October...blooms?

Here--the next day--the blooms are starting to blush peach.

Here they are all peachy-keen!

I miss my Dr. Seuss and that awesome fragrance! Lost it about 3 years ago. Took cuttings and none of them made it.....Some just root easier than others!

Very pretty Gita! I love the low growing habit of the last pic - do you prune it to keep it that low? We've whacked ours back every year to bring it inside for the winter, then again when we bring it outside for the summer. It's always grown so tall and never pruned it during the summer because I was afraid it wouldn't produce any flowers! None of the names you posted for my 'pink' look familiar, but I know when I hear it I'll recognize the name :) For now I'm satisfied regardless of it being a NOID, I'm just thrilled to finally have blooms! Funny, or not so funny story - maybe more like stupid! I was showing the Brug to someone who visited us last weekend. She was so thrilled seeing the plant and the beautiful flower and wanted to know if she could have a cutting. Sure, I said! I obviously wasn't paying attention and swiftly gave her a cutting only to realize afterwards that there were 3 buds on it! Sometimes I'm such an idiot :(

rcn,

If you are a Brug grower--you know about the "above and below the Y thing"--right?

If you cut your plant back to bring it inside---and if you cut it all below the "Y"'s, it will grow tall the following year and bloom later because it has to "Y" all over again.
A Brug will not bloom until it has "Y"-ed! The branching has to split in a "Y". From then on, each part of the "Y" will "Y" again and again and your plant will have several flushes.

If you take cuttings ABOVE the Y and they root, and you plant them next year, they will not grow as tall but will bloom sooner.
Cuttings from below the "Y", such as any length of stem, will grow straight up until it "Y"'s, and then bloom.

My tall "Forevermohr" (which was hybridized by Shirley Mohr--my "guru" when i was starting out) is a tall-growing plant and just now bloomed for the first time. I don't think I am keeping it. It is a cross of "Rosamond" and "Butterfly"....BIG pink blooms!

The Rosamond is also a good bloomer. Makes huge flowers----I lost that one too!

I am NOT a serious Brug grower--but when I start with a plant I have never had--I try to learn as much about it as I can.

This is my "Forevermohr" in 2006.

This is the "Rosamond"....

Here's a more real color on the Rosamond....

These are the "Rose Souvelons" blooms. They have a "puffy" look.

So many great plants rcn48!!! I had no idea there were so many toad lilies.
Heleniums from seed I got from bigcityal:

Gita, you had me going for a minute there, I thought those brugs were stll blooming!
Another shorter Helenium

claypa--

Actually, all 3 of mine are still blooming. My Rose Souvelons--I took 4 cuttings from and on each one were several blooms in various stages of opening. Same with the Peaches and Cream....There just comes a time when you have to sacrifice some blooms so you can have plants next year. It hurts like the dickens....but......

I have found that many of the Brugs I have grown give their best bloom flush in October. Maybe it is the cooler weather? I don't think they like extreme heat.

I used to be all excited to have some Brugs--but that was a long time ago.....Now I feel very Ho--Hum about them. They take up space--require quite a bit of attention, blow over in strong winds if in pots on a patio, need a lot of fertilizing, have to dig up, store, take cuttings, and all that. Bah...Humbug!
YET--being a Garden addict---one does not dare waste any plants.....MUST propagate....
I just don't dare throw them out--yet I have hardly any space in my basement to overwinter them. H-E-L-P!!!!!!
The $64,000 question. What is wrong with this scenario?????

Gita......:o(

I was shocked t osee I missed 50 posts already--then rcn did about 35 of them so I wasn't that far behind after all--

My pics are on the other computer...

claypa- I been waiting on a canna like that myself-- so I cheated and placed this verbena on it for a pic- Purple and chartreuse (lime?) is my new obsession this year.

rcn- did ya know sweet potato foliage is edible? I bought some from an organic grower this year. I didn't think it tasted like anything tho!

hey you said pets--here's one proving that double digging is not so hard after all-

happily the spinach I planted after this has come up great with the rain!

LOL, obviously the groundhog liked it :(( I just couldn't believe it when I saw it - it was so beautiful, flowing over the edges of the container and every single leaf was gone! I too was going for the purple and chartreuse 'theme' but the groundhog quickly put an end to this combo!

Gita, more beautiful photos :) This is my first Brug and I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep it around. It's about 5' tall this year and if I'm going to grow one I want one like yours!

claypa, there are more Tricyrtis that haven't even bloomed yet! A couple more yellows and T. lasiocarpa which is a vigorous grower and more of a true blue bloom. Your Heleniums are looking gorgeous! Mine suffered this year from the drought and even though they bloomed the foliage looks really pathetic :(

Pets? Did someone say pets? Addy's doing a fine job of double digging there! LOL Phoebe isn't too happy with me - the beech in this picture has been her favorite place to relax in the shade while I've been working in the gardens this summer. I finally had the opportunity to finish the plantings around the base of the tree and now I have to chase her out regularly. Unfortunately she managed to flatten the Ostrich Ferns before I did :( She's been ordered to lay IN the path now!

