Surprise!
October 22, 2009
Daphne odora
September & October have been very rushed and busy with work, causing me to almost miss the best part of fall. In my last post, I managed to catch a little of it and yesterday I caught up with a little more. I didn’t know Daphne odora bloomed in the fall!
Cyclamen hederifolium
My friend Angela at Parkdale Gardens Design Service is a plant collector and gave me this Cyclamen as well as many of my perennials. She owned Parkdale Gardens for decades and now offers local and internet design services after closing her nursery.
Anemone
As I strolled through my garden, what a surprise to find so much in bloom since our day of snow last week. The temperature has soared back up into the 50′s giving my garden one last breath before it’s winter sleep. The anemone above was given to me by a friend long ago before I knew what I was doing and has managed to survive my many mistakes.
Tricyrtis
The toad lilies are finally blooming! At least one of my varieties has opened her beautiful eyes and honored me with her presence before a hard frost hits. Glad I didn’t miss one of my favorites! Not sure which variety this is as I’ve moved them from place to place and managed to lose all their tags in the process.
Three Birds Flying
I believe this is Three Birds Flying, given to me by another plant collecting friend, Judy. It can become rampant but is easy to pull out and blooms late spring through fall for me.
Blue Salvia
The last bloom of the Blue salvia that I picked up at Le Tour des Plants.
Echinacea
Even found a small clump of Purple Coneflowers in bloom. The weather so strange this year, left me with few flowers from this otherwise prolific bloomer.
Aster
I love this tall pink aster. It’s so bright it glows and calls me to it. Even though my clump is small I divided it a few weeks ago to add it in other areas of my garden. If I had time I’d rush out to the nurseries right now and buy more!
Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies'
The wispy Gaura is a great segue between plants.
Gaura lindheimeri
I love ‘Siskiyou Pink’. Gaura is another of those plants I plan to buy more varieties of. Yes, even collect them! I can’t help myself. Why have only one when you can have ten. Or twenty for that matter!
Buddleia davidii ‘Honeycomb’
Another surprise as all my other Butterfly bush flowers are gone now, was to find ‘Honeycomb’ still blooming away. Nothing like cheery yellow added to the fall reds and oranges to spice up the end of season.
Pink Rose
Even the deer surprised me by leaving yet another rose for me to enjoy during these last days. That’s two for me and … er…ummmm…. hundreds for the deer!
Baby's Breath
Another pink, although a much smaller scale is the sweet ‘Baby’s Breath’ that I started from seed. It grew into a robust shrub until I moved it to a new location where it’s remained rather pouty for two years. I look forward to seeing it next year, fully loaded with little babies.
Hollyhock bud
I think my biggest surprise was finding this Hollyhock bud! I didn’t know they bloomed this late!! I’d better go check to see if it survived the deer last night. In case you’re wondering why I haven’t sprayed liquid fence, I’ve simply run out of time due to my work schedule.
Unknown pink flower
Last but not least another gift from my friend Judy. I don’t know what this is, other than a low growing summer bloomer. It seems familiar and I should know its name but alas I don’t. If you know, please tell me!
Thanks for stopping by! Until next time….
October 22, 2009 at 11:00 am
Simply incredible images. The Tricyrtis is a new plant for me and is amazing.glad you made it back in the garden.
Scott
October 22, 2009 at 4:02 pm
So glad you had time to do this post. I know what you mean about the fall being busy. Love the flower pictures. They are all such lovely pinks and blues – with the wonderful yellow buddleia in the middle. The toad lily is amazing. Thanks for sharing.
October 23, 2009 at 1:29 am
I love your flowers they are so pretty and well, spring like. It does seem to be an unusual season in the Northwest. There are so many things blooming and reblooming. I even have honeysuckle still blooming and a small second flush of oriental poppies. Of course the recent rain took care of that. I’m glad you were able to get out and enjoy the last blossoms of the year. I am sure it will manifest itself through your wonderful work.
October 23, 2009 at 2:41 am
You have a lot of treasures in your garden!
October 23, 2009 at 4:40 am
When I visit with you in your garden, I feel a second of envy such as in, “Oh! I want that too!” and then it settles into something much softer and more lovely as I walk about the place and stop to listen to you describe your friends and how you’ve received their gifts into your space.
And, we stop to bend close and look even closer at what is still there to be seen…
I received your lovely gift….and I’m very late in acknowledging which is bad of me. It was wrapped with love and care as only a lover of plants would do.
As only a lovely Human Being, like you Linda, would do. I really love coming to your garden and visiting with you. Thank you so very much.
October 23, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Hi, Linda, From what I can see in your picture, it looks as if the pink mystery plant has the square stems of the mint family. Though it doesn’t seem to have those long stamens, could it be a form of anise hyssop (Agastache)? I see one online called ‘Pink Pop’ that looks like a possibility.
October 23, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Wonderful photos of your flowers. So glad you have so many this time of the year.
October 23, 2009 at 7:00 pm
That’s quite a fall bounty. I, too, thought the tricyrtis was so pretty and unusual. I didn’t know what echinacea looks like either. Your garden is awesome no matter what the season.
October 24, 2009 at 7:41 am
What joy I feel to read your comments, thank you everyone! I am near Seattle teaching a weekend workshop with limited computer access. I’m told it’s raining at home, probably knocking down the last of my blooms, but settling in all my newest arrivals to the garden. I’m hoping to take the slow route home, stopping at as many nurseries as I can find to make up for the gardening withdrawals I’m having!
October 24, 2009 at 7:43 pm
I enjoyed the same surprise after our first snow/freeze, too. One of my new favorite flowers is the anemone. I have several kinds of gaura, too. I think my pink one is the same as yours.
October 27, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Very nice colors hanging on for you, Linda
I love the blue salvia and pink gaura! I’ve discovered many rose buds on my Knock-Out yesterday so enjoying the last Hurrah here too 
Lynn
November 2, 2009 at 6:13 pm
So much to enjoy this late in the year! Thanks for sharing your color. Mine is gone for this year.