autumn is sneaking up on me

With not feeling well so often and the temps being way too hot for so long, I haven’t spent much time outside for a while. But Monday was gorgeous out and I rode the lawn mower around, pulling the wagon for DH while he pulled weeds and cleaned up around the yard. I was surprised to see how advanced the fall garden was already.

The hostas are turning yellow, even as the blooms hang on.

Hosta under the redbud tree

The garlic chives are in full bloom which is always a good indication that fall is on the way.

Garlic Chives

Various shrubs are showing off their bounty. The red twig dogwood is full of berries the birds will enjoy.

Red Twig Dogwood

The beauty berry also has a bountiful harvest. I recently discovered that the berries can be made into jelly, so I’m going to give that a whirl in a week or so.

Beauty Berry

There are times I think the Sweet Autumn Clematis should be banned from the yard, but it is so pretty in the fall. It looks like a spring flower at the end of summer. It has a tendency to reseed itself and pop up even after several years. But in the right place, it is an amazing plant.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Sweet Autumn Clematis

A few of the daylilies are reblooming right now, including this beautiful blossom ‘Dawn Ballet.’ The daylilies days are numbered, however.

Daylily 'Dawn Ballet'

‘Autumn Joy’ sedum is another iffy plant for me. If it would stand straight and tall, I’d love it, but it tends to flop in our garden. It does looks pretty here under the redbud tree, though.

'Autumn Joy' Sedum

The butterfly bush had its share of butterflies and bees. This Monarch stopped for a few minutes. It was beautiful against the purple-blue of the blossoms.

Monarch butterfly

The white boneset was hosting a buckeye butterfly as well as a herd of soldier beetles. It was covered in them! They were munching away at the pollen, ignoring the hefty breeze. I always wonder how something as fragile looking as a butterfly or a small insect can survive a windy day.

Buckeye butterfly one white boneset

The pampas grass is beginning to bloom. It sparkled in the sunshine. I wish the picture could show you how pretty that was.

pampas grass

pampas grass

My friend Charlene gave me a start of this grass. It is one of my favorites. So pretty on a windy day as it blows back and forth. Later in the season, it will have lovely plumes that will stay all winter, adding pretty interest to the garden.

miscanthus

I think some of the prettiest days of the year around here are in September and early October. The sky is so blue and the temps so comfortable, with a hint of autumn.

beautiful sky today

Last shot…our mailbox with the pampas grass in the background. We have a baby pampas grass that needs to be dug and moved, if anyone local wants it. Just let me know.

looking like autumn

Hop over to Tootsie’s site to see more gardens and beautiful blossoms.

~~Rhonda

5 Comments

  1. Posted September 8, 2011 at 8:59 pm | Permalink

    I wish I lived close enough to take you up on the offer but I think Alberta is a bit too far. 😉 I love the heads that are emerging on the pampas. Beauty berry is so pretty with its lavender colour berries. I didn’t know you could make jelly from them. You will have to write a post about it when you do.

  2. Posted September 8, 2011 at 9:24 pm | Permalink

    Pampas grass/blue sky: Wow! Stunning! I did not know that beautyberries are edible. Let us know how they taste.
    Beth

  3. Posted September 9, 2011 at 2:25 pm | Permalink

    I love the grasses!!! I need to add some of those to my list!
    since the summer is winding down here in Alberta, it will be nice to be able to see all the flaunts both past and present from all those who get to garden year round. I made FF open to photos from past gardens for those who are in climates that stink on ice like mine! lol
    Thank you so much for linking in this week…and for flaunting with me. I look forward to many more flaunts from you!
    Friday’s Flaunts are a privelage for me to host. I love getting to be inspired by some of the most wonderful gardeners I have ever had the privelage of “knowing”
    (¯`v´¯)
    `*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
    ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

  4. Posted September 11, 2011 at 3:27 pm | Permalink

    Everything looks so pretty
    Happy weekend.. hugs from Savannah, Cherry

  5. Posted September 11, 2011 at 9:00 pm | Permalink

    Your gardens are so lovely. I really enjoyed the pics and the butterfly is beautiful. We are coming to Carbondale again in December. We’ll wave as we get near. 🙂

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

*
*