniums got along fine.

I really should go back and track which Mangave this is, the Agave on the left is an A. salmiana ferox.

Said Agave...

The third (and final) dish, now...

And then; Raoulia australis, Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkopf', Mangave 'Man of Steel' and Agave salmiana ferox.

Mangave 'Man of Steel' has definitely lived up to its front billing.

And really Agave salmiana ferox has done remarkably well considering its limited root run.

From above...

Again, where do the dish planters end and surrounding plants begin? Hard to tell.

Finally, a happy surprise on ground level. I thought the Acanthus sennii was a goner after last winter, but it's made a comeback!

And seems to be enjoying leaning on the Agave for support.

The long, hot, summer was a good one, in my garden. So, end of September, what's looking good in your garden?

Weather Diary, Sept 28: Hi 86 Low 54/ Precip 0

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