Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - October 2008

This October's GBBD blooms are not the same as last years. Why did I even mention last years GBBD? Well, it is because it was the very first post I made for Greenbow Gardens. This years GBBD post is my first anniversary as a blogger.

I can remember wondering why I started blogging at this time of year. After all there wasn't much blooming in the garden at this time and it wasn't going to get much better as time went on. However I found that winter is a good time to contemplate the garden. Plus there are so many wonderful gardeners and bloggers out there sharing their knowlege and garden thoughts all through the year. You all have kept me going through out the year with garden and blogging inspiration. Thank you all very much for your works and I want to thank all of the commenters whether you blog or not. It is such fun to interact with you all.

As Carol at May Dreams Garden has mentioned several times about how posting your blooms on the 15th of each month gives you a record of what is going on in your garden each year. This is why she has encouraged everyone to share their blooms on the same day each month. I hope that if you haven't done this you might try it. You will be so pleased that you do. Be sure to leave a comment on her GBBD post so others can visit to see what you have blooming.

I specially want to thank you Carol for encouraging me to join the blogging community. I was lurking for several months, leaving comments, soaking up all the wonderful information and comradery on her blog and several others. However she is the one that encouraged me to jump into the Garden Bloggers fray. It has been such fun.

I am so happy to finally be able to look back a year to see what my garden was doing. It certainly is different this year. We are having such a drought this fall. Actually this entire summer has been dry which was such a contrast from the spring.

This lone daylily, 'Song Sparrow' is the only daylily blooming at this time.

My most prolific bloomers at this time are the annuals around the garden. This Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' has been one of the most dramatic of the annuals I planted this year. I planted it in semi-shade part of the garden and it took off. I have had to cut it back to keep it off of surrounding baby bushes as it has become a bush itself. I have had it in pots before with great luck but it has never grown to this size. Obviously I will plant some more of this next year. I have a 'Black and Blue' Salvia that does very well in this area too. I must have more of this next year too.


I know you have seen this guy before. I really need more of this Crossandra next year as it is in a place that t gets little to no supplemental water and it has done well. I just love this color in the garden because it is so bright and not many oranges are seen in the garden.
This succulent is blooming for the second time this summer. It surely is confused.
These white Japanese Anomeones 'Honorine Jobert' are a new addition to my garden this year. They have been blooming since last GBBD. I would certainly recommend them for the garden. Soon I hope to find a pink one that performs as well.

The mums are still blooming. The yellow mums are beginning to get that brown look though.

The tall garden phlox has a few blooms, the hydrangeas by the Casa de Pantella has a few blooms and the wild asters are still giving some blooms. Other than that all is turning brown and crinkly. The Toad Lilies are blooming up a storm despite it being so dry. So I guess I can be satisfied with what is blooming. Did I just say satisfied?? Naw I don't think so. Come on fall rains...please.
Oh yes, I almost forgot to show you my only grass. It is a beauty for sure. It was a pass along plant so I can't tell you what it is but it sure looks good during fall.
I hope you all enjoy GBBD. I must go now so I can get around to seeing all who post on Carol's blog. See you soon.

36 comments:

  1. Happy blogiversary! You have a beautiful blog and I always enjoy your posts. I feel like I've learned a lot from you, especially with your bird posts.

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  2. You've done a great job in your first year, Lisa and I wish you many many more.

    Great show in your October garden.

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  3. First off, happy blogiversary dear Lisa. One year of blogging, well done!

    Happy GBBD! Your garden looks great at this time of year, there is such a lot still going on.

    That grass plant looks really great, wish I had one like that.

    Hope you get your rain soon!

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  4. Wishing you continued blogging success.
    Donna

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  5. Congrats on your first year, this is mine and I feel like I'm learning every minute! I love your photos and your garden looks so beautiful today:)

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  6. Happy blogaversary, Lisa! And I want to thank you--yours was the first blog I read (suggestion from Beckie), and I enjoyed it so much that you are one of the main reasons I joined the blogging community, too.

