October in the Northern Hemisphere

[Gabriela]

Nice set of Pictures, Gabriela. The Crocus looks like a pulchellus hybrid, maybe with speciosus.

Thank you Stefan.
C. speciosus is hardy here so maybe these ones will be OK. Last year I bought other bulbs as 'speciosus' which were looking similar but they didn't return this fall.
All stock is brought here from Holland, I don't understand why this confusion with such well known species.

[Yann]

A short walk not far away home in search of the last Colchium. I found only 2 spots in good state, it's so warm for the season that most were faded. The surprise was a Caltha palustris in full bloom. The Arum are aldready showing a good foliage. It's spring???

[Gerdk]

Yann,
What a magnifcent view there!

Is Arum italicum native in your area - even in this fine variety?

Gerd

[Yann]

the subspecies italicum is naturalized in several zones. It grows near wet meadows, under trees.

[Yann]

in the garden Aster bring lots of colors, perfect to end the season.

[Leena]

Nice asters, Yann.
Here the autumn has been exceptionally warm, only three mild frosts so far, and this has been a very good autumn for my Asters, in the first picture last week-end in the morning sun.
Also Colchicums flowered well and many earlier than usually, so September was the best month for them this year. Here are my last Colchicums this week, 'Poseidon' being the latest in the foreground ,and 'Beaconsfield' in the background.
I don't have many autumn crocuses, but C.pulchellus seems to do well for me, picture also from last week-end.
Fourth picture is a view to the woodland bed area.

[brianw]

I Guess this is Colchicum Beaconsfield. Pronounced as in Bee... if from Montreal or Beck... if you are from Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, UK. ;-)

[Sally]

Beautiful garden, Leena!

Sally

[Leena]

Thank you Sally.

Brian, of course, I will correct my typing error. Thanks!

[Yann]

Leena here it's also a very nice autumn but very very dry, i'm still watering in the garden!!!

[Leena]

Leena here it's also a very nice autumn but very very dry, i'm still watering in the garden!!!

The dry period ended here in late summer, and it has rained here in September and October, but not too much, just perfect.
Last night was freezing, 'Poseidon' is still up and growing but 'Beaconsfield' thought that was enough.

[Catwheazle]

the last flower for this year ...
-  not clusii, not acaule. .... unknown :-( ... perhaps dinarica or angustifolia

Bernd

[Robert]

October has been a dry month for many parts of Northern California. Except for nice rainfall totals in the higher terrain of the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the early part of the month, it has been very dry.

Temperatures have been running about average for the month. Currently temperatures are well above average for this time of year. It would be nice to have some “autumn” weather and have the rainfall season start. My wife and I were in the Sierra Nevada a few days ago. The autumn leaves are spectacular in some locations.

Moraea polystachya has been blooming for many weeks now. Bulbs that have some moisture during the summer/autumn come into growth early and bloom early. In other parts of the garden where the ground is keep dry during the summer, the bulbs came into growth only recently and will start blooming for the first time soon. We will get about 12 weeks, or more, of flowers this way, not bad!



Helianthus angustifolius blooms very late in the season. It is a magnet for butterflies, hover flies, and a number of bee species. The metallic green Sweat Bees, Agapostemon sp., are attention getting.



The late blooming Salvia species have started to bloom now. Salvia semiatrata will bloom well into the winter.



Salvia chiapensis blooms well in the autumn and continuously into the spring. With good soil fertility they will bloom during the summer too.



Salvia elegans blooms autumn into the winter. It will continue to bloom into the spring, however we cut our plants back hard in the late winter just before they start into active growth. With some additional compost during the growing season they will be spectacular during the next autumn blooming season. Hummingbirds love Salvias in general.

[Robert]

I enjoy our simple garden. The autumn vegetables are coming along very well. The first of the radishes are ready to pick now, as well as tender baby greens. I plant the tubs with herbs, greens, bulbs and flowers. The tubs with California native bulbs (a few South African species too) share space with California native annuals. Heirloom pansies are another favorite, with larkspur. The cinder blocks in the background have been planted with California native bulbs species, California native annuals, Dudleyias, Lewisia rediviva and a few other odd and ends such as Sternbergia species. Various forms of Salvia sonomensis (a must in our garden) flow around the base with silvery forms of Cirsium occidentale. This autumn my wife and I planted many California native bulbs throughout the garden (summer dry areas). If all goes well there will be a good display from early spring (Dichelostemma species) through early summer (Brodiaea elegans ssp. elegans and late high elevation forms of Triteleia).

[Gabriela]

End of October in SW Ontario; sunny days become rare at this time and it's good to seize the good moments.
Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'


Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa' and thanks to a kind forumist, also the white form.




No name Tricyrtis


A great performer in a sunny, super dry spot this year - Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Arizona Red Shades'