Happy fall garden
Blissful weather has this Austin gardener walking on air. Summer is banished this week, with dry, cool air from the north and highs in the lower to mid-80s, and lows in the upper 50s giving us a little nip in the air in the morning. The garden is responding to the cooler weather and recent rains with a burst of fall growth and blooms. Above, Bulbine frutescens edges a border of Miscanthus ‘Adagio’ with golden spires.
Agastache ‘Acapulco Salmon & Pink’ is a cloud of tinted light in late afternoon.
Cuphea ‘Twinkle Pink,’ a passalong from Annie in Austin, has perked up with the fall weather.
Cooling things off in the shade, ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia and a green gazing globe tucked amid ‘Sparkler’ sedge.
I recently bought this cute Agave lophantha ‘Quadricolor’ from Plant Delights Nursery and just got it potted up.
I like those snazzy stripes and red teeth.
My daughter is growing these echeveria in her own galvanized wash-trough planter.
A bird finial on a metal tuteur
I hope you’re having beautiful fall weather too. And to my readers in the Southern Hemisphere, a lovely spring!
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Highs in the 80s, lows in the 50s… Wow, that doesn’t sound like fall to me! Sounds like midsummer here in Michigan. I’m currently enjoying the lows in the 40s and highs in the 60s. Perfect weather for working in the garden!
LOVE the ‘Quadricolor’ agave! SOOO cool!
Hi, Joseph. I wrote that knowing it would baffle or amuse my northern gardening friends. But yes, that tells you something about our summers, doesn’t it? The key thing that signals fall is the drop in humidity that we’re enjoying right now. Ahh! —Pam
60F @ dawn yesterday, 55F today…this is SO nice. Even 85F-ish in the afternoon is great to be outside and enjoy one’s garden. So glad Austin *finally* got the perfect fall weather I have been trying to send from here for a month. Here in Abq, some call this endless 80’s/50’s “Parade of Homes Weather”, since that and the Balloon Fiesta happen now…no coincidence!
All our new Salvia greggii flowers dancing in the morning breeze says “FALL”, too.
Low humidity is the key, isn’t it? I know you desert dwellers have that in spades. —Pam
I’m so glad this perfect weather has made it to Austin. It’s hard to be indoors when it feels so good outside. I must have missed when you got the motel chairs. They look great by the pool. It’s great that your daughter has started gardening. The girl is interested in garden design, but she’s so afraid of hornets (especially after I was attacked twice this year), that she’s not ready for her own garden area yet.
I got the motel chairs only a month or so ago, MMD. They add a little color to that end of the garden. Sorry to hear about the hornets. I’d be afraid too. —Pam
80° sounds wonderful! Its supposed to be 100° here (Sacramento) again today. Feels not at all like Septober!
I love that Diamond Frost euphorbia. Unfortunately, so do my hens!
Don’t the hens know they’re only supposed to eat the plants you don’t want? —Pam
Finally! We can do some “real” gardening now! Enjoyed watching your interview on CTG last Saturday.
Thanks, Jenny B. 🙂 —Pam
Everything definitely looks happy from the change in weather…the Agastache is stunning!
The ‘Acapulco Salmon & Pink’ agastache has performed the best for me, of the various ones I’ve tried. It really is something. —Pam
It’s been down right chilly in the mornings to me…my Diamond Frost is in full sun….
Mine would probably be happier with more sun too, Darla, but it does pretty well in bright shade. —Pam
I seem to be walking on air, too. It is so nice! I think fall gardening is the best time of year in Austin. Your bulbine photo is lovely!
Thanks, Amy. Bulbine is such an easy, rewarding plant, isn’t it? —Pam
I have been following your blog for some time and never commented- you have great photos and I enjoy reading your posts! I agree, the weather here in Austin has been incredible!!!!
Thanks so much, Kacky. I’m glad to hear from another local blogger. I look forward to your posts. —Pam
Great that the weather is cooler!
We went from 98 degrees on Saturday to monsoon rains today. More tropical rain tomorrow. At least the drought and heat has ended!
That sounds like a dramatic weather shift worthy of central Texas. I’m glad to hear you’re getting some rain at last. —Pam
It does look lovely. It’s been cool here, too and we are enjoying the front porch. Now if it would rain….gail
Your front porch must be so well-used at this time of year. I hope you get some rain soon, Gail. —Pam
I love that Agave! I had my eyes on that one from PDN’s catalog. Nice to know the plant that arrives looks just like the image in the catalog. A nice size too! I may have to order one for myself! Thanks for the photos – everything is looking terrific!
Thanks, Donald. Yes, I was very pleased with the condition and size of the agave from PDN. In fact, everything arrived in tiptop shape except three ‘Blackbird’ euphorbias that were a bit wilted and now look even sadder in the ground. —Pam
Pam, it has been a beautiful spring day here! I have been out at a park with my boys (it’s school holidays) and I am feeling very refreshed.
Sounds delightful, Chookie. Enjoy! —Pam
I’ve always been confused about the difference between lycoris and nerine. I was surprised and delighted by them one fall years ago in a 1950’s house I moved to.
I’m not familiar with Nerine, but it looks like the flowers appear with the leaves, while with Lycoris, the flower stems are naked when they appear and the leaves show up later. Plus, Nerine‘s flower looks more bell-shaped than the horizontal “parasol” of Lycoris. —Pam