October Bloom Day

Tricyrtis Hirta

Tuberous Begonia

Woods Pink Aster

Turtlehead 'Hot Lips'

Sedum 'Autumn Delight'

variegated Obedient plant

Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset'

Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset'

Rose 'Lady Elsie May'

Honeysuckle

Calico Aster

'Blue Heaven' Little Bluestem and 'Prairie Sky' Switchgrass

Fall is finally here. A bittersweet time of fading blooms but rich colors and crisp cool air. I have lots of prewinter prep to do before the snow comes but a lot of things are still blooming after getting protection from earlier frosts. After days of warm temps in the seventies and even eighties I think the cooler temps are here to stay.

September Bloom Day

Butternut squash

the vine that took over the yard!

pumpkin in hiding

small acorn squash

hanging basket

tuberous begonia that I keep and grow every year

white tuberous begonia

white begonia in tree- it takes until August for them to start blooming well although this one has bloomed nearly all summer

some squash harvested before frosty night yesterday

Autumn Joy sedums

closeup

Toad lily-I like these tiny orchid looking flowers

berries of the Jack in the Pulpit

Eupatorium 'Juncius'

another view

Anemone going strong

annual salvia that's bloomed all summer

Summer Blues Delphinium

fall view of east side

view of hillside in need of some weeding

Fiesta rose poking through little bluestem grass(which has flopped over this year)

Pink Lemonade honeysuckle

 Not much time for the gardens these days since being back at work in my school. By the time I get home there's just enough time to do some watering before dark. I've been doing a lot of that these days since we haven't had much rain in at least a couple of weeks. We had our first frost here already last night. About three weeks earlier than normal. I'm still trying to enjoy the gardens but am tired of watering so often. The butterflies are mostly gone now but I've enjoyed the hummers at my feeder the last couple of weeks as they ready for their trip to warmer climates.
 It wasn't a great year for tomatoes but the squash went to town. My apple bagging attempt had mixed results. There were a few good apples but I found a few good ones that weren't bagged also. The bags also held a lot of moisture even with the holes cut in the bottom for drainage. There were lots of apples on the trees but only a few edible ones. Even so there's something about eating an apple you've grown yourself.
 I always have mixed feelings about the gardens this time of year. There's some sadness because the beauty will soon be gone and buried in white but also a sense of relief from all the work that this passion entails for a few months out of the year.

Funkie Gardens

   Last week Mom and I traveled a little ways to Marine on St. Croix, north of Stillwater, Minnesota. We went to visit Funkie Gardens, a nursery specializing in hostas and rare perennials. We went looking for the mini hosta 'Holy Mouse Ears' and whatever else we might find. We both love discovering what smaller, specialty growers have to offer.
   Once we arrived we found how many "mouse" hostas there are! After doing more research at home I discovered there are at least 18 different varieties. Mom got the 'Holy Mouse Ears' she had looked for all summer. I decided on 'Frosted Mouse' and 'Snow Mouse'. So many choices of these tiny wonders, some way out of our price range. We checked out all the other hosta offerings and I found another tiny one called 'Teeny Weeny Bikini'. I also picked out 'Diana Remembered',a full sized hosta. I had a small hosta named 'Miss Susie' on my list to look for but didn't see any. I asked and the helpful person chatting with my talkative mom went and found one for me. It wasn't potted because they were small but I popped it in the garden as soon as I got home. Mom and I both picked out a few more perennials and I reserved a couple of Martagon Lily bulbs which will be dug later in September. I've never had these before but have read about them and wanted to try them.
   It was so nice to talk to someone who is knowledgable about the plants they offer.  When going to local garden centers I feel like we know as much or more than some of the help. We also like finding plants that aren't widely available. There's also a fun gift shop next door with lots of garden accessories. After stopping for lunch in Stillwater we headed home with our treasures.
   I will have to get the new things planted this week before I go back to work at school next week. My lazy, carefree summer days are coming to an end very soon!

                 Some of what's blooming  in the gardens today

new phlox 'Aureole'

new Hosta 'Teeny Weeny Bikini'

new Hosta 'Diana Remembered'

 Hibiscus 'Plum Crazy'

awesome purple pods on hyacinth bean!

Hyacinth bean flowers

Sedum 'Abbeydore' 

Joe Pye Weed

Rose 'Pink Grootendorst'

'Blue Heaven' little bluestem

'Prairie Sky' Switchgrass

unnamed phlox

'Pink Beauty' Potentilla

'Little Lamb' Hydrangea

'Pinky Winky' Hydrangea

'Tiger Eyes' Sumac already turning color