"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Friday, November 13, 2009

Fertilizer Friday - Friday the 13th.

The month of November is quickly going by and I'm happy that I do still have some blooms outside. The last couple of days the sun returned and we had beautiful blue skies and mild temperatures. I've noticed that however many long rainy and gray days we have around here, as soon as the sun returns I forget just how sick of the rain I was. It's like the sun cancels out all the feelings of laziness and grumpiness and infuses me with energy. Today, though it was back to rain with the chance of a little snow tonight. The news is already getting excited about the possible snow and has reporters stationed around different areas each hoping they are the first to see the first snowflake. I'm not sure if that's how the news is everywhere, but here they sure do get excited when even the slightest change in weather is predicted.
While the sun was out I was able to get some leaves raked in the front yard and pulled up the dead Zinnias and cut some perennials back. While I was out there I found these flowers blooming.

The Kaffir Lily (Schizostylis) 'Fenland Daybreak' that I recently planted is just so pretty. I planted it where we can see it from inside and it's such a nice cheerful color.

My fall planter is still doing well. We still haven't had a frost so the Calibrachoa is going crazy with flowers.

The giant Lacecap Hydrangea had a fresh bloom recently which just pops against the dark purple older flowers.

Dahlias are luckily still doing great. I was planning to dig and divide the tubers this fall. I usually leave them, but I'd like to spread them to some other areas too. I found some great information on digging and storing dahlia tubers. Click here to read about how from the Snohomish County Dahlia Society.

The 'Iceberg' Rose always looks great against a blue sky. You can see that the two new buds are both pink.

A big favorite this year is the Variegated Wallflower (Erysimum). No signs of slowing down at all.

One of my favorite shrubs is Daphne x transatlantica 'Summer Ice'. It's been in bloom for many months and still has more buds. It's foliage is just beautiful and is evergreen. I know some Daphnes are temperamental, but I have never had any problems with this one in the 4 years I've had it.

Erodium 'Flore Pleno' is so cute to me. I have this in a little terra cota pot near the pond.

I have a few more flowers blooming that I'm saving for Bloom Day on the 15th if they are still around after the "possible snow".
Fertilizer Friday is hosted by Tootsie at Tootsie Time every Friday. Visit her to join in or see what else is blooming.
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28 comments:

  1. Good Morning Catherine, I had no idea that your weather/news people reacted that way to changing weather. Here in the South, it is the biggest EVENT if snow or ice is predicted. Hoards of people run to the store to buy milk & bread, generators etc. and many times it never snows!!! Atlanta SHUTS down if we have snow flurries! It really is comical to people like Nalley from the North!
    You still have some lovely blooms. I especially love the Naffir Lily - how pretty. That's a great photo of the new hydrangea against the old blooms too. Hope you all have a nice weekend.
    And by the way, do you have plenty of milk & bread????? ha

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  2. It hardly seems like it is time for snow! Your plants sure don't look like they are ready. You'll be ready though-that blue birdbath will make the snow look good even when the plants are under the snow. Gorgeous photos Catherine!

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  3. Your blooms always amaze me! You still have so much going on. I live in East Texas, and I'm wearing shorts today after delivering lunch for Meals On Wheels. But I don't have anywhere near the blooms you have! So pretty!
    Brenda

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  4. Hi Catherine. It's been raining quite bit lately here too. I will be happy to be energized by the sun when it finally shows up. Though we won't be getting snow, the island will be buffeted by the north wind (the hawk) soon and many tree will become quite bare.

    I'm happy to see that so many flowers are still giving you pleasure.

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  5. Your plants looks awesome! I LOVE the dahlia! I get a burst of energy with the sun too. It was nice in NE earlier in the week and I was everyday in the garden. It felt great! -Jackie

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  6. Your Kafir lily is so pretty!
    A Daphne! They smell so heavenly!!! I had one years ago and stil miss it...hmmm mental note, come this spring get Daphne!
    AND love the hydrangeas...will try again this spring on those too.
    *hugs*deb

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  7. Such an enchanting post! Your flowers are inspiring with still such intense beauty!I loved your blue pot..and the dahlia and rose grabbed my attention. Wonderful job!

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  8. Oh such happy blooms.
    I agree the blue pot is pretty nice...love blue.
    Wish it would stop raining here.
    I agree about grumpiness.