    You have lots of lovelies blooming in your garden right now--I'm going to have to check out that "Mona Lavender" for containers next year.

    I posted a few more photos of my zinnias, and I have to thank you for those, too. You showed some last winter that gave me the idea. I've been so happy with them that I'm going to plant them again next year!

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  7. Happy anniversary! I love visiting your site. I know it's hard work but I'm glad you kept with it.

    I really like that mona lavender. It is just covered in bloom. The mums are so pretty too.
    Marnie

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  8. Congratulations, Lisa! You really started off with a bang. It doesn't seem as if you've been blogging for only a year. I have so enjoyed visiting your blog, watching your garden change, and following Luna around.
    I'm so glad you posted a photo of your Plectranthus. My MIL has 1 & she asked me what it was. I had no clue, so now I can tell her. At least I knew enough to advise her that it wouldn't survive the winter outside.
    Your Anemones are off to a great start. They are such wonderful plants for this time of year. I wish I knew how to enclose links in comments, so I'll just suggest you visit the Chicago Botanic Garden's Plant Evaluation Notes through the link on my Anemone post. They rated one pink very highly, and it wasn't 'Party Dress.' I wish I could ID your grass for you, but I'm not that good with the Miscanthuses. It's lovely.

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  9. I for one, am so happy you started blogging! These blooms are just gorgeous! And then there is your artistic talent! Don't you think you are better at both with your recent experience into art?

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  10. Beautiful pictures and congratulations on one year!

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  11. Let it rain! Let it rain on Lisa's garden!

    Mona is looking fantastic, don't you love her velvet petals and lavender flowers? Song Sparrow is a delicious colored daylily!; the late bloom is making me want to add this one to the list. It would look good with all the late blooming native/wild asters.
    Congratulations on your first year as a blogger. I am totally surprised you are just one year old! I was sure you were a grandparent of blogging. Have a wonderful day Lisa.

    Gail

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  12. I'm amazed to see your daylily! I haven't seen one around here for quite some time.

    And along with all the rest, I wish you a Happy Blogiversary!

    I don't have a bloom day post this month, but I'm enjoying everyone else's posts.

    ICQB

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  13. Congrats, Lisa! You have such a wonderful blog. Not anything in bloom here. :<)

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  14. Happy blogiversary Lisa.....the blogging community would be less without you......

    You certainly have some lovely blooms in your space......I to love that japanese anemone, mine is still flowering......BUT

    that grass is beautiful....I love them.......

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  15. Like MMD, I can hardly believe your blog is only one year old, Lisa - Happy Blogiversary!

    My little Mona plectranthus went from the rescue table at the store to a small pot on the windowsill - I thought it was a houseplant, but yours shows me it wants to be a shrub.

    October looks beautiful in your part of Indiana.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  16. Hi Lisa, and happy anniversary! You've got lovely blooms for October and that grass is a real stunner!
    Happy GBBDay!
    Katarina

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  17. Lisa, Congrats on the blog anniversary! I remember how excited I was when I found out you were doing this. And thanks for the encouragement to start my own blog. Your garden has a lot going for as dry as it is. Hope this front passing through now gives you a good soaking.

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  18. Hi Lisa, what a wonderful way to jump into blogging with a bloom day post. I was a lurker too and always wanted to show what was blooming as soon as Carol started this. Your blog is a must read for me, if for no other reason than to see sweet Luna's smiling face. You have taught us so much about birding too. Having a dayliliy in bloom now is something to shout about! I must remember that Mona plectrathus, what a beauty she is. A good pink anemone is Prinz Heinrich, I'll vouch for it. ;->
    Frances
    http://fairegarden.wordpress.com/

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  19. On this day I'm loving my Nippon daisies, the Rosa 'Cinco de Mayo' and the wonderful Agastache cana. In fact, this Agastache is my I Love This Plant on the radio on Saturday. See more about it on my blog: www.wholelifegardening.com

    The beauty berry and all the maples in fall color are lovely as well... we could go on and on!

