I'm leaving October in the rear end mirror. Halloween turned out to be a non-event in my neighborhood once again, although Mother Nature graced us with a very pretty sunset.
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| View looking southeast |
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| Drumroll please! I had a grand total of 2 trick-or-treaters. I'd estimate they were between 3 and 4 years old. They arrived together accompanied by 5 adults, proud parents and grandparents. Although I gave each a handful of candy, I had a lot left, which I put in the driveway entrance with a sign. |
Intent as I've been with what needs to be done in my garden, I almost missed the little bit of fall foliage currently present there.
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| The larger of my 3 Japanese maples, Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku', was already past its prime when I noticed it had turned golden |
I'll provide an update on current projects later but right now I'm focusing on what's on the horizon. There are already bulbs gearing up for spring.
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| The Freesias (left) have been pushing up foliage for a month or more. Ipheion uniflorum and Scilla peruviana (right) are also well on their way. |
And I've only just started planting the large number of bulbs I'd already accumulated (not to speak of those that are still on their way to me by mail).
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| I planted the 40 bulbs shown here Monday afternoon. I planted another 20 on Tuesday afternoon (10 Tulipa humilis 'Alba Coerulea Oculata' and 10 Narcissus 'Beautiful Eyes'). I still have 75 Allium, 10 Tulipa 'Lady Jane', and 100 Ipheion on hand. (What was I thinking?!) That doesn't include the Anemones ordered for my cutting garden, several lily bulbs, and 15 Hippeastrum yet to be delivered. |
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| However, I did get 2 other Hippeastrum bulbs I'd already received potted up yesterday. Some of those yet to be delivered are intended as holiday gifts... |
Meanwhile, the garden is producing other plants and flowers without any help from me.
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| While working on seasonal cleanup, I discovered 3 tiny Agave 'Jaws' pups (one shown left), a 'Mediopicta Alba' pup (middle), and what I think must be an Agave titanota I don't remember planting, which is being squeezed out by an Agave 'Blue Flame' (right). The latter is supposed to be a solitary specimen but it looks like it's producing pups too. I'm going to have to find a way to extricate it. |
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| Two of my Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem' are sprouting bloom stalks (one shown left). This variety is known to produce a second round of bloom but, as dry as its been, I was surprised to see this. In addition, Mangave 'Bloodspot' (right) is producing what's at least its third bloom stalk within 2 years. |
So much to do, so little time! What's on your garden's horizon? Are you packing plants away to safeguard them from the worst that winter may bring, or are you scrambling to get new plants in the ground as you hope for rain as I'm doing? Yesterday, the forecast here held out a 56% chance of rain overnight but that projection has now nearly evaporated.
All material © 2012-2022by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party