Horrors!

Gentle reader, if you are at all sensitive, prone to swoons or queasy of the stomach, please avert your eyes now! You undoubtedly will not want to see the Parade of Horrors found at Squirrelhaven.

First the handiwork of that Supervillan, Mr. Freeze.

Now that's just sad.

Driven by a ravening hunger, it came in the night and attacked without warning, eating the hips off my Rose! The Demon of the Night missed one, so I put the Rose in a cage to protect it. Too bad the wire fencing is squashing the plants.

And finally, the most gruesome horror of them all:That used to be part of a Jolly Roger before the Evil Bushy-tailed Monsters from Hell got at it. I failed to spray the jack o'lantern with critter repellent. I have since taken action.

It's okay now, you can uncover your eyes. I'm done having fun. I hope your garden doesn't fall victim to any terrors of the night or bushy-tailed fiends. Happy Halloween!

Last Dance on the Titanic

Call me morbid, call me pale (apologies to Morrissey), but it feels like a party on the brink of destruction out there today. This morning the low temperature was 39F/3.7C and right now it is 43F/5.9C, but there is a freeze warning for tonight. The sky has clouded over and the wind has picked up. But all around, the trees are flashing their brightest colors in years, dressed in their finest and dancing in a frenzy.

I can't recall the Oaks ever looking this red. This Oak is actually showing up a couple of Maples. The Chicago area is having a truly fantastic show this autumn.
I think today the color hit its peak. Compare this photo of Cornus 'Aurora' taken yesterday with this photo I took this morning.All around the garden things are going out in a blaze of glory:Geranium maculatum

Polyganatum biflorum

Hammamelis x 'Sunburst'

Gillenia trifoliata and Hydrangea macrophylla 'Penny Mac'

Cotinus 'Nordine,' with from left, autumnal yellow foliage of Lobelia 'Monet Moment,' blooms of Geranium 'Rozanne,' Heuchera 'Lime Rickey ,' and Alchemilla

The Magnolia is just beginning to turn, as are the Yellowwood and Cornus 'Beni Fuji.' I'll post photos of them later, as this post is about peak color as part of Dave at the Home Garden's Fall Color Project.

Busy as Bees

In their frantic quest to gather as much nectar as possible in the shortening days, these bees practically push each other out of the way.

Tick, tick, tick...that's the sound of the clock counting down the minutes to the end of the gardening season. I will not panic. I'll just keep plugging along at the tasks before me. (It's a good thing I don't do fall garden cleanup, except for the foliage of the Peony or anything that's diseased.) Transferring perennials from the containers to the ground for the winter... I could gamble that the container is large enough and the plants, a Fern, a Hosta, a Bergenia and an Epimedium, are hardy enough, but I'm not much of a gambler. Tick, tick, tick...Getting the last of the nursery-purchased perennials into the ground, they definitely won't survive the winter in those root-bound pots. Tick, tick, tick...Installing another mowing strip and killing the grass within it could wait until spring, but it would give me such a head start to get it done this fall. TICK, TICK, TICK...these fallen leaves won't wait for spring, they must be picked up before the snow flies so I'll have shredded leaves to mulch the garden and protect the Mophead Hydrangeas over the winter.

Oh, no, I've forgotten about the bulbs I have to get planted! I will not panic. I'm not panicking .... not panicking ... definitely not panicking ... yet.

What gardening chores are still on your to-do list?

Bloom Day: October 2008

It's that time again, when at the request of garden blogging doyenne (can I use that word?) Carol of May Dreams Gardens requests that we post about what's in bloom today in our gardens. October Bloom Day is bittersweet for those of us who garden in the Midwest. This might be our last chance to participate until March or April. The garden is winding down in anticipation of its long winter sleep. But there are still lots of blooms in the garden, including the Japanese Anemone 'Andrea Atkinson,' which is the flower behind the header of this blog. Also in full bloom is the other one, the floppiest of the floppies, Anemone x hybrida 'Party Dress.'

From this angle is looks quite fetching. Don't be fooled, it's leaning way over.

The Coneflowers are nearly done blooming.They usually are done blooming by now.

