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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Monday, October 15, 2012

October Bloomday

Here are a few of the things blooming in my garden this month


I really don't have that many roses in my garden but they're so photogenic and seem to have been blooming just in time for bloom day for the last few months. 

Asters (or whatever they're calling them now.)

Last summer, some guests were coming over and there was this blank spot in my garden so I went to a box store and got a huge blooming dahlia to fill the spot temporarily.  (Oh right, like you've never done that in a pinch.)   The poor thing kept blooming even though it wasn't in full sun.  Anyway, I forgot that it was there until I stepped on it early this summer and broke off the emerging  sprouts.  Of course I thought that it was dead so I didn't stake it.  Things grew up around and I didn't think much of it until I started seeing dahlia foliage peeking out and now these huge 12" across blooms.  Of course, they aren't standing straight up but it's amazing what they can do nearly  lying on the ground.


 impatiens omeiana silver pink is always one of the last to bloom for me but mostly I grow it for the foliage.



Echeveria 'Topsy Turvy'
 Fuchsia 'Autumnale'
 Canna Tropicanna
 The tuberous begonias are still blooming to beat the band.  Here's Begonia boliviensis.
  The cheerful blooms of abutilon megapotamicum still increasing in number as if winter will never come.


Wishing you all a very happy and flower-filled October bloomday.  Garden Bloggers' Bloom day is  hosted each month by Carol at May Dreams Gardnes.  Be sure to visit to see what's blooming all over the world!

21 comments:

  1. And maybe that Abutilon megapotamicum is right, and winter will never come! Happy Bloomday to you...

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    1. No winter this year, just a little cooler for the monsoon season.

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  2. Give those roses some extra compost for coming through for you on Bloom Day. Thanks for the shot of color!

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    1. They've been pretty good to me especially since they get the same level of neglect/care as everything else in their beds.

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  3. Beautiful photos, my fuschia is still blooming, oh it was until someone trod on it, quite a few times. Asters are lovely little flowers, asters, who said asters!.

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    1. Karen, you must be more careful when walking in flower beds. I'm sure that Ben becomes very upset when you trod on his plants.

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  4. Gorgeous array of blooms. Enjoyed the Dahlia story, of course I've only done that once or twice (ha!).

    Abutilon is a winter bloomer here and it goes dormant in the summer.

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    1. Abutilon in the winter, Bismarckia nobilis being hardy, cacti growing out of rocks - I think I'm ready to move. Do you also have bugs as big as your head? What about snakes?

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  5. Beautiful, beautiful - thank you for sharing your blooms. Our flower season is about over in upstate NY - I can't help being envious over and over - today I am busy sighing over the zone 8 gardeners I seem to be visiting every time I click on a GBBD link. Thank you for sharing your GBBD with us in the harsher climes.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! Upstate NY is so beautiful but, having spent the first 26 years of my life in Vermont and Alaska, I remember what real winter is like and am grateful to have the opportunity to garden in zone 8 now. On the other hand, your winter has charms that I miss. I guess that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence - I keep looking at zone 9 and 10 gardens with envy.

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  6. I keep thinking I should get one of those Abutilon megapotamicum. They are very pretty! Do you leave yours outside? I am planning to bring my orange one in for the winter, but I've never overwintered one before. Guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed. That's a beautiful Dahlia too!

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    1. You can never have too many Abutilons! I've never brought any inside for the winter. A. megapotamicum makes it through the winter in a pot above ground and all the others (the hardier, small leaved ones) have done fine in the ground, a couple even rached about 10 feet tall leaning on arbors. These did fine for about 10 years but all died in the second phormium killing winter but were replaced and all made it through last winter with no problem.

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  7. I'd love to grow some of that Abutilon - wonder if it can be grown as an annual.

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    1. You absolutely can & some people here treat it that way. Get thee to a nursery.

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  8. Sooo beautiful flowers! I love that dark red rose. The pink dahlia is also awesome.

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    1. Thank you. Our gardens bring us such joy, don't they?

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  9. So many beautiful blooms! that dahlia looks a lot like 'Otto's Thrill' which is one of my favorites. You always have such gorgeous roses. I'm afraid things here are done for the season after a hard freeze last Friday night.

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    1. I read about your freeze. Sorry about that but winter in the northeast is so pretty with all the snow and beautiful rolling hills.

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  10. There are some exciting blooms in your garden! Echeveria and abutilon, begonia, canna - they all are pretty! We'll see what happens with our flowers after this rain!

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    1. I don't know about your flowers but after the wind and rain, mine are looking pretty sad.

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  11. That's so funny...I don't think I've ever seen the blooms of Impatiens omeina!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.