I give up. There's just not enough time to do this right now, so I'm going to have to build my October "Bloom Day" post in installments. Between two jobs, family stuff, social obligations, exercise (a priority for people who like to eat as much as I do) and actual gardening (tasks such as rebuilding the greenhouse in prep for winter have to take precedence right now), it ain't gonna happen. So check back occasionally, and I'll add a picture or two when I get around to it. It's a shame, too, because October might be the time of the year when our garden looks the best. This is a combo of two old favorites that usually hides behind parked cars at the curb - Canna "Pretoria" (aka "Bengal Tiger") and Salvia leucantha, which is hardy here most years.
The camellia season starts now, and this white sasanqua ('Setsugekka'?) is beautiful. I've rooted cuttings of the double white 'Mini no yuki', which always blooms around Thanksgiving at my parents' house, but they're painfully slow in putting on any growth. 'Winter's Star' is one of the cold hardy hybrids developed by Dr. William Ackerman, and it does really well in a tough position here.
'Shishi Gashira' will be covered in bloom from now through New Year's, making it one of the longest blooming of all Camellias here.
Lots of perennials and 'temperennials' are at their peaks right now; below is a white form of Ruellia which is probably a different species from the taller, purple one.
To the left is a close up view of Lobelia 'Candy Corn', which waited until almost Halloween to produce these blooms. Also in the 'candy corn' spectrum is this seedling of Sinningia sellovii which produces blooms tipped in yellow. This is one of the longest blooming perennials in my garden now, and the tubers are easy to dig and store for 'insurance' purposes.
That's it for now - lots more to post, but time to get on the "hamster wheel"...
4 comments:
oops, I'm reading backwards! I kind of like your installment plan--you have such great stuff that it's nice to have time to process it. Your camellias are fabulous--I have one that's just starting and one that hardly ever blooms--maybe not enough sun? And how did you keep your lobelia moist enough with this dry summer? I think you should start your own radio show. And I only have one job (though a similar need to exercise)--your garden is a wonder!
That's really nice of you, Cosmo - I have a great face for radio, too. My garden is a mess, but close up pics are a good way to avoid showing that!
Sasanqua camellias do seem to need more sun than japonicas, but it's a balancing act. Winter's Star is in full sun and loaded with blooms, but on days like yesterday they look like wet pink dishrags by late afternoon.
That lobelia (which may not be one at all - it's also listed as something else which I can't remember right now)doesn't seem to need the moisture that cardinalis and syphilitica require - it would like more sun than it gets here, too. Blooms are kind of sparse this year.
Good to hear from you!
Here's the deal on the Lobelia - according to the PDN catalog, it's "possibly a sister genus Siphocampylus". See why I couldn't remember it?
Hiya Jeff,
You were up early this morning judging from your comment on my page. (3 am? 4 am? if I subtract correctly:-)
Thanks for the orchid info.
This post of yours has me so envious. What a climate that one can have all that in late November.
Mind you: your summer temps don't attract me :-)
I look forward to your 'master gardeners' rant. I'm sure we share opinions on that too. ;-)
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