So....whatcha got goin' and growin'?

My fall garden (Northern Hemisphere zone 7b) is fairly blowsy and chaotic. I vascillate between loving the verdant extravagance, and thinking that I really need to bring things under control. I have a lot of tall dahlias that have been knocked about a bit by the remnant winds from the hurricanes. They are in their peak bloom period. The salvias are enjoying a last flush. The "sunny border blue" veronica and some of the annual phlox are reblooming. The perennial sunflowers are about 6 feet tall now. By the time they bloom, in mid October, they will be 8 to 10 feet tall and doing dances behing the dahlias. In the slightly cooler weather, the color of my pink roses deepens, and the scent changes from spicy to fruity.

A friend gave me some single apricot chrysanthamums (sp)a couple of years ago. They are just setting buds. These are great garden plants that need no pinching or coddling---but the color is a little tough to coordinate.

Tuberoses and moonflower vine scent the night garden and glow in the moonlight, and the "autumn joy" sedum is at its peak.

One of my larger beds really is something of a mess, but right now tartarian aster, a wild (and rampant) goldenrod, and blue boneset, as well as some more "autumn joy" make it a wonderfully wild looking mess. An old red climbing rose decided to rebloom in the middle of it all.

The bird population is starting to change at the feeders.

The kale that I set out a few weeks ago is doing well. I sowed mesclun mix just before the rains from the hurricanes and tropical storms started. All the spicey greens and mustards germinated, but I think most of the lettuce seed rotted in the ground. Guess I'll reseed, though it is a little late to do so. When it is dry enough I'll put out onion bulbs for green onions. The garlic I mail ordered will arrive and be ready to plant in another couple of weeks.

I want to be out there digging, dividing and transplanting, but alas, our last tax extension is about to expire, so we are in bookkeeping purgatory right now.

A big clump of tick-seeded sunflowers sprung up from nowhere this year. A delightful fall surprise.

Janie