The gardener's eye

The Gardener's Eye

Monday, September 13, 2010

It Ain't Over Til the Fat Lady Freezes

Blue Bench Border

Lower Terrace: Heptacodium miconioides in bloom behind the shed with the red foliage of Physocarpus opulifolious 'Summer Wine'

Close Up Of Indian Pot with Solanum quitoense and Coleus 'Compact Red'

Pots on Patio: Senecio petasitis, Torenia 'Summer Wave', Oxalis regnellii var. triangularis, and Begonia 'Marmaduke'

Lower Border Left Side: Cotinus 'Grace' Towers above the Rest

Lower Border Right Side: Salix purpurea 'Nana' shines with the red foliage of Euphorbia cotinafolia behind. Rubus thibetanus echoes the dwarf willow at the far end. The rich red bark of Acer griseum x 'Gingerbread' smolders.

The Upper Border

Coleus 'Compact Red' contrasts Chartreuse Foliage of Spirea bumalda 'Goldmound'

Cuphea 'Batface' and Gomphrena globosa 'Purple' and Hibiscus acetosella 'Maple Sugar'

Plectranthus 'Lemon Twist' in the foreground, Yellow foliage of Ligustrum sinense 'Variegata', Mina lobata vine, red Amaranthus hypochondriacus and teasel Dipsacus fullonum.

Upper Border with Verbena bonariensis in the foreground.

Boxwood frame the steps with Zinna 'Profusion Orange' to the left and Euphorbia myrsinites to the right.

One of the many pleasures of a mixed border is the annuals. Right now, they are full and luxuriant right before the first frost of autumn. Here in New Hampshire that will happen the first week of October. But right now, there is no weeding and little watering necessary as the temperatures drop. It is time to sit back and enjoy!

6 comments:

  1. Those are some lovely photos - great design with interesting plants! The first week in October is so soon, don't know where the summer went...

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  2. Hi Cyndy,

    I'm afraid it will be here before we know it! It will be bittersweet for me; it will be a relief to stop caring for some of these plants, especially after such a dry summer. Thanks for your comment.

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  3. Your borders are gorgeous! Everything looks so full and bountiful!

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  4. Hi Scott,

    The annuals and the pollarded and coppiced trees and shrubs make for a full end of the season. Thanks for commenting.

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  5. Hi Scott,
    These are great pictures. I am intrigued by the Solanum guitoense, it looks very imposing. And maybe thorny ?
    Some friends and I grew something called Morelle de Balbe ( not sure about the spelling there) this summer in our shared veg garden. It's another solanum and looks a little too much like Deadly Nightshade to be appetizing.

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  6. Hi Barry,
    Thanks for checking out my blog. Solanum quitoense has some very sharp thorns although there is a new thornless culivar out which I got accidentally last year. I like the texture and added interest that the thorns provide. They grew vigorously this year due to the hot summer, I believe. Many of the fruits of the genus (eggplant excluded) are highly poisonous. Solanum pyracanthum has prominent orange spines which look pretty menacing. I am not familiar with the one you have grown. Thanks for commneting!

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