I can't believe it's already mid-October! Although we've had some stretches of cooler temperatures, it still feels a lot like summer much of the time. In fact, we're expecting high temperatures Friday and Saturday, accompanied by our nasty Santa Ana winds. High winds have already fanned the Alisal Fire in Santa Barbara County, Southern California's largest wildfire this year, which as of Thursday had consumed 16,800 acres and was only five percent contained. Evacuations have been ordered; power shutoff warnings have been issued across a wide area; and the 101 freeway, a major state artery, was closed for a time. A friend and I were in Santa Barbara County on Saturday, just two days before the fire broke out, a disturbing reminder of how fast circumstances can change.
But let's move on to the more pleasant subject of what's in blooming in my garden 120 miles to the south. After an exceptionally slow start this year, dahlias are once again playing the starring roles in my garden. Whether any of them will hang around into November is a question as the mildew that afflicted most of my zinnias is gradually taking hold of the dahlias as well. With only two exceptions, all my dahlias occupy raised planters in my cutting garden, which gets much more water than the rest of my garden.
![]() |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Gitt's Crazy', 'Kogane Fubuki', 'Summer's End', and 'Mystic Illusion'. 'Gitt's Crazy'wins the prize this year as the most floriferous dahlia. |
![]() |
| From left to right are: Dahlias 'Break Out', a deformed 'Cafe au Lait', and 'Magic Moment'. 'Break Out' was purchased as a tuber during a last-chance sale, planted on June 10th, and is only now gaining steam (as its foliage mildews). I purchased 'Cafe au Lait' as a full-grown plant in July and I think it was infected by an insect as all its blooms thus far have been deformed. |
![]() |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Akita', 'Enchantress', 'Cafe au Lait Royal', a noID plant sold as 'Penhill Dark Monarch', and 'Waltzing Mathilda'. 'Akita' is my favorite this year. 'Enchantress' runs as close second to 'Gitt's Crazy' in terms of the volume of blooms. |
I've pulled out most of the larger-flowered zinnias due to mildew but the ground-hugging plants in the
'Profusion' series I planted as plugs haven't been touched by it thus far.
![]() |
| My only complaint with Zinnia 'Profusion' is that the stems are relatively short and thus don't make the best cut flowers |
The other stars of my fall garden include the following:
![]() |
| The flowers of Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree) take a beating when the winds are up but the tree rebounds quickly |
![]() |
| This Eriocapitella hupehensis (aka Japanese anemone) is having its best year ever, possibly because it's benefited from the extra water given to the new Ginkgo tree nearby. In contrast, the pink Japanese anemones in the front garden have produced only a single flower. |
![]() |
| Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' is at its best when it catches the sun's light |
![]() |
| I cut this Senna bicapsularis back hard earlier this year in an effort to lower its floral canopy but it's taller than ever this year. I had to use a telephoto lens to get any decent photos. |
Of course, my old standbys continue to provide color.
![]() |
| Grevilleas 'Superb' (left and upper right) and 'Peaches & Cream' (lower right) never stop blooming |
![]() |
| Leucadendrons 'Safari Sunset' and 'Blush' (left) and 'Summer Red' (right) aren't true flowers but they do a good job of mimicking them |
The Osteospermums, one of many genera commonly referred to as "African daisies', were coming back in response to our cooler nighttime temperatures but, as most were lanky, I gave them severe haircuts in the hope they'll return with greater vigor in the coming months. Meanwhile, I've added more of the flowering plants well-suited to the cooler temperatures of fall.
![]() |
| I've grown Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' for years but I recently picked up this new "spin" on the common blanketflower. This is Gaillardia 'Spin Top Copper Sun'. |
![]() |
| I also picked up several 4-inch pots of Gazania 'White Flame' to fill out among an area planted with smaller seedlings, divisions and plugs of the same variety |
The biggest surprise this month was what I think is the first bloom on a small Phalaenopsis I've had for a few years now.
![]() |
| I think I got this moth orchid without a label during an sale at my local botanic garden. My guess is that it's Phalaenopsis 'Balden's Kaleidoscope'. |
There's not much else to crow about this month, although I know I'm lucky to have the amount of blooms I do this late in the year. I'll close out this post with collages of other blooms tucked here and there in my garden.
![]() |
Top row: Duranta repens 'Gold Mound', Fuchsia 'Deep Purple', and Lavandula multifida
Middle row: Lycianthes rantonnetii 'Variegata', Polygala fruticosa, and Salvia 'Black & Blue'
Bottom row: Salvia 'Mystic Spires', noID Scaevola, and Vitex trifolia 'Purpurea' |
![]() |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Angelonia 'Archangel White', Correa 'Ivory Bells', Cosmos bipinnatus, Pandorea jasminoides, Zephyranthes candida, and Lantana 'Lucky White' |
![]() |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Inca Sundance', Euryops chrysanthemoides 'Sonnenschein', Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', Echibeckia 'Summerina Orange', Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', and Xerochrysum bracteatum |
![]() |
Top row: Arbutus 'Marina', Correa 'Wyn's Wonder', and Rosa 'Pink Meidiland'
Middle row: Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', Pentas lanceolata, and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink'
Bottom row: Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' and Zinnia 'Benary Giant Wine' |
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
