Thursday, November 12, 2009

Blooming Friday



We have been feeling the effects of the remnants of tropical storm Ida for the last couple of days. In addition, we got our first killing frost earlier this week, so I am going to cheat a little and show pictures that I took a few days before the frost and all of the wind and rain.

This is a shot of the vegetable garden, which is lined with ornamentals to shield the actual vegetable garden from view. Vegetable gardens can get really ugly, with the falling over tomatoes and the out-of-control squash vines. The only tomato cages I have ever seen that actually worked well were heavy duty metal cages that Gene's uncle made for his own tomato garden. The aromatic aster, Mexican petunia and perennial sweet pea are still in bloom in this picture. The yellow foliage in the far background is that of sweet pepperbush.


The big perennial bed is finished now except for a few late roses and aster 'Miss Bessie' at the far end, not visible in this picture. The brown is Bidens gone to seed. I have been collecting and broadcasting the seed (and even writing down where so that I can tell Gene where not to mow next spring).


The perennial sweet pea has bloomed for several months this year, taking a hiatus only during the hottest part of the summer. It's too bad that it's not fragrant, as I still do not know what sweet pea blossoms smell like and it's a common descriptor of the fragrance of other plants. Alas, it is both too hot and too cold here, and it's only once in a blue moon that annual sweet pea actually succeeds in this climate. I've noticed that this sweet pea is already snaking tendrils into the ornamental border of the vegetable garden. As long as it doesn't smother the 'Veilchenblau' or 'Duchesse de Brabant' roses I don't have a problem with that. 'Veilchenblau' can probably hold its own just fine anyway.


The Mexican petunia bloomed right up until the freeze on Tues, together with the asters providing a lovely violet-blue counterpoint to all of the yellow that is prevalent this time of year. This petunia has not set seed so it must be one of the sterile cultivars created to curb its overly enthusiastic tendencies.


Aromatic aster



Swamp sunflowers with the yellow foliage of sweet pepperbush in the background.



Aster 'Miss Bessie' at the end of the big perennial bed, half-open on a cloudy morning. 'Miss Bessie' is a tall exuberant aster that was originally found in the Deep South and valuable for its very late bloom. Its flowers are impervious to frost so it's very reliable here.



I am glad the dahlias had a chance to strut their stuff this fall before the cold cut them down. This a pink noid that I ordered from a lady who grows dahlias in the mountains of our state. The flower is very large, almost as big as both of my hands put together.


Rothsay Reveler


Ferncliff Illusion


A couple more noids that I really like.



Chrysanthemum 'Venus'


The hybrid musk rose 'Felicia', whose fragrance never disappoints.






Clotilde Soupert, which IMO is the most perfect of roses, is even more perfect when covered with dewdrops.



I love single roses but this rose has all of the romance and sumptiousness of an old garden rose: layers and layers of soft pink petals and a sweet perfume that doesn't change or fade. I wish you could experience the fragrance too. It's heavenly.

For more Blooming Friday posts, visit Katarina at roses and stuff.


26 comments:

  1. SweetBay,

    If I ever get to visit there i want some of that fragrant aster. Beautiful garden still. Our Swamp Sunflowers are all done now.

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  2. Your blooms are beautiful! Wonderful photos, as usual. You have many fragrant blooms...the close shots are stunning! Love the colours of the dahlias and the ruellias.

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  3. Hi Sweet Bay, I enjoyed your blooms and bees. I hid most of my veggies across the street with tall flowers, too, but had a couple falling down tomatoes in the front. Next year, I won't do that.

    Your photos were awesome, as always. Yes, your rose does look good in water drops. I didn't put a post up yet. I was trying to decide if I was going to combine it with GBBD. Maybe I'll go put a few pics up real quick.

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  4. The last rose with the dew on it is just lovely. All of your plants are beautiful, and I love the big front porch on your house, too.