And now the most ironic blooms in the garden, the pristine, large flowers of the dark-leaved Dahlia 'Bishop of Canterbury.'* (Yes, I'm aware that there is no "Bishop of Canterbury," that it is, in fact, the "Archbishop of Canterbury," but I'm not the one who named this plant.)(Click on any photo to enlarge.) The irony is that these blooms have been plagued by Earwigs & Japanese beetles all year, leaving the flowers shredded and unsightly. Finally, with the threat of frost imminent, they look perfect.
This mystery Sedum was one of the few plants on the property when I acquired it. It's relegated to life in the shade garden, but somehow, no matter how much I abuse and neglect it, it still manages to bloom. I don't hate it, I don't love it, I just don't have any feelings about it whatsoever. I suppose I should appreciate it for having the latest blooms of any of the Sedums here.
Another abused and neglected plant that has been in bloom continuously since spring and even manages to throw a couple of blooms during warm spells in winter is the lowly Lamium maculatum.It takes foot traffic (don't ask), and, as is obvious from the photo, the bees love it. The pink seems to bloom more freely than 'White Nancy.'
Between the three plants of Heuchera 'Raspberry Ice,' there have always been blooms all summer.There are no buds waiting in the wings now.
Although not a flower, the showy bracts of Heptacodium miconiodes are at their peak.The tree still has two flowers and a bud, so the show will continue for quite some time.
The New England Aster 'Honeysong Pink' (Symphyotrichum novae-anglia), always the first of the big fall Asters to bloom, is past peak now, but its companion here, S. laeve var. purpureum 'Bluebird,' will continue blooming for several more weeks.
The Toad Lilies continue to dazzle in the Woodland Garden.



On the left is Tricyrtis 'Tojen,' a veritable blooming machine, and on the right, the smaller and more elegant T. 'Gilt Edge.'
Then there's that Energizer Bunny of perennials, Geranium nodosum 'Svelte Lilac'continuing to churn out blooms even as its foliage begins to turn red. This is the longest continuously blooming plant I have.

Giving 'Svelte Lilac' a run for its money this year is Phlox pan. 'Nicky.'

This plant isn't just lingering with a single bloom, oh no. It has several bloom clusters and quite a few more buds. Turning from the old to the new, on the right is a mystery Monkshood (Aconitum species). Its a big plant, with deep, dark blue flowers. I wish I could say I loved this plant, but it has two problems. The first, and most serious, is that it has a wilt problem, where entire stems wither and die. The second problem is that not all of it stands up straight. If I can find a better Monkshood that blooms in October, these Monkshoods will be replaced. I'd love to hear any recommendations.
I can't understand how I forgot all summer to post a photo of any of the Malva Zebrinas.Maybe it's because they are only a step above weeds in the faux-Prairie Garden, and I'm constantly yanking out seedlings. It's too pretty to eliminate completely.
This may be my last chance to post a photo of the blooms of Heuchera 'Palace Purple.'I'm such a bad gardener. I rudely ignore these poor plants simply because the flowers aren't big and flashy like those of H. 'Raspberry Ice' or 'Hollywood.' It's just kept quietly blooming and now its foliage is beginning to show its autumnal tints.
Also starting to show autumnal tints but still throwing out a few blooms is everybody's favorite Geranium, 'Rozanne.'It has slowed down and shows indications that the party is almost over.
Sorry, but I just have to post more photos of Asters and Symphyotrichums. At least these photos each have an added element.This photo of Aster tataricus includes the wild grape leaves showing their autumnal color. All summer I've been trying for a photo of a Painted Lady.I had to wait until October to get this one on S. n-a 'Hella Lacey.'
And now, from the "Dazed and Confused" file:

on the left Forsythia and on the right a wild Violet. I haven't had the heart to tell them that it isn't spring yet.


Finally, just to prove that I have one and it's not pink, purple, yellow or white:it's a peach Chrysanthumum (with Ceratostigma plumbaginoides). This mum is the very last plant to start blooming at Squirrelhaven, signalling that the end (of both the gardening season and this post) is near.


To say that the weather in the Midwest is unpredictable is a gross understatement. It could snow next week, or the warm weather could continue on into December. This could be the last Squirrelhaven Bloom Day post for a long time, or not. I'm not going to worry about that. I'm too busy enjoying the fabulous weather of mid-October. Happy Bloom Day!