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  20. Dear Lisa,
    It has been a honor getting to know you this past year, Happy Anniversary!
    Your garden is beautiful and I depend on you for bird ids!
    Thanks for being my friend.
    Happy bloom day.
    Sherry

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  21. Wow! You have a LOT going on over there!! (I was surprised by your daylily.) Your grass is beautiful. Happy blog-birthday! Keep it up! :-)

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  22. Hi Lisa, congratulations on your blog's birthday! Yours was one of the first garden blogs I found when I first realized there were garden blogs, early this year, and I always enjoy visiting.

    Your garden looks so pretty - so many beautiful flowers are still blooming. I love the anemone especially.

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  23. Happy Blogiversary Marsha! It's been so lovely visiting your beautiful blog.

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  24. Dagnabbit! (I had just left Marsha's blog... mea culpa!) Happy Blogiversary to you LISA! :c)

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  25. Happy Blogiversary! I just celebrated my 2nd year. Your garden looks wonderful and I love your "song sparrow" daylily. What a beautiful colour.

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  26. It's nice to see so many pretty flowers still blooming in your gardens Lisa.

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  27. Congratulations on your blog anniversary! I too love the plectranthus but I've only grown it in containers. It is a blooming machine, isn't it?

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  28. Lisa I am so glad that you decided
    "to jump into the Garden Bloggers fray" because I always enjoy stopping by and reading and viewing all that your share with us. You have always been someone who regularly stops by my blog and comments and I sincerely thank you for that..you are truly a delightful garden blogging friend!
    hugs aNNa xo

    I did manage to join in the Oct.Bloom Day..Carol is so right ..it's a record of our year of gardening!

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  29. Happy Blogiversary! You have an amazing and beautiful blog!

    keep posting!
    well done!

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  30. Lisa,

    Despite the drought, you still have nice blooms going on there.

    It's been a pleasure to know this during this past year. I hope you continue being so enthused!

    Happy Blogiversary to you!

    Mary

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  31. Happy Blogiversary, Lisa! I've certainly been one of many that have enjoyed your blog posts.
    You've sure got some pretty things still blooming in your garden!

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  32. Happy first blogging anniversary, Lisa! I'm so glad to have 'met' you via your blog. Here's to many more years of wonderful gardening posts.
    And your garden looks awesome, as always. It's the last hurrah for many of us, October, but the gardens are going out with a bang rather than a whimper, aren't they?

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  33. I'm envious of all you garden bloggers and how long your growing season is. These are lovely indeed! Our leaves are all finished and crunchy beneath our feet, the multiple hard frosts have long since finished anything that was once green, and winter is very very near. So pleased to see such vibrancy elsewhere!

    Diane

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  34. Happy Blog Anniversary! I certainly do remember you leaving comments and being part of the blogging community before you had a blog! Your blog has been a bright spot since the beginning.

    Thanks for joining in for bloom day and writing such nice things about it!

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  35. Hi again Lisa - so sorry I missed this posting :-o

    Wishing you a belated Happy 1st Blogiversary! Gosh I can't believe how brave you were having your first post for GBBD. I waited for six months before I took part. I wasn't sure how other gardeners would see my blog. I needn't have worried they, including you, have all been so kind :-D

    I love to see your garden blooms but I particualrly like to see yuor garden birds as I know you enjoy them as much as I do mine :-D

    Best wishes for another year. Have a great week too :-D

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  36. I'm amazed it's only been a year since you began blogging, Lisa! Happy blogiversary! That grass really is lovely. It makes me want some!
    I'd like to try the 'Mona Lavender' plectranthus too.
    You still had some pretties on Bloom Day! I need to look and see what I had blooming last year at this time, although I wasn't doing BD then.

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