Sunday, September 15, 2013

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day-Transitions September 2013

September is the month of transitions in my garden near Binghamton, in upstate New York.

The first fingers of fall rest lightly upon us in upstate New York.  We woke up yesterday with temperatures in the low 50's and wind.  Today, when I woke up, it was 47 degrees (8 Celsius) but at our airport, a record low of 36 (2 Celsius). Another cold front is supposed to come through tonight.

It will be warm again by Tuesday, true.  But each time a cold front comes through, it will be less warm.  The winds have become biting and no longer refreshing.  Fall lays upon us with the coming attraction of the impending winter, my least favorite time of year.  We could have a frost before the 15th of next month.  And then it will be months of lake effect clouds, snow, ice, and the dead brown of a sleeping nature.

But there is one thing that keeps me warm - Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.  This meme, brought to us on the 15th of each month by May Dream Gardens, brings gardeners from all over the world together to show what is growing, inside and/or out.  If I'm cold, I just transport myself to a warmer part of the world.

So this is what is blooming for me this month.  
On our back doorstep: a kalanchoe, given to me by a neighbor who was hospitalized a couple of years ago, and got this as a gift.  We'll have to take it in soon (not hardy here), but  it is still thriving.

In our front yard:

Garlic chives.
Alaska nasturtiums, with their white splashed leaves.  I love nasturtiums, and this is my favorite variety.  I hadn't grown it in a few years, and decided to become reacquainted.
Sedum, which is coloring up nicely.
Geraniums.
Pink glads.  This year, we decided to renew a love affair

New Guinea impatiens. Our more common impatiens have all died off, every one, apparently from the impatien blight, but these are going strong.

And in our back yard -
Turtlehead (taken last night, glowing in the sunset).
Japanese anemone (just starting to open).

And now, my mystery flower of the month.  Last year, our neighbor a few doors down was dividing these plants and offered us a plant.  This got buried, and we forgot all about it.  Today, I found it, hidden (and almost drowned) in a patch of aggressive herb plants.  I suspect it is a hardy mum.

Finally, I wrap up with a blooming houseplant.
The plant on the right (the left is an amaryllis) is a Swedish Ivy plant, but we call it a Creeping Charlie plant, because that is the name the person who gave me the cutting - three years ago, on an October art trail stop in Ithaca, New York.  - gave it.


Be sure to visit some of the other gardens from all over the world today, on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

What's growing in your garden, or in your house?

14 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures, and a lovely idea to share each month like that! It's certainly a time of change here in the UK weather-wise as well, but to be enjoyed and savoured rather than moaned about as so many do!
    Thanks for the great pictures,
    cheers, Gordon

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    1. You are welcome, Gordon. Come by again October 15 for more flowers. We'll be well into fall by then.

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  2. WOW, the pictures are great. I too favor more of a warmer climate. Living in the Midwest I experience all 4 seasons. However, looking at those pictures helps me deal with the upcoming winter season with a better attitude. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. You are welcome, Karl. I've gardened in several areas of the country (Kansas, Arkansas, upstate New York) and it's always a compromise - certain plants do well in a place, certain plants never will and areas that don't get winter have to deal with certain things because of their lack of cold weather. So, I try to enjoy the best parts of each of the four seasons. Although, I have to admit, for me, it's hard to enjoy much about winter.

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  3. WOW, those are great pictures. I live in the midwest and experience all of the 4 seasons. I too do not favor the winter season. However, looking at your pictures gives me a better attitude when thinking about the upcoming winter season. Once again, thank you for sharing.

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  4. I use to garden a lot and I miss it terribly. But having a business has not allowed me this luxury at least not yet.

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    1. It's true that gardening can take a lot of time, and running a business can take huge chunks of your time. I hope your business develops to the point where you can start enjoying other aspects of your life once again.

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  5. I think your mystery plant is another Japanese Anemone, just a different cultivar. If you look at the buds, they're not the same as mum buds. Look up Anemone Prince Henry and see if you think it matches.

    Nice kalanchoe. I have a terrible time getting them to rebloom for me. Happy Bloom Day!

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    1. I think you may have identified my mystery plant. I see a lot of similarities. I can tell from my neighbor's yard that, once this plant gets a little older, we are going to get a lot of flowers. They start for her towards the end of August and go strong until frost. The plants are also shorter than my white Japanese anemone. Now, to clear some space for it. Thanks for the ID, Kimberly!

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  6. Lovely plants. The only thing that I see that my garden has in common with yours are the garlic chives! Happy Bloom Day.

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    1. Thank you for visiting. There certainly is a big difference between the areas that we garden in. But, I actually saw crepe myrtles, lantana and Turk's cap on a recent visit out to Arkansas and I was happy to see them again on your post. Happy bloom day.

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  7. I've never heard of turtlehead before, but it looks beautiful. My garden has chives, impatiens, and geraniums in common with yours. My impatiens and geraniums aren't doing very well, though, so I suspect I'll run out of them in a few more years and not replace them. Yours look much happier!

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  8. Winter is also my least favorite time of year. So I will have to come visit you on the 15th of each month to be warmed by your lovely flower photos!

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