When I looked at the calendar, and saw there was one more Wednesday this month, I thought incorrectly that Gail at Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday was next week. It's not the last Wednesday of the month, it's the fourth. Not one to like to miss out on this event, I went out after work in the rain and took some photos.
I planted 2 beauty berry bushes last summer, after seeing it on blogs, and liking it. I didn't realize it was a wildflower when I planted them. I did know birds eat the berries. They will have plenty this year!
I cut the milkweed back this summer in hopes it would get bushier. As a result of that, it has not bloomed. The coneflower planted last summer, is just now starting to bloom. There are two of them in this area, and only one is blooming so far. I still like the vertical shapes of the liatris, even though the blooms have faded. The goldenrod on the right, I've shown recently. Just to its left, is the ironweed that has gone to seed, or is in the process of doing so.
I can't remember if this liatris bloomed yet this season. If so, it is having a second flush, even though I didn't think they normally did.
A few weeks ago, I cut deadheaded the skullcap, 'Mongolian Skies' by cutting it back, and it is loaded with blooms again.
The Short Toothed Mountain Mint is continuing to look good.
The rudbeckia, 'Herbstonne' is on it's second flush of blooms, and is ready to be cut back again. The helenium on the right may be the native kind, but I'm not sure. It was much later to bloom than the others I have.
I got this pitcher sage from our Community Crops' plant sale this spring. I am tickled to see that it is blooming.
The false sunflowers are still on their second flush of blooms. The amsonia and baptisia still look good, even though they have been finished blooming for awhile.
The 'Fireworks' goldenrod and boltonia I planted across the street are nice and bushy. The smoke tree on the bottom left had been cut back by the previous tenants. When I pointed it out to the owner of the property, he asked me to keep it. I was pleased to, because I remember how much I liked it when it didn't have competition from other volunteer trees. I'll have to move one of the goldenrods in the spring.
The boltonia on the left is the clump that the ones across the street came from. I am enjoying it next to the eupatorium, 'Prarie Jewel'.
I don't think Russian sage is a wildflower, but I'm glad this one is blooming near the spent liatris. The foliage on the amsonia hubrichtii is starting to turn gold. I like the coreopsis near the house, but don't think it's a wildflower, either.
I noticed this aster type plant in the side bed. I think it's a volunteer, but I could have planted it. I think I've mentioned before that I can be forgetful.
I've also mentioned that I am a special education paraeducator at a high school. Some of the other paras have been playing around like they are newscasters, and have taken it a step further, saying they are going to do some stories. I told them I'm a news junkie, and would be glad to watch their news. They said, no they want me and another who also said she'd watch to be guest reporters. Today, one of them had a bunch of notes in a notebook, and they asked me to give some tips on fall gardening. Now, only one or two of the other paras has a place to garden, but at the end of the day today, they asked me if I had given thought to what I was going to report about fall gardening. I thought I'd throw it out to other garden bloggers, especially in zones 4 to 6. Fall is not my favorite time of year because I am tired at the end of the work day, and don't make it out to the garden as much as I'd like. Plus, with the cost of the dental work and night guard coming up in October, I have not been able to do any plant shopping to fill some holes I have. By spring the finances should be in better shape.
Whatever tips I get, I plan to copy and paste into something to give to my co-workers. Some tips I can think of are to let most plants keep their seedheads for the birds to eat and to add something to look at in the snow; enjoy being outside as much as you can while the weather is warm enough; plant garlic in September, and bulbs, as close to just before the ground freezes as you can.
Yes, it is fall, isn't it? I am not yet to the point I'm accepting that, but it will come.
No comments:
Post a Comment