Mark and I took a mini vacation to Milwaukee from Thursday to Saturday which led me to forget the date until late yesterday afternoon. It was chilly, very rainy and windy in Milwaukee and the state of the garden and the rain gauge suggest the weather was the same here. We haven't had a killing frost but the weather hasn't quite moved the late bloomers into the mass of flowers the buds are suggesting. Despite the rather sad look of the garden we got almost 2 and 1/2" of rain and more is forecast for midweek.
The Aconitum were giants this year with some towering over my head. They all came down in the storms but are still flowering.
The 'Chocolate' Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium rugosa 'Chocolate) also got beaten down and is resting on top of a newly planted Fillipendula 'Red Umbrella'.
Anemone japonica 'September Charm' is a gorgeous charmer but quite rampant. Hoping I won't regret planting her. The weather also took a toll on her.
Anemone japonica 'Whirlwind' got moved this summer which really cut back on flowers and stem height.
Tricyrtis formosana is a low grower with arching stems. The flower buds are nicely vertical on this variety for a great display. Unlike the T. hirta varieties, this one is very hairy.
The rabbits ignored T. formosana this year . . .
but not T. hirta. I have a number of this variety with different foliage but somewhat similar flowers. This clump, in deep shade, is loaded with flowers, has mid-green foliage and was blowing in the continuing wind.
The same plant has brighter foliage in the sun. Last year this plant made such a huge, tall clump I broke it up and moved it around. It was so big it blocked the view of the shorter plants growing behind it.
I grow T. hirta 'Lightning Strike' for its striped foliage.
T. hirta 'Tojen' has large flowers that are strikingly different than its relatives. It has alway been a floppy plant in my garden, so I re-planted it next to the Stripe Bark Maple hoping that will help to hold it upright.
In recent years there have been a number of new T. hirta introductions with gold-edge foliage and different color combos in the flowers. None of them have done well in my garden. They've just stayed small and languished which suggests I should try moving them before I decide to kiss them goodbye.
The wind definitely paid your garden a visit while you were out having fun. And you're just braggin' about that 2.5" of rain. We fantasize about such abundance out here. That back fence of yours still knocks me out, it is so beautiful, and it has aged well. I love the woodland feel of your garden -- the leaves and needles that cover the ground, the ferns, the tricertis, the different shades of green, and the different textures -- all are enchanting. The repetition of different varities of the same plant is nice too, there is harmony in it. You mentioned a while back that you were making changes to the garden to make it easier to maintain. Has it been so? It's hard to belive how fast October is flying by. My list does not seem to shrink, what with adding to it, and procrastinating -- things come off about half as fast as I think they should. Soon it will be winter, when the earth sleeps and we dream of spring. Life is good.
Posted by: Elizabeth | Monday, October 16, 2023 at 08:19 PM
Elizabeth — Thanks for all your thoughtful comments. I find I am having more trouble keeping up with comments even though there are not as many at the moment.
I am thrilled at that rainfall as it has been so dry this year. We need more serious rain heading into winter.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 12:23 PM
Ah, you are so lucky to have Tricyrtis thrive in your garden. I've tried it a few times, but it never seems to take off and just slowly fizzles out over time. T. formosana is a real beauty. Reminds me a bit of moth orchids.
Posted by: Jerry | Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 09:45 AM
JERRY — Toadlilies are my favorite fall flower and they do look like tiny orchids. The rabbits love them as well, so I am having to cage them which is frustrating. But better than losing the flowers after waiting so long.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM
I saw the arching stem type of tricyrtis for the first time during the Fling... I was in awe!
Posted by: danger garden | Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 09:11 PM