Fall Color Parade

As the season continues to change. .

so does the garden scapes!

We've been excited to see 4 bluebirds hanging around. .

Many of the other birds have moved on. .

and there are still a few flying flowers around too. .

This is the best flowering I have seen with the SilverLace vine on my rustic little arbor. It has bloomed for several months now. .and this fresh flush of flowering is really eye catching. By next summer, it should flip over the top of the arbor. .and hopefully be met in a few years with by the wisteria bush planted on the other side.

The pyracantha bush has a small crop of orange berries. Eventually, something eats them all off. .but they last well into the winter.

I LOVE the interesting seed pods of the moon flower vines. They should drop off and reseed a patch for me next summer.

This grass is a native bluestem. .I have really had to pay attention so I would NOT pull it, since all summer it has looked like an obnoxious clump of regular grass. It has gorgeous color now and seed heads. .Behind it, you can see the Rubinstern coneflowers. The original two plants died. .but not before they reseeded themselves in multiple spots.

They will make some happy goldfinches soon!

Though this is not a really pretty bloom. .the hibiscus planted last fall from Lowes has had several blooms on it through the summer. .I can't wait until it grows into a big, substantial looking plant like my MIL's. .It will be a nice focal point when that happens!

The asters shared with my by GonSS are looking FAN.TAS.TIC!! Last year the blooms lasted only a day or two and weren't really that pretty at all. .in fact, I would say they were downright UGLY!! This year they are stunning!! She brought me a second clump last spring. .and they are looking great already too! The little tiny bees LOVE these. .I'm not sure how large GoSS clump gets. .but as I look out my office window to the house next to the clinic. .her bushes are HUGE. .and totally gorgeous!

This was the second year for some soaker hoses up around the pond. .initially put there to keep some regularity to the water the new little natives from HCG. Interestingly. .the caryopteris bushes dropped seed, that is VERY easy to grow. I got the cat in the photo to show that the 4 foot tall bushes bloom when they are very, very small!! I dug a few to send to my friend Sue in Michigan. .which are now blooming in her yard. I will HAVE to remove these little guys. .they just get too big!! They like heat and dry. .so if anyone might like some. .let me know!!

The roses have started blooming again. .you can see the new clump of asters right behind it. .as well as pink and purple morning glories.

Here's a shot of purple basil blooms. .right in front of autumn joy sedum. .which is very, very short this year. .and I didn't even cut mine back. .also a hot pink morning glory bloom in the back.

Speaking of morning glories. .I have been really pleased with how my seedlings did climbing the rustic cedar fence on the border of the memory garden. .They were supposed to be tie-dye with white and purple. The purple veins are pretty tough to see on the white ones. .but thankfully, some Grandpa Otts purple showed up to brighten the view a little!!

The veggie plants in the window are needing to hit the greenhouse. Jeremy helped me get the panals fixed up a little. .He thinks the panels should be replaced next year. .it's been 3 years. They are still OK, but very brittle. .so we'll see. I have had several blooms on the squash plants. .with any good luck. .and a large pot. .we will get some yellow squash to eat on this winter. I also have blooms on the greenhouse variety cucumbers. .these two plants need to be settled in soon so that they can start vining. I am going to use an old piece of metal fencing facing east-west on the west end of the greenhouse for the cukes. .this shouldn't restrict sunlight to anything else as it vines. .I'm pretty excited to see if that works. The tomatos and peppers are looking good too. .maybe by Christmas we'll have some fruit! Of note. .I did pick two beautiful orange sweet peppers last week!! I've had trouble with the colored peppers being really small when they turned. .so having two nice sized fruits was really encouraging to me!

The mums are starting to bloom. .and I can hardly wait until they are in full color. .the Maximillin sunflowers, too, will be blooming and they are already promising a stunning performance!!

The pond is starting to look more established. .plants are surviving and some are even thriving despite the high temperatures. .

The water has been clear all season. .I think that the pond plants are helping a lot. .with a couple years of rain and cooler temperatures, I think it will be phenomenal. .If we have a couple more years of the intense heat and lack of moisture. .I may have to switch to cactus!

It will give new meaning to the phrase "an oasis in the desert!"

Anyway. .

Hoping that the first full weekend of fall finds you doing something enjoyable!!

Have a blessed weekend!!