Colder weather has been coming from the East and shorter days are making it feel really autumnal. Now it’s all change, with the wind from the SW bringing much needed rain. Flowers are now in shorter supply than previously, the ones that are flowering are therefore to be treasured. Come with me while I wander round the garden searching for flowers to photograph for this month.
Starting in the front garden, there are seedling Asters that the bees love, contrasting with the changing leaves of Cornus alba sibirica Westonbirt.
A lovely single dahlia which has only recently been purchased at a garden visit, it will be coming into the greenhouse soon to overwinter, so it seemed a bit pointless to plant it for such a short time.
One of the few Asters that I now have.
Rosa Bonica showing buds, fully open flowers and rose hips
English roses are still opening up new flowers, this one is Rosa Gertrude Jekyll.
Rosa Abraham Derby.
Another Aster in the side border by the field.
Flower plumes on Miscanthus sinensis Malepartus in the border round the dead oak.
Rosa The Dark Lady still flowering at the top of the border by the field.
Verbena bonariensis with Rosa Iceberg.
Geranium Rozanne still flowering, it has flowered all summer in the sunset border.
Geum Totally Tangerine has also flowered on and off all summer.
A little rose that was moved from the gravel area during the makeover. I potted it up and it doesn’t seem to have suffered with moving it thank goodness.
Fuchsia Delta Sarah still flowering madly, as it has all summer.
Erigeron karvinskianus loves living at the base of the house wall.
Colchicums just starting to flower. The main group are now over, I found these hiding under a pile of weeds!
But the star of the garden at the moment is undoubtedly my Variegated Yucca!
The conservatory is looking a bit pink at the moment with pelargnium and nerine flowers. The birdcage is waiting for some plants to live in there.
This begonia, also in the conservatory, has been flowering since March!
So yes, it might be half way through October, but there are still flowers to be found if you go for a wander.
Many thanks to Carol at May Dreams Garden for hosting this meme each month, do please pay her a visit to see other flowers around the world.
I forgot it was GBBD. I think the blooms at this time of the year are particularly welcome. Your roses look so fresh. Bonica seems to think that it is still summer. I wish we could get some rain, it never seems to reach us here. I’ m still running around with watering cans.
We must have had at least 3 weeks without rain Chloris and the plants were looking very dry indeed. It rained all day yesterday and we have been promised more this weekend, thank goodness!
Lovely to see all the flowers that you still have. We got back a few days ago after 5 weeks away visiting family in Canada and Japan. The garden was so dry that I nearly went out with a hose the moment I got back. If it hadn’t felt like 2 in the morning to me I would have. Now I am so glad I didn’t as it has rained non stop for the last few days. I also have fuchsia and aster out, but if this rain doesn’t stop I am not likely to get out to photograph them. I love the colour of your single dahlia – it is a gorgeous plant.
Five weeks away Annette – that is amazing, I think our garden would be a jungle if we did that! We are now having some much needed rain, everything was so very dry and the ground is so hard, impossible to plant anything at the moment.
Hiya Pauline,
Rosemoor – eat your heart out!
Just looked at your about-page and admired your garden from afar.
You can’t beat clay, can you.
Pity us: we’re on sand.
So much still flourishing on your patch. Lovely to see.
Hello Joanna, lovely to hear from you, thanks for stopping by and leaving a message.
We used to garden on sand when we lived at the coast in the North West, heavy clay was such a change but it certainly grows lovely plants. The only way I can grow plants that need good drainage is by growing them in pots.
The asters are wonderful. One of the best late bloomers, especially the deep blues!
Thanks Jayne, they are wonderful at this time of year, the bees certainly enjoy them. I too like the blues, but I must buy some more with different colours for the border by the field.
“…The ones that are flowering are therefore to be treasured.” So nicely put and you have much to treasure! Your yucca is a standout and your birdcage is charming. We’re also having quite a bit of rain the last few days. Perfect for the couple of things I transplanted but not so great for getting bulbs planted.
Thank you so much Peter! The Yucca has lost a few flowers due to high winds and torrential rain overnight unfortunately, but it still stands out from the rest of the garden. Trying to plant in the garden is still impossible, the soil is just like concrete, so more rain is needed, that will make me very unpopular with my neighbours!
Lots of pretties in your garden, Pauline! Delta Sarah still takes my breath away… My eyes are peeled. If it ever shows up in these parts, I will pounce on it like a cat on a mouse.
Thank you Anna, if only you lived over here I could give you a cutting of Delta Sarah!
Your yucca is most magnificent. I like the coloring of that dahlias, too.
Every time the Yucca flowers, not every year, I’m amazed Jason, such a huge spike seems to come from nowhere.
That first aster is so pretty, I do need to find a light coloured one. So much rain over the weekend. Should be good for planting this week..
The rain has been so welcome, as the soil was rock hard Jessica and planting was impossible in certain areas. Asters certainly earn their space at this time of year, I must buy more.
Your yucca is amazing! I have variegated yucca in a pot. I had no idea it would bloom. Yours looks very old. How old was it before it bloomed?
I am glad you are finally getting some good rain. We had a light rain shower today, the first rain in October and certainly no drought-buster! Everything is very dry. There is a 10% to 20% chance for more rain several days this week.
The yucca doesn’t bloom each year Deb, more like one year in 3 or even 4. The plant must be getting on for 20 yrs old by now and I can only remember it flowering about 4 times, so it must have been at least 5 or 6yrs old when it put up its first spike.
I will try to continue with my planting today, hoping that the rain overnight has softened the earth and made it easier for me, the other day it was rock hard.
Good to see all those roses – The Dark Lady looks especially lovely. My geums have been very poor this year and certainly haven’t reflowered – any suggestions? Your nerines look lovely in the shallow pot and I think I might repot mine into shallower ones too. Good to see what’s flowering down in the SW.
I’ve tried growing the Nerines in the garden previously Cathy, but even though I’ve added plenty of grit, they have always perished over the winter. I decided this time that the only answer was in a pot and to bring it inside out of the winter rain. The conservatory is just kept frost free so it shouldn’t be too warm for them.
The geum didn’t flower as prolifically as last year, but then last year I kept deadheading it, maybe I should have done that this year too!
Lots of colour still going in your garden Pauline. It’s lovely to see those late roses – keeps summer going for a while. The rain here was very welcome too.
The rain has come just in time Sue, plants were suffering. I love the late flowers in the garden, must get more for next year!
That yucca is stunning! I just love all your roses, all mine have long since finished flowering and have been pruned. You do have lots still blooming!xxx
I’ll be cutting my roses back by half soon Dina, it seems such a shame to do it while they are still flowering so well. I’m so pleased with the yucca this year, but the wind and rain are starting to knock the flowers off now!