The current weather is sunny, warm and very dry! All week it has been in the 70s or high 60s. I’m not complaining but we do desperately need rain. Has it been dryer or wetter than normal where you are?
No matter how warm, we know the weather can change in a heartbeat! We sneaked past our newish “first frost date” of October 17 with only a few cold nights. For many years the first frost date was October 10. But with the new zoning comes a new frost date. I am so hesitant to adopt or trust those new dates/zones as we’ve certainly been surprised in the past!
A few days ago there were just so many pretty roses that I made a bokay. It’s hard to follow the rules and not cut them this time of year. I know they need to go to sleep but they still have plenty of time — right!?!
My harvest…
Arrangement…
POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS
GERANIUMS
Many of my geraniums are coming in. Some will be rooted in water. Do you get as excited as I do when you see roots form!!!
And some come in as small plants to live under lights and give me their delicate pretty blooms all winter. I look forward to every bloom! They sure make those dark days much brighter!
TOPIARIES
My “much neglected all summer” topiaries are coming in to the Potting Shed also to get a much needed trim and some transitional care until I take them in the house for a semi dormant winter. Look who also came in and made his presence known with a very unexpected jump from plant to the window shelf! There were squeals! Mr. G came out and saved the day for both of us. 😳 🐸
SEED SAVING
Time to finish up harvesting seeds and getting them stored for next year. The garden keeps me so aware of how creative our Creator is. Take one dried up seed head, remove spent petals and there you have in many cases hundreds of seeds. Those tiny seeds hold new life and hope! Before long many of them will be going into milk/water jugs and take home containers to start their growing process for the new year! (Winter Sowing “How To” link below.)
GETTING TO KNOW YOU WALL
This week I started the 3rd annual GETTING TO KNOW YOU WALL.
I started doing this to keep the next year’s seeds, plants, bulbs and garden planning sketches in front of me all winter as I work in the potting shed. It was such a great help in determining just where I wanted all these lovelies in the garden based on their neighbors, color, size and growing needs. Confession, I don’t always have a plan when I purchase something. I just know I like it!!! How about you????
On the 2025 Wall all I have now are seed packets and allium bulbs – more to come. The actual packets will not stay there as they will go into my seed bins where they will be more protected. On the wall I will hang the pictures I took of them with notes on all the basics.
ROSE CHAT
The most recent release of Rose Chat was with a great rose friend – Anita Clevenger. Anita has spent 20 years traveling and learning all she can about the amazing roses from our past. The background pictures for the ad below is of Anita’s lovely garden!
Old Roses for Modern Gardens
Anita Clevenger
Anita Clevenger, Heritage Rose Advocate, shares why heritage roses have a place in modern gardens! We’ll take a look at the attributes of these survivors that have stood the test of time … bringing to the garden beauty, romance and fragrance for generations. On the show home page I have pictures of Anita’s lovely garden!
LISTEN HERE.
THE LIFE & ROSES OF ANNE BELOVICH
Teddie Mower, Caretaker of Anne’s Garden
COMING SUNDAY, OCT 27
On this episode of Rose Chat, I’m joined by Teddie Mower, Anne Belovich’s Daughter-in-Law and the Caretaker of Anne’s rose garden which includes over 1,000 mostly heritage roses. Anne Belovich was a rose collector Rock Star and Teddie works to ensure that her rare and imported roses are conserved through propagation efforts for future generations to enjoy. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear some of the fascinating stories about this remarkable woman who was the author of 6 books – all written when she was in her 90s. And, that’s just a small part of her story!
Teddie is so delightful – a special gift to Anne and to us. She is the perfect person to go back to the beginning and tell Anne’s story.
On the podcast show page there are many links to additional information and pictures of Anne’s roses.
PS… Mr. G just gifted me a copy of Anne’s book on Ramblers!!! I love it! (link)
BLOOM THYME HAPPENING NOW
This season the garden is filled with a different kind of beauty. Some of the summer blooms are holding on but the brighter colors of fall foliage are taking center stage.
WHAT YOU HAVEN’T SEEN
What you haven’t seen much from me this growing season are tons of Dahlia blooms. There just hasn’t been as many as in year’s past. There’s a number of reasons – first is that I didn’t grow as many (mistake) and the weather was so off for dahlias. Very wet at the beginning of the season and VERY dry at the end. I must confess I did not give them the water they needed when the rains stopped.
One bag of Dahlia tubers (2) I bought in a bag at a box store was mismarked and the “substitutions” were not ones I cared for. Although they bloomed more than any of the others. 🙄
Two dahlias I bought in bags at the box stores that did quite well – Seattle and Motto.
Here are some of the beauties that did show up!
Dahlias I ordered from online suppliers were the correct ones but bloomed very late with fewer blooms and smaller blooms too!
I have heard from gardeners around the US and the UK and many say about the same thing. Dahlias were very late. And, in many cases with fewer blooms.
Next year will be better! I’ve already started a list of tubers I want! I may try some seeds too. In a gardener’s heart HOPE springs eternal.
THE POND
25+ years ago early one morning, a swift wind took down our beautiful Bradford Pear that was in full bloom – a familiar story. (Reason #1014 why you shouldn’t grow them.) When the tree came down I was working right beside it! The Bradford Pear not only scared me to death, it fell in to a Tulip Poplar tree creating all kinds of damage. When the trees were removed and we were left with a bit of a “hole” in front of the Potting Shed, Mr. G decided he would fulfill his dream of having a small pond. We have enjoyed the pond through the years. EnjoyED is the operative word ending – past tense. Three years ago it started having issues – leaking & excessive algae. The enjoyment dimmed. Then, we started noticing fountains everywhere we go. This year the fountain idea took root. A few weeks ago the pond was removed and now we have a perfect place for a smaller water feature. We are on the lookout. We thought there was a possibility we would have regrets but neither of us do. So much to look forward to. Yes, to everything there is a season.
CHALLENGES
This year there have certainly been garden challenges. With so little rain, I am truly concerned for some of our large trees and shrubs. It pales in comparison to what some of our friends in the south are dealing with. One thing I know, regardless of the scary state of our world and things happening around us … Our God still reigns. I have read that 365 times the phrase FEAR NOT appears in the Bible. How perfect — one for each day. He’s got us!
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
Until next time, enjoy this beautiful season in your garden.
Pelargoniums are my kind of geraniums. Nowadays, I automatically assume that ‘geraniums’ refers to actual species of ‘Geranium’, because that is what everyone else is talking about. Until obtaining some from Tangly Cottage Gardening just last year, I had never grown any. All my geraniums, some of which have been with me for decades, are Pelargonium.
Our weather seems to be as it should be for this time of year. It is still too early for much chill, and the rainy season has not started yet, so there has been no rain. That might seem warm and dry to those who are familiar with other climates, but it is normal for here. Anyway, does ‘Seattle’ seem to be more white than yellow, or is it really very light yellow? It looks great in pictures, but because I prefer plain and simple white, I have not tried it.