Fall color
‘Helvola’ water lily, hanging on into fall
Lately I’ve been visiting Counting Petals and viewing Lene’s beautiful photographs of Vermont’s changing fall colors with longing. Her “graveyard walk” bring to mind memories of autumn strolls through venerable Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, and the lovely foliage in her photos from Groton State Forest makes me want to book a flight for New England at once. The grass is always greener . . . or rather, the fall foliage is always brighter.
Here in Austin, the weather has turned a bit cooler, but the days are still warm enough for Austin’s unofficial uniform of shorts, a tank top, and flip-flops. Here I am, ready to break out the jackets and cowboy boots. When will real fall weather arrive?
Meanwhile, the garden is warm, several summer bloomers are hanging in there, and the fall bloomers are going strong. Here are some images from late this morning.
One of the many bees attracted to the fall aster
Turk’s cap cherries
Skeleton leaf goldeneye (Viguiera stenoloba)
Blue mistflower (Eupatorium greggii)
‘Marie Pavie’ in flower and bud. One of the things I love about Marie Pavie, besides its lovely fragrance and dainty, ruffled petals, is how its blushing pink buds open into very pale pink, nearly white roses. It’s a very romantic rose.
Lindheimer muhly grass in full bloom
Inflorescence of the Lindheimer muhly
Nonorganic fall color—bottle tree silhouetted against the gray sky
That lovely yellow water lily has been in bloom for a long time! I have a red Turkscap and a white one, but have not seen any ‘cherry’. But both plants were bought this year – maybe they’re too young?
We skipped the Wildflower Center sale- I have so many small native plants in place that should bulk up eventually, like the Turkscaps, various salvias, Mistflower, Texas Betony, Physostegia, Ruellias, Pavonia, several Scutellarias, Texas wood ferns, Cenizo, and stuff that’s suitable for Austin, whether or not it’s a native, like Mexican oregano, a couple of agaves, lots of sedum and some cactus, lots of lantana, asters, coreopsis, Mexican mint marigold, Rosemary plants both upright and trailing, a couple of Barbados Cherries, etc. I’ve run out of areas with well-drained sun to put them into! The front is bigger than the back yard, and it’s all large old trees and shade. There must be somewhere for one of those grasses – your photos have made me covet that one!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
The “cherries” on the Turk’s cap were news to me too. I just noticed the fruits for the first time this year (my plants are 4 years old) and had to look them up in the Wasowski book Native Texas Plants to see what they were. Interesting, huh?
You have a lot of the same plants I have, although I envy you the Mexican mint marigold. I don’t have the space for one, but I do love their fragrance and sunny, fall beauty. —Pam
Before I scrolled down to see this post, I saw your photographs of basil. I immediately remembered all of the varieties I grew from seed right outside my back door in Boerne, longing in the same way, for the “greener” grass–or the warmer weather. Anytime you get a wild hair to come to Vermont, let me know. I’ll give you a tour of the Groton State Forest by foot and canoe. 🙂 By the way, I love the lily shot. Ours faded in late August, if I remember correctly. It’s been a while–and will be a while, again.
It might happen, Lene! Thanks for the offer to give me a tour of Groton SF. It sounds lovely. When is peak leaf-peeping time?—that’s what I long to see again. —Pam
PS I’ve heard that Lost Maples State Park is a great place to see the leaves changing. If you haven’t checked it out, it might be worth the drive. I always wanted to make it out there in November.
You’re right, it’s supposed to be very nice. I believe Tom Spencer (Soul of the Garden) often makes a trip out there in the fall. Maybe we’ll get out there this year. —Pam