Friday, November 16, 2012

A Belated November Bloom Day

Things at Longview Ranch are much quieter this month. It's mostly a case of falling leaves and more falling leaves. But I have a few blooms to share with you - and a surprise appearance.

I've qvetched about the plume color on this Cortaderia selloana and apparently it heard me: they have bleached out to a nice pale white. It makes me happy to see them against this rare blue sky.

I wish there were more hummingbirds around to enjoy the constant and continuing bloom of Agastache 'Acapulco Orange.


Kniphofia 'Timothy' has sent up one last flower head.
There is the usual complement of almost-microscopic blooms, like these tiny flowers on Parthenocissus tricuspidata.

Here's a closeup. The open blossom is less than 1/4-inch wide.

Another small bloom on a species Rosemary.

And tiny Delosperma 'Oberg'.
The blooms on Rosa 'Sally Holmes' get bedraggled in the rain, but give her a few dry days and she comes back nicely.

Of course, the rain is excellent for fungi. If I knew more, I'd be tempted to harvest these for the kitchen.



One of the happiest plants in the garden right now is the Fatsia japonica. Its fat, sputnik-like blooms are attracting both me and the bees.

And here's the surprise: one of three Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' planted in the Northwest Territory last month has burst into bloom. All three were covered in buds when we bought them, but I didn't expect flowers until late December or January. I'm enjoying their unexpected cheer in the garden this month.



I'm a day late for Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens, so take a look: I'm sure there are lots of flowers already there to enjoy. Happy Belated Bloom Day!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

More of my favorite color

I love warm colors and autumn orange reigns as my current favorite. I want a lot more of this seasonal color at Longview Ranch, but here are the few glowing examples in my garden right now.

Cornus x 'Eddies White Wonder'.


The fast-growing pin oak next door is showering the garden with bronze leaves that contrast nicely with the green foliage of Acanthus mollis.

New foliage of Vaccinium ovatum.

Nandina domestica 'Moyers Red'

Parthenocissus tricuspidata 'Veitchii'.

Okay, not orange, but this Syneilesis hybrid is moving in a warm direction...

An Erica hybrid warms up an adjoining Yucca rostrata.

The beauty of maple leaf litter.

My neighbor's unusual Cornus.

My favorite new shrub, Langerstroemia 'Natchez', is coloring intensely this month.



If I can't have summer temperatures, I'll just have to warm up looking at all this bright foliage.