Computer finally repaired, in time for a Bloom Day post.
The star of the month is Tagetes lemonii, which comes into flower when daylight hours shorten. Interesting that it will also flower during extended periods of overcast weather--in our area, those are May Grey/June Gloom conditions. The saturated gold is a great color for November.
It's been autumn clean up time in the garden. Piles of material separated: some to green waste if woody or diseased or if there are seeds or spines/prickles/thorns; the remainder to become compost.
Sorted, just like the laundry
Got some sweet peas planted where the pole beans were this summer. Six packs this year instead of seeds. Last year almost all the sprouted seeds got pulled out of the ground, apparently by birds.
As to blooms, Aloes are often the stars of October and November, but they are late this year. Flower stalks are just starting to emerge. The only species in flower just now is Aloe suprafoliata, which is just starting:
Aloe thraskii
Aloe vanbalenii
Aloe tweediae hybrid is being swallowed up by Leucospermum 'Yellow Bird', but managed to send up a tall flower stalk like a submarine's periscope. There's a big Agave ovatifolia barely visible at the top of the photo also being swallowed up.
The oldest Aloe ferox is going to do better now that the mosterous Agave marmorata is no longer pressing on it.
Ferox flowers emerging:
Aloe rubroviolacea has grown big and bold, making the white-flowered ferox to its upper right look wimpy by comparison.
Aloe 'Moonglow' blooms soon, finally! Happy, happy. This plant was about to bloom two years ago, when someone came along and kicked the rosette off its stem. I rooted the rosette and now it is finally going to have its chance to flower. The stem has produced a cluster of rosettes as yet too small to flower.
Besides the constant bloomers like Grevillea 'Superb', Iochroma, Geranium 'Rozanne', and Aloe 'Rooikappe' there is scattered bloom on roses, daylilys, and a clematis.
On ragged tall plants awaiting a winter prune, amidst ragged, insect chewed, sunburnt foliage, is here and there a beautiful rose.
Surprise: Flowers on Fatsia 'Spider Web'. The "webs" still are not very prevalent. Touches of red foliage from an Acer palmatum.
Late in the year for so many daylily flowers. There are usually a few, but this year there are more than usual.
'Elizabeth Salter'
'Victorian Lace'
Clematis
Salvia 'Blue Hill' finishing up, but 'Love and Wishes' will flower all winter.
Agave 'Joe Hoak' already blooming only four years from an offset. Lots of Agave blooms this year. 'Joe's usual behavior is to slow down for the winter and actually open its flowers next spring.
To end, the faded but still fine Hydrangea 'Endless Summer' makes a nice pairing with a purple foliaged Alternathera.
Happy Bloom Day!
Someone kicked an aloe hard enough to knock off the rosette? Jerk! Your Agave 'Joe Hoak' photo is dreamy...
ReplyDeleteIt might have been an accident. Benefit of the doubt and all that.
Delete'Joe' is a photogenic guy!
Love the salmon-pink aloe flowers fronting the pale pistachio 'Joe Hoak' foliage! Looks as if this next month will have a lot to offer you and the hummingbirds.
ReplyDeleteEvery shot of your 'Love and Wishes' salvia makes me want to add it to my wishlist of luxury tender perennials (along with 'Amistad'). Now that a few hardy greggiis are established here, it's somehow easier to splurge on the ones that have to be reacquired each spring. For the hummingbirds, you know...
Hummers always. This is an extreme flight-wing garden. ;^)
DeleteThe color on that 'Love and Wishes' is my favorite flower color ever.
Wow, the edges on your Aloe vanbalenii! Is that a seasonal effect, or visible all year?
ReplyDeleteResponse to stress, either cold or heat. We had an extreme heat wave recently, that might have done it. Hasn't really been what any sane person could call "cold".
DeleteYour aloes are going to be looking great next month! Do you think 'Joe Hoak' early bloom was a response to the significant rain we got last winter? My largest 2 Agave desmettiana also bloomed out this year and I noticed that a large number of agaves have bloomed at the local botanic garden as well. I'd also swear that my oldest Agave ovatifolia nearly doubled in size within the past 12 months.
ReplyDeleteI think the rain was a big factor, yes. Lots of my Agaves bloomed this year, too many, really. I'm leaning towards more Aloes and less Agaves, just because getting bloomed Agaves out is quite an effort and quite a lot of green waste. Going for smaller, much slower types like victoriae-reginae.
DeleteLooks like it will be a good year for your aloes. I saw a blooming potted Iochroma at Butchart Gardens one year and was besotted. Have been looking for one ever since. Absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteIochromas are not all that common in garden centers/nurseries here, but are readily available mail order. Another hummingbird favorite.
DeleteLast winter's wonderful rain made every plant in the garden happier, Aloes included.
I had no idea that Fatsia ' Spiderweb' blooms! I have two that have been in the ground for a couple of years, but no sign of a bloom. I love its foliage, and if it ever blooms it will be a delightful bonus. Your Tagetes lemonii truly is a star. Happy fall gardening!
ReplyDeleteMine took several years to flower, so you'll probably see some flowers eventually.
DeleteHappy fall gardening backatcha!
I love that Tagetes ... envious of all your November color.
ReplyDeleteYour early snow was beautiful, though.
Delete