Bloom Day October 2013

Ahhhh...it's October...and yet again, Bloom Day has snuck up on me! Luckily, unlike the summer months, there are fewer blooms in my garden...which means a shorter (and quicker) Bloom Day post!


Even though it's less floriferous right now, this is my favorite time in the garden...so why don't you come along with me and my constant sidekick, Boots for a stroll around.


You can definitely tell the Agastache are winding down for the year...there are still blooms...but not of the same volume as last month. Here, we have Agastache 'Desert Sunrise'.


Agastache 'Liquorice Candy' has been a total superstar this year...it's STILL going strong!


The blooms of Agastache 'Purple Haze' are subtler than most Agastache...but are still lovely...especially now, paired with garden foliage that's transitioning to golds and ambers.


Japanese Anemones are a mainstay of Portland area gardens...and for good reason...pumping out these elegant blooms at a time when things are winding down.


While I grow it mainly for it's purple-tinted foliage for most of the growing season, the Eupatorium rugosum does bloom...and it's always a delight to see these drifts of fluffy white blooms appearing interspersed throughout the garden.


I only have a few Asters in my garden, for some reason. I go this one (ID uncertain) at a plant exchange this spring...and it's been a winner...I'm going to scatter the seeds around this winter, to encourage a few volunteers...I'd love to have these pop up around the garden.


My favorite Aster is 'Prince', mostly because it has dark purplish foliage during the earlier part of the year. Come fall, however, and it festoons itself with millions of these tiny little white blooms...I love it!


Here it is again, paired with Agastache 'Golden Jubilee', which finished blooming months ago...but still contributes the structure of it's stems and seedheads.


Boots surveys his realm.


Another Autumn classic, Goldenrod (Solidago 'Fireworks'). This was a gift form a fellow gardener...and it's performed amazingly well, especially considering it was overwhelmed earlier in the year by Geranium 'Ann Folkard'.


I've probably posted too often about how much I love Rudbeckia triloba...it just works so well in my garden...popping up here and there and looking amazing with absolutely no effort on my part.


Because it's a day that ends in "y", Verbena is blooming...all over the garden! Here, we see it rubbing shoulders with seedheads of Rudbeckia.


Here it is again, mixing it up with some grasses.


And yet again, hobnobbing with Rudbeckia triloba.


A different Verbena, Verbena rigida 'Polaris'...another great, easy performer that just keeps blooming all spring, summer and fall.


I don't think my Salvia 'Amistad' gets enough sun or water in the pot I have it planted it...the ones I've seen on other blogs are MUCH bigger and more floriferous.


The Selinum are just barely blooming...it's hard to tell when they cease being blooms and start being seedheads.


Persicarias always seem to rally during the cooler days of Autumn. Here, we have 'Firetail', which flagged a bit last month, but is surging with new growth and blooms.


Persicaria 'Lance Corporal' is grown mostly for it's handsome foliage, but when it blooms, watch out! It practically explodes with hundreds of wiry stems, studded with red, jewel-like blooms.


Persicaria 'Golden Arrow' is gorgeous for such a long period of time...it has gorgeous foliage, and blooms seemingly forever. Here, we see it slumping slightly, mingling with Panicum 'Shenandoah'


Of course Geranium 'Rozanne' is still blooming...and now those gorgeous lavender-blue blooms are joined with scarlet foliage.


That good old Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' is still blooming...yup.


The Clematis tibetana has reached monstrous proportions this year...practically swallowing up the back yard...and our house with it. Strangely, it's not blooming as heavily as it has in years past.


So, there you have it, a glimpse of most of what's blooming in my garden at the moment. Thanks for joining Boots and myself...now let's take a look at some wide shots!


Here we have the North Border looking East.


The same border, looking west.


Here's the Front Border, looking South.


And again, looking North.


And here's a view of the whole thing! I hope you enjoyed our little romp around my tiny garden...and hope you check out all the other Bloom Day posts at May Dreams Garden. Happy Bloom Day!