Saturday, October 15, 2011

A Glorious October Bloom Day

Lobularia maritima, Sporabolus heteroleptsis and Symphyotrichums laeve 'Bluebird' and novae angliae
Once again, it's time to showcase what's blooming as part of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens. October is one of my favorite months of the year, and this October hasn't disappointed, with the Nanoprairie in full bloom. Indian summer has come and gone, but the blooms remain. Soon, though, the tender things that have begun blooming with abandon will have to come inside, such as this Fuschia.
It has never bloomed so well during the summer.

Back for a renewed season of bloom are the lavender
Lavandula 'Hidcote' and Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'October Skies'
and
Dianthus 'Cranberry Ice'.

Aconitum carmichaelii
Monkshood have beautiful foliage all season, but the blooms are so worth the wait.

This is a new Knautia macedonia, 'Thunder and Lightning'.

I'm so pleased with how the Nanoprairie looks with the addition of a magenta New England ex-Aster from the back garden to set off the smooth blue ex-Aster 'Bluebird'.

The mother plant is a volunteer seedling. The wishy-washy pale pink Symphyotrichum novae angliae 'Harrington's Pink' (seen in the top photo) will be removed next year, to give this beauty more room.

What else is blooming:
Actaea simplex 'James Compton'
Anemone x hybrida 'Andrea Atkinson' and 'Party Dress'
Aster tataricus
Callibrachoa 'Blackberry Punch'
Campanula 'Samantha'
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Ceratotheca triloba alba (South African foxglove)
Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink'
Clematis 'Evipo 031' (Bonanza) and 'Silver Moon'
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Rose Bonbon'
Diascia
Eurybia divaricata
other Fuschias
Geraniums 'Blogold' (Blue Sunrise), 'Bob's Blunder', 'Jolly Bee', Rozanne', nodosum 'Svelte Lilac'
Helleborus x hybridus 'Pink Lady' (just one freaky flower)
Heuchera 'Citronelle', 'Fire Chief', and 'Raspberry Ice'
Knautia macedonia
Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina'
Osteospermum 'Soprano Purple'
Pelargoniums
Petunias
Phlox paniculata 'David' and 'David's Lavender'
Rosa 'Carefree Beauty'
Sanguisorba 'Tanna'
Solidago 'Fireworks'
Symphyotrichum ericoides 'Snow Flurry'
Thalictrum thalictroides (Anemonella)
Tropaeolum majus (nasturtium)
Tricyrtis 'Gilt Edge', 'Gilty Pleasure', and 'Tojen'

27 comments:

tina said...

The monkshood is so pretty. It is a plant I have tried to grow down here with no success. I think it is a northern plant which is a bit sad for me.

Why I garden... said...

Some really beautiful photos! Wow. All the best, Kelli, Northern Ireland.

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

It is lovely where you are. Glad you are enjoying the final days of fall.~~Dee

rebecca sweet said...

I've yet to try the variegated Knautia, but after seeing how pretty yours is, I might just have to give it a whirl next year! Beautiful photos!

NellJean said...

What a glorious autumn!

patientgardener said...

Fabulous asters or should I say ex-asters! I love the Fuschia photo they look like they are made out of silk

gardenwalkgardentalk.com said...

You really do have a glorious Autumn. I love your variety of asters, it is such a pretty combo.

JGH said...

Oh, I'm fantasizing about a bouquet made from all of these!

Fairegarden said...

Beautiful, MMD. That Fuchsia is amazing, it doesn't look real!

Cindy, MCOK said...

The ex-asters are knocking my socks off here on my corner AND in everyone else's pictures. MUST HAVE MORE!!!!

Ramble on Rose said...

I love that fuschia picture! It looks like folds of fabric. I wish I could grow lavender. It struggles and dies in my clay soil.

dorothy said...

Those colors in the fuschia are stunning! And I love the blue of the monkshood. I planted knautia macedonica and I am anxiously awaiting blooms next year. Mine is supposed to be red but I like the color of yours too.

scottweberpdx said...

Beautiful post, as always...someday I'll get used to calling Asters by Symphyotrichum...somday! That Knautia is amazing...is the color really that deep!?!

Carol said...

Lovely blooms and a long list of blooms, too. Thanks for joining in for bloom day!

greggo said...

Illuminating.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Beautiful set of blooms MrMcD. I am sure you are smiling. They made me smile. Especially the fuschia. They are so pretty they look artificial. More like folded material. Happy GBBD.

PlantPostings said...

So many beautiful blooms! I was just in Chicago this week, and the weather was amazing. Although when I left on Thursday, the cold rain had started. Until we get that first hard freeze, the blooms and autumn leaves will share the stage. Lovely photos!

Jane said...

Happy Bloom Day! That monkshood is stunning. I have a hard time finding that hue of blue for this time of fall. Will have to look it up.

Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade Gardens said...

If you read my post you will see that I am really having a hard time with this aster name change. Aster is so easy, so familiar, it's the common name too....sadistic botanists. Happy GBBD.

Rose said...

That first photo is beautiful, MMD! What an inviting display in front of your home. The monkshood is gorgeous--I really should consider adding this blue bloom to my garden. Hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall weather--Happy Bloom Day!

HolleyGarden said...

Your pictures are just gorgeous! That fuschia is amazing! And I love the combination of your pink and purple asters together. I need to try that! Happy GBBD.

Janet said...

Some wonderful late season colour in your photos and then I looked at your list. It's enormous. It must be a bit warmer where you are. Our temperatures are dropping rather dramatically.

Gail said...

Barbara, I love October, too. It's such a sweet treat after the summer and the asters make so happy. The nano-prairie looks wonderful! gail

Tom said...

That knautia is so pretty! I might have to hunt for it... I'm not sure I can't not have it.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Tina - Too bad about the monkshood. It's like a Delphinium for fall.

Rebecca - I'm hoping the variegated Knautia does as well as the plain foliaged type. Fingers crossed.

ROR - when the Astilbe crisps out & the Actaeas struggle, I try to remind myself that lavender loves my extremely well-drained soil.

Scott - yes, the Knautia blooms really are that amazing color. I believe that's the standard color of the species, as my plain foliaged Knautia's blooms are the same.

Carolyn - I've adapted well to the ex-aster new names, it's the new name for Dicentra that throws me.

Janet - No hard frost yet, but even when it comes, many of these plants keep going, especially Geranium 'Bob's Blunder'. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Tom - the Knautia was a total impulse purchase from a garden center I visited on a tour. If you can find it, go for it.

The Sage Butterfly said...

We often think that October in most areas is only left with a few blooms and some chrysanthemums. Your garden proves that not to be true. It was glorious, indeed, to walk through your garden in October!

hobetz said...

beautiful flowers