Beautiful Photos Everyone!!!!

aw Phoebe--if only she would learn to carefully pick her way in to a spot left just for her...
I have more blooms than I thought- will get pictures in later

This Celosia is one of the last bits of color left in our garden this year. I sent John to take this picture and of course he also got a shot of the pulverized Hosta.The Celosia is pretty though.

Ruby

One of my neighbors grows lots of Celosias out front, they're still growing strong here too. Hostas still look good with all the rain we've had

rcn, I had to water those Heleniums almost every day this summer - they're seedlings, they like full sun and wet locations, but we didn't get much rain earlier this summer, so I dragged the hose out there everyday and watered the younger daylilies while I was at it. Generally I try to avoid water-loving plants, at least out front where it's full sun.

You know how lots of guys have a pathological lawnmower fetish? While they were out there mowing, I was watering. (But never the lawn!)

Salvia 'Strata' and a few baloon flowers still floating around

Ruby, that Celosia is beautiful! And don't worry, everyone's Hostas look beat up this time of the year :)

claypa, my Heleniums are in an area which is undergoing a complete transformation, hopefully this fall. Fortunately for the Heleniums that means more attention and watering for the new plantings and maybe next year they'll look as nice as yours :) No "lawnmower fetish" here LOL Heck with the drought we barely had to mow the lawn this summer!

My newly purchased Pelargonium sidoides http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/76764/ is blooming! I'll have to bring this one in for the winter but I've been searching for it for awhile - I love the gray foliage and deep purple flowers!

Dahlias still hanging in there. Although I've read this particular variety "might" be hardy here I'm not going to any chances and will dig them and store for the winter.

Self sown Zinnia which unfortunately came up right next to my "red" theme in the garden! I had hoped when I first saw them popping up this spring that they were the white I had planted here several years ago - NOT!

This is one the container plantings that Rick 'threw' together. He became impatient with me when I hadn't decided where to use these plants and potted them up before I found a spot for them!

First flower on my Leea coccinea 'Rubra' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/60374/. Flowers are unique but I really could care less if it flowers or not - I bought it for the foliage! It's grown to about 4' over the summer and we'll have to cut it way back soon in order to bring it inside for the winter :(

Not much for flowers in the next photos but posting them to show you everything that HAS to be brought inside in the next few weeks! Rick has already started cutting a few back so I'm glad I grabbed the pictures when I did :)

I lied, this one actually does have flowers! Begonia 'Bonfire' - been blooming ALL summer and I hope it survives the winter because it's a beauty :)

I'll probably have to sacrifice the container in the back, there's just too many plants this year :(

These guys are always easy to overwinter.

Cissus discolor on the left didn't do so well last winter but made up for it by mid summer!

More Begonias...

And more...

More...the Begonia in the middle with the crinkly foliage was a favorite this summer - 'Madame Queen'! Unfortunately I think the Episcia to the left is toast after near freezing temps the other night - lesson learned :(

Oops! There ARE a few more flowers :)

Another one that's been blooming ALL summer! Not as outstanding as 'Bonfire' but pretty nonetheless :)

I really hated to see these "go" - Rick's already chopped them back to stubs in preparation for their trip to the living room :(

These two looked pretty side by side all summer. The Begonia on the right was high on my list of favorites this year! Unfortunately the poor little 'Fireworks' in the front, which is usually at the TOP of my list just never really quite made it :(

The two last Begonias to show. Rick laughed at me when I brought home the stand the Begonia on the right is sitting on - I found it at the dumpster! It's a little wobbly but a couple of screws and maybe a paint job this winter will spruce it up :)

Tiny little flowers but I bought the plant for its variegation. Variegated Jewels of Opar http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/76843/ Probably the last of my "blooms" this year although I do have some Hardy Chrysanthemums starting to show their late fall colors and if we don't get hit with a frost I should have a few more to post for October.

Some really gorgeous plants rcn. Everything looks so healthy too. I have everything back inside except for two Elephant Ears and several Caladiums that I haven't decided what to do with yet. Need to be making up my mind soon though.

Ruby

Ruby, long range forecast looks like you'll be safe until next Sunday! Since we're leaving for the State Arboretum on Friday, we've only got four days to haul everything inside before the weekend :(

rcn,

Thank you for sharing all your beautiful Begonias with us. You sure have many!

Sounds like Rick is the main gardener there.....:o) Must be your favorite plant! The Cissus discolor------I have seldom seen that one except when i was working for a grower for a year and a half. He grew it in HB's and the leaves just would all turn outward and the whole basket looked like a shimmering waterfall.
One of my jobs was to keep twining the long runners in and out and around the wire hangers so it was always solid with leaves. We also took cuttings and rooted them to make new baskets.
He called it "Tapestry Vine".

I have always had the Beefsteak Begonia that you have sitting on the stand you found in the dumpster. I have propagated SOOO many of this plant from single leaves and broken off sections. Easy, beautiful plant.....

OK! Took my camera out yesterday to capture the last of the blooms still in my Garden.
The weather has sure held beautifully so far---but the "whammy" could come any day now.

Here's my Mama Beefsteak. Sad thing--ALL those huge leaves it grows outside in the Summer will deteriorate inside and I will have to pull them off, leaving the smaller ones....This happens every year.