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  5. Hi SB~~ I LOVE 'Clotilde Soupert.' Your house and grounds look very peaceful. I love the perennial sweet pea too. It blooms here in mid to late summer. I was going to dig up a plant [or two] and replant it next to my Lavatera bush so the two could mingle and bloom simultaneously. Unfortunately the roots were very snug in their rock solid "soil."

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  6. What a beautiful bunch of pictures. So full of consolation this time of year. Thank you and have a nice week end!

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  7. Clotilde does look perfect. I hope that at least one of her flowers survived the bad weather.
    Have a good weekend.

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  8. What a treat to see such color and green!! The close up of the rose is simply (((gorgeous!!)))
    Thank you for giving me such stunning imagery!

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  9. What wonderful (and many!) things you still have in bloom. If I haven't already made a nuisance of myself asking if you would please save me some Mexican petunia seeds (and even if I did), I would like to humbly ask for them again. I love them but have never seen them here! Let me know what you'd want in trade! Thanks and grovelings!

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  10. So many beautiful flowers still in bloom. The rose is my favorite, of course. I have but a single verbena.

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  11. Sweet Bay, your photos are gorgeous! The photos of all the roses, in particular, are just exquisite. Good to see so much still in bloom at your house--and bees, too! We've had several frosty mornings, so even my hardiest of plants have given up for the season. Even my asters seemed early this year and have long since stopped blooming.

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  12. Your flowers are just lovely. This time of year they are especially treasured. The asters are wonderful and next year I will be adding more to my gardens.
    Marnie

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  13. I love the Dahlias. Very beautiful. I also loved your Asters.Lovely blooms, thanks for posting.

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  14. i'm glad you were able to take photos of these flowers before the bad weather came... and your dewdrops-covered rose is really BEAUTIFUL... it's so romantic and i bet the scent is as subtle as the petals' color... but my fave is the chrysanthemum venus :)...

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  15. Gorgeous photos! I really love the dahlias. I think next year I'm going to plant some. Your property is beautiful!

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  16. Lovely Lovely Sweet Bay! Gorgeous photos. I love the dahlia shot right before your Venus chyr. All the roses are beautiful too. Very nice post. Carol

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  17. Your pictures are just beautiful. I love all the wide shots where I can see more of your gardens. Those closeups are gorgeous too, especially the very last one.

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  18. Hi. It is different in our Lord's garden. So beautiful your flowers are. Ida The storm destroyed some of the plants, but your Dahlia is wonderful and the roses, is my favorite flower./Margareta

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  19. I think you are right - that Clotilde Soupert is the most perfect looking rose ever. Love the dew drops!

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  20. So beautiful! You have so many blooming plants. I especially love the purple and yellow flowering plants.

    Your Mexican Petunia looks like a plant we grow called Ruellia brittoniana - is it?

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden!

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  21. Your Clotilde Soupert can't be real. It's just too perfect. Don't misunderstand, I know it IS real:)

    I like how the Sweet Peas look with the dark wood of the house as a background. And I luv the porch.

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  22. Such a delightful post! Love the close ups of the fragrant Aster - and the rose with the dewdrops is divine!
    Happy weekend!

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  23. Your dahlias and Clotilde Soupert are gorgeous!

    I'm looking at your astor and thinking that's the one I planted - I couldn't remember the name of the plant and it never opened. But it had tight purple buds that look like the one you have there. Maybe it will open next year.

    My friend has a few snapdragons and petunias still blooming in her garden. She has a warm sunny protected area. But mine are all through. So I am really enjoying yours. :)

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  24. I know this is a critter entry, but the last pink rose is my favorite! Beautiful shot!


    I starteled a deer! Look at that tail!

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  25. Gorgeous photos! The dewey Clotilde Soupert is perfect.

    I just have to have some Miss Bessie's Aster no matter how aggressive it may be. Does it help support the Swamp Sunflower any?

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  26. Your Dahlias are beautiful and strutting their stuff is a perfect description.

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