November 2012 Blooms

I'm actually making a Bloom Day post on the appropriate day.  Woohoo!

Not that I have much to show off (which is probably why I'm able to do this on time).  Today we'll look at what's blooming on the porch.  I haven't really prepared for winter, but I did hurry all the potted plants inside before Hurricane Sandy arrived two three weeks ago.  I didn't want them to blow away.

I bought this Osteospermum in the spring from the almost-dead-plant clearance shelf.  It survived, and looked healthy, but never flowered until this week.  So much for the front porch flowers I'd planned for the summer.

 
I thought the flowers would be purple, so the magenta color surprised me.  Yes, that's a pansy in there, too.  I had a few extra pansies from planting the front walk this fall, and stuck them in the pot which was still sitting out front at the time.  Kinda strange to have it indoors now.

This will be my second year trying to overwinter the hibiscus.  So far it is doing well on the porch, putting out more blooms than it ever did outside this summer.  Here's one:

Now I just need to remember to give this plant some water. 

September 2012 Blooms

I'm a week late for Bloom Day, but I still have blooms to show off.  Early-mid September is always a busy time for me, and this year was no exception.  I knew I'd be out of town last weekend, and had ideas of snapping photos and posting early, but that never happens.  So, a week later, here we are.  But it's given the early fall flowers an extra week to refine the show, and I think it's a pretty good show.

Starting with the side garden, the tall sedum are at their pinky peak.

 

 

The peak of pink

Across the path, the variegated sedum flowers are just starting to open.  They will pink up some, but not as much as the other.

Midway down the path, Aster laevis 'Bluebird' is blooming.  This plant was confused and flowered in early summer.  But it seems to have consulted a calendar since then.

At the other end are the willow-leaf heianthus.  The tall plants (I forgot to pinch them back this spring) look rather weedy, but who can resist those sunny flowers?

Across from the helianthus, mistflower, which has taken a beating from recent storms.

The garage garden blooms include hibiscus, variegated liriope, and several tall phlox.

At the entrance to the upper garden,volunteer rudbeckia keep watch, while New england aster 'Alma Potschke' form a wall behind the tomato cages.

Also in the upper garden, Boltonia asteroides and a reblooming Stella D'Oro daylily.

The 'Fireworks' goldenrod is looking rather thin this year.

Finally, stealing the show in the front yard: Mexican bush clover (Lespedeza 'Gibraltar')

One of my favorite things about Bloom Day is that it forces me to slow down and look at the good things going on in the yard.  Now, back to my much neglected weeding.

Overwintering Success

Last spring I bought a hibiscus.  I adore them and had wanted one for a long time.  What kept hibiscus from my life for so long?  The thought that I'd have to care for it inside over winter, since they are not cold-hardy.  I know I've mentioned before that I don't do houseplants (with a few exceptions).  But finally last year my desire won out and I got a peach-colored hibiscus.

It summered on the deck, and wintered in my living room. I won't say it had an easy life inside.  In fact, I very nearly killed it - three times!  This plant takes a lot of water.  But it survived.  This past weekend it even made a flower.

While the shrub is still a bit sparse looking, I'm taking the flower as a sign of overwintering success.  phew!