New Blooms: Aconitum species, Aster tataricus, Chrysanthumum/Dendranthema (?) species
Taking a break, but with buds again: Campanula 'Samantha,' Campanula 'Sarastro'
In full bloom: Sweet Alyssum, Anemones 'Andrea Atkinson' and 'Party Dress,' Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Dahlia 'Bishop of Canterbury,' Symphyotricum purpurea leave 'Bluebird' and S. n.a. 'Hella Lacey,' Sedum species, Tricyrtis 'Tojen' and 'Gilt Edge'
On the way out: Echinacea purpurea, Eurybia divaricatus, Geranium 'Rozanne,' Geranium nodosum 'Svelte Lilac,' Heptacodium miconiodes, Heucheras 'Palace Purple' and 'Raspberry Ice,' Lamium maculatum, Lobelia 'Sparkle DeVine,' Malva Zebrina, Phlox paniculata 'Nicky,' Solidago 'Fireworks, Aster/Symph. 'Snow Flurry'

*edit. 1/09 This is not Dahlia 'Bishop of Canterbury,' it is actually Dahlia 'Bishop of Leicester.'

LAPCPADPOUB

This post is to support Happy Mouffetard of The Inelegant Gardener in her quest not to become the Crazy Cat Lady.

[Sorry, but I can't change the following (see famous look-a-like faces.)] The above acronym stands for "Let's all post cat photos and dire poetry on our blogs." Today is the day, so here goes. I do not have a cat, nor do any of my neighbors, so I scoured my archives and found one photo:

That's VIS's aunt's cat Ollie, the only one brave enough to venture out when the kids go visit. He's a beautiful, all black, ball of fur. So in honor of Ollie and Halloween, I offer the following poem:

Wanted - A Witch's Cat

Wanted - a witch's cat.

Must have vigor and spite,

Be expert at hissing,

And good in a fight,

And have balance and poise

On a broomstick at night.

Wanted - a witch's cat.

Must have hypnotic eyes

To tantalize victims

And mesmerize spies,

And be an adept

At scanning the skies.

Wanted - a witch's cat,

With a sly, cunning smile,

A knowledge of spells,

And a good deal of guile,

With a fairly hot temper

And plenty of bile.

Wanted - a witch's cat,

Who's not afraid to fly,

For a cat with strong nerves

The salary's high

Wanted - a witch's cat;

Only the best need apply.

Shelagh McGee

I don't know how dire that poem is and it doesn't quite fit Ollie's personality, but he looks the part.

I've Got A Really Big Aster

Say "Hello" to my great big friend, Aster tataricus. This Russian big boy towers over my head, over 6 feet tall. Here's a photo with a yardstick to prove it.A. tataricus used to top out around four feet in my garden, but with all the rain we've had in the last year, it has shot up and spread out. I've started yanking big clumps of it, as it spreads by that horticultural horror, the underground runner. Aster tataricus needs no support in my garden and is the last of my Asters to start blooming. Gail, at Limestone & Clay, has also posted here about her A. tataricus (thanks for the spelling hint). She believes she has the cultivar 'Jin Dae' which is reportedly shorter than the species.

While we're on the subject of Asters, I just can't resist posting photos of my other ones. The American Asters have been rudely thrown out of the genus, like a crowd of boisterous drunks, scattering into factions out on the street. The sunny Asters are now Symphyotrichum and woodland Asters are now Eurybias.

This combination is the swan song of the front garden, the grand finale. The two New England Asters are S. novae-angliae 'Honeysong Pink' and 'Hella Lacey.' The blue on the right is S. laeve var. purpureum 'Bluebird.' This photo doesn't do justice to it. 'Bluebird' is a fantastic Aster. If I had to choose only one Aster, this would be it. Its foliage is so much better than that of the New England Asters, never getting mildewed or "ugly legs." In fact, I'd probably grow this plant even if it never bloomed. The blue green of the foliage sets off other plants wonderfully, and it turns red late in the autumn.

I'm not happy with my camera's inability to capture the colors of these Asters at the back of the long border. The one in the closest to the fence is actually a dark violet and the one in the front is a strong fuschia.And now for a completely different color scheme:S. n.a. 'Hella Lacey' and S. ericoides 'Snow Flurry,' with Solidago 'Fireworks' and the seedhead of a Liatris. See, I don't just have blues, pinks and purples.

There's also the white of Eurybia divaricata/Aster divaricatus. Its foliage turns orange later in autumn.

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago, when this volunteer Aster-thingy (possibly S. lateriflorum) was in full bloom. Yes, Asters do subtle too. I like the arching sprays of small flowers with the rounded shape of the container. Of course you can't actually see the shape of the container because it is being overrun by Lamium maculatum. I have to leave the Lamium, as it is an essential part of this green and white composition.
Do you think I have enough Asters? Well, I have to confess, I just planted another one, S. oblogifolius 'October Skies.' I'm ashamed to admit that it is, yes, blue. I could live perfectly happily if I never saw another Mum again, but it wouldn't be autumn without Asters.