Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Around The Garden

I didn't think I would be doing this in November, but as I moved around the garden, there were quite a few plants that were either still blooming or had put on their fall colors.  Before blogging,, I don't think I appreciated these subtle changes in nature.

The alley garden looks really good this fall, filling out and developing fall color enhanced by the leaves that pile up against it.


Eupatorium Chocolate is at it's peak.  It really likes the cooler weather!


Sedum Autumn Fire is in the alley garden.  It is not quite as showy as Autumn Joy but it remains erect all winter.


Miscanthus Udine has already begun to flop.  I have learned the hard way to cut this down before the snow hits.  It is almost impossible to cut it down after it is smashed into the raised bed.  I know, it looks so good!


Panicum Northwind will stand through the winter, usually ready to cut down by March.  I love the tan color against the snow.


It is difficult to believe that Pink Beauty is still putting out a rose every so often and an almost perfect rose.


Can you believe this Rainbow Knockout?  It is a difficult rose to find, and all of the ones I have growing are from http://www.gardenvalley.com/  Their roses are bare root and have never had a problem rooting and taking off the first year.  In fact, I have just placed an order with them to ship the first of April.  Home Depot had a small shipment of Rainbow this year but quickly sold out.  They are not promoted by the nurseries because they don't look eye-popping in their containers.  However, they are the only rose blooming profusely in my garden.


This is Ernest Markham blooming on the south side of my home.  I planted it this spring, didn't do much in the hot summer, and now decides to put on a show.  It is a Type 3, so I will cut it down in the spring and give it a bigger trellis.  It is supposed to be a very floriforous hardy clematis.


Henryi has put out one more huge bloom, can't believe it has any more.  This is the Type 2 clematis that I cut to the ground so that it would rejuvenate.  It certainly looks like it has.


White Swan is my only coneflower that is still blooming.  Why didn't I plant more White Swan?  This deserves to be interspersed throughout my garden.


If you can stand to look at your allysum all winter it will reward you over and over again.  In the spring, just pull it out and sprinkle it wherever you want allysum.   It reseeds very easily.


Wow, was this a lucky choice this year, Heuchera Southern Comfort, a real star in the fall garden.


Heuchera Southern Comfort in another location, love, those great fall colors!


 
Penstemon Hamlin (not to be cut down until spring)


Rose hips from Pink Meidiland, also difficult to find, but I have ordered one more from Garden Valley Ranch.

 
Little Henry's Garnet Sweetspire looks better than ever this fall.  It has never been as healthy and colorful.  I did use a systemic this spring, and it seems to have done the trick.  I was ready to replace it.


Limelight Hydrangea will have plenty to show off this winter.  I have never left so many flowers on the shrub, but I will use some for the holidays,, maybe even spray some for my indoor displays.


I hate to end this on a downer, but this is my yellowing yew.  It was a very large one that I have trimmed, turned off the water that sprays on it, worked in peat moss way down fed it and we'll just wait and see until spring.  It will look great when we get the Christmas lights on it!