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  9. Wow Catherine! You always have so many beautiful plants blooming - even when you are waiting for the snow :)

    I absolutely love your hydrangea - I wish I could grow them well here....

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  10. I CANNOT believe you still have dahlias blloming!!! WOW! I am jealous! You know how I love them!!! I am also shocked by the hydrangea bloom. Mine have died down, so I would be shocked to see a beautiful bloom! The Kaffir Lily is gorgeous!

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  11. So many flowers in this season ! I liked the Kaffir lilys very much. Thanks for your info about my link. I have sent another link and asked Tootsie to delete the first one.

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  12. OMG it is Friday the 13th! I never even realized it. Oh well the day is about gone now so all is well ;-)
    I want Calibrachoa blooming,and roses, and lilies, and hydrangeas like you do. I will just have to wait until next year for them. The Kaffir lily is really looking pretty Catherine.Have a great weekend!

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  13. Oh, the gorgeous blooms just never stop coming at your place, Catherine! I want to garden there. So many pretty things. I'm probably most envious of the Daphne. I had 'Carol Mackie' awhile back and it lived one summer and never returned the next spring. It was a pretty little thing, just like your Daphne is.

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  14. this is a beautiful post friend!!! but I have to say that the hydrangea is my favorite bloomer in your garden...I just love that color!
    I hope the weather is such that your flowers have a few more weeks to strut their stuff!
    thanks for linking in...and have a wonderful weekend

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  15. Hi Catherine, You have so many beautiful flowers still blooming over there! I'm curious about something (a plant stake?) in your second photo. Are we looking up at a little bird? ;-)

    I'm so pokey about getting birdfeeders out! I hope I can fix that situation tomorrow. :-) Have a super weekend.

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  16. You are so lucky to still have blooms. We are so far north, all of ours have been dead for a few months already, except for some sedums!

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  17. Great shot of the Dahlia. Your Kaffir Lily is striking too. Sure will be interesting to see some of your flowers peeking through the snow, if you can get the shots.

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  18. nice Cahterine, I am actually able to bend my arm somewhat this morning or hold something light, but not at the same time. Like lift a fork or glass to my mouth...anyway, snow? You are still enjoying some nice color and thanks for the reminder about the 15th..hope I can hold and click the camera...

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  19. I would say you still have some pretty blooms. I love the blue hydrangea. Oakleaf hydrangea is one of my very favorites. Flore Pleno is very cute and I wonder if I can grow that in Austin...hmm

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  20. Ah, beautiful blooms still going strong in your garden Catherine! I LOVE lacecap hydrangeas, and hope one day soon hybridizers will work their magic and produce one that's reliably hardy enough to bloom regularly here. I've been tempted to test our shade garden microclimate with one. It's so sheltered by the house and lots of arborvitaes and other evergreen shrubs, between the shelter and the leaf cover over the winter, it's probably worth experimenting with one.

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  21. Beautiful flowers! Kaffir Lily is new to me. It's gorgeous. I love the color.

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  22. Still lots of flowers and looking nice after your rain. I am envious of your Schizostiles i have lost all mine over the years they look particularly nice near Nerine Bowdenii which are similar in colour and flower about the same time.

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  23. Hi Catherine, I'm glad to have found your blog through Lotusleaf's blog.Your pics are stunning! The white rose with sky as background is my favourite. Thanks for sharing.

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  24. We actually did get the snow up here on the higher elevation. Luckily it didn't stick. The hail however did stick around and made for a crunchy top layer. I really have to study your late fall garden because you have some beautiful and tenacious flowers. Count me jealous.
    And yeah, what is with these news people anyway? The weather changes here every fifteen minutes. You'd think they'd know that by now. LOL

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  25. Even tho we get a lot of snow in Colorado, the weathermen still cover it thoroughly here too. When we have a big storm, the news is mostly different anchor people stationed in separate places around town talking about the roads, snow, etc., in that area. I wish I could get that excited about it!
    Your blooms are great, especially for this time of year. If you didn't dig your dahlias, would they overwinter just fine in the ground? I dug mine up but sometimes I have trouble keeping them alive over the winter. Storing them in peat seems to dry them out? I'll click on your link and see if there are any other hints to follow.

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  26. omg, I just clicked on that link and it said "do NOT store dahlia tubers in peat ~ it will dry them out!" Thanks for informing me today ~ no wonder I've been having trouble!

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