My Last Floral Bouquet of the Season?

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It dropped 45 degrees today... and we received a little more rainfall.  Rain is very good.  We've been through drought conditions for way too long.

Here's a photo of the bouquet in the kitchen window.

A little closer look below...

FYI:  Three Springs ago, I started seedlings from gaillardia 'Fanfare.' 

Seedlings from this hybrid variety do not reproduce the parent strain.

However, you might see that a couple of flowers have partially LENT themselves

to a 'Fanfare' inclination.

The variation in color was not as pronounced as the first couple of years, however.

It's still a beautiful bouquet.  The late-blooming phlox is due to the fact that I partially dug out plants this past Spring, leaving a few to fend for themselves.  :-)

Not Shady... just a happy note for a rather bleak day.

Trees and Color and RAIN! Oh, My!

We were in NE Iowa this past weekend, and saw sites like this!

This photo was taken Thursday, as the skies were beginning to become overcast.

Do you see the brightly-colored falling leaf??

 

 The next 4 photos were taken at variou spots on a trail

at Pike's Peak.  MY it was cold!!!

(This is Bridal Veil Falls.)

Photos from a trail at Effigy Mounds.

Do you see the mounds below?

Perhaps 6th graders? on a field trip to Effigy Mounds.

 Now... out my window today...

No sunshine, but Look At the Color!!

And THIS is what it looked like this morning!  It was still raining, and the leaves

were WET!  (Something that has rarely happened this year.)

When we arrived home Saturday evening, we'd received 3 1/4" of rain.

We left the gauge alone, and by noon the gauge read 5 (Five!) inches of rainfall!

An answer to prayer

and a dream come true!

Something New... in a "backyard nursery"

Just waiting to be planted this coming Spring . . . Check out these new plants!

  

After all, both my next-door-neighbor-friend and I felt the need to perk ourselves up after the immense, behemoth machinery left our backyards...

Sweetspire "Little Henry"

Itea virginica 'Sprich'

I'm really looking forward to enjoying these little fellows next year.  The tag said they thrive in full sun to full shade.  Guess I can satisfy those conditions!  :-)

It's described as an excellent companion to Hosta and other large-leafed plants.  Check!

Enjoys evenly moist to wet soils... (will have to water periodically!) and prefers acidic soils.  I can also handle this!

Late Spring/Early Summer brings prolific white blossoms that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.  Foliage color is a rich green that turns orange- to burgandy-red in the Fall.  Oh, Yes!!

'Little Henry' will grow 2-3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.  Sounds like a sweet butterball!

It is hardy in Zone 5 (yes!)  and is the recipient of the Ohio Nursery Association Plant Selection Award.  Good!

If it needs to be pruned at all, it should be done right after it finishes blooming.   Guess I can handle that, too.

Over-all, what do YOU think?   

Take a Gander at the New Garden "Wayback!"

Looks like there will be quite an area of sunlight in the backyard hosta bed next Spring.  That's okay.  I have a couple of bushes that I recently dug, one of which ('Blue Muffin' viburnum) will probably be planted in the left foreground  somewhere.  For now, I'll just sink the pot and plant it next Spring.

There's a sale at a local nursery, so perhaps I'll be able to pick up a couple or three more bushes to place here in there "out there."  :-)

Everything that is in pots right now will be sunk in the ground in their pots, awaiting their final planting next Spring.  It's a technique that works well. 

Wouldn't it be nice to have 3 or 4  hakonechloa out there... perhaps a row on the right side (front)?
I have two mukdenia that will probably do well in the area where that lone back hosta is standing (that will be moved next Spring).    Quite a few things should do well in that back (front) bed.  ;-)

So, all is not lost.

Now... if I could just find an inspired person to build a CUTE little garden shed that could double part time as a playhouse for grandchildren when they visit....  On the list for 2013?

Happy Fall to each of you from someone just a Little less shady... lol

SG

Wow! It's Almost the Whole Hole!

These photos were taken around 11:30 A.M. today.

This photo was taken about the same time, but from the dining room window (in the back of the house, that's second floor).

 4:26 P.M.

The workers are gone, and these two photos below were taken at nearly 6:00 P.M.

 They'll return tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. to finish readying for and installing a Peat System...

Pretty significant work and a good-sized hole, wouldn't you say??

SG

Changes in the the Garden ...

Before I begin to tell you about the BIG PROJECT that will begin tomorrow morning in our backyard, I would like to share a couple of photos.  And I would like to ask for your input.  The following four photos show the same viburnum bush.

October 31, 2007

October 25, 2008

Today, October 1, 2012

 Today, October 1, 2012

We've been "ahead of schedule" (like so many other people!) all year.  However, due to the fact that we have had VERY little precipitation from July 2011 through this month (yes all last Summer, Winter, Spring and this Summer) I'm wondering if this is the cause of all the intense color we're seeing (enjoying) this Fall?  But most especially, notice the coloration of this viburnum!!

What do YOU think??

Now, for the backyard project -  a new septic system!

Developing a "clear space" for the big equipment to roll over...

 See the plants and bushes in pots?

 They're supposed to aim to drive through the space between the trees.  Mr. Shady cut down three trees here - can you see the tall trunks, left so the equipment can drag them out of the ground?

Notice the huge open space in the backyard... through which I anticipate much morning sunlight next year...

 If you look carefully in the wayback-back, on the right side, you'll see two more stumps.

These were huge trees that died during the winter/spring due to last year's drought.

HUGE clear space.

Gardens are an ever changing entity.  So, I guess I'll be doing some switching 'round next Spring!

And there's a real need to have a properly working septic system.  :-)

Nothing Shady There!

Have a great week!!  It's been beautiful here - albeit completely dry for the past two months.