Topic: Fantastic Fall Flowers & Foliage

[Patty S]

Spring sprung right into summer & must have given it quite a shove, cuz it seems like it sure went by fast. Some of us are lucky enough to still be enjoying a few of summer's late bloomers, while others are putting their gardens to bed for the winter. 

If you have autumn flowers or pretty colors in your yard, why not share your pics here?!

The Crocosmia that I got from Peggy (BG & Diane planted them in mid-June) have come up & blossomed!
     
I was surprised to see them, cuz I thought they were spring bloomers! 

[patches]

Patty, that is really beautiful.  I remember seeing Crocosmia at the Missouri Bontanical Garden and was quite impressed.  I even took a fact sheet on it, but I don't know why because it's charactistics are not things I usually look for in a plant.    The one they had there was 'Lucifer' which was a bright red and it was pretty tall by my standards, maybe 3 or 4 feet.  Guess it was something I enjoyed looking at in their garden but not something I would want in mine.  Maybe it just looked good to me because of the other plants they had planted with it.   

[Penny]

Wow, is that ever pretty Patty, very nice!!

Very Fall looking with the orange!!

[duh]

My plants are confused too.  I have a hosta that has waited until now to bud.  I'm looking forward to seeing the bloom.  Other than that the only thing that is blooming are the mums.  And I need to get some bloom booster out there to help them out.  The only other fall color is from the chinese lantern seed pods which are all nice and orange now.  They look terrific.

[Penny]

I like chinese lanterns too, they are so pretty....do you cut yours and bring them inside ??

[duh]

I have cut and dried most of them although there is still about 1/3 out in the garden.  That way I have fall colors outside and inside. 

[Wrennie]

I have to get some pics of whats out there before it rains today. I have a couple of confused plants with this up and down weather we're having too.

[Penny]

I found a confused plant lastnight too, i have a Calla Lily that hasnt done a darn thing all summer, not one bloom, and guess what i found lastnight, i was shocked too cuz we have had some heavy frosts up here as well.

I will get a pic when it does finally bloom.

[Wrennie]

Not as vibrant as my summer blooms...
a wild aster (?)


verbena bloom


chameleon plant foliage


Variegated sedum pink bloom


purple morning glory


catmint bloom


coleus

[Tonya]

I love the coleus Wrennie!! I found some this past fall for $1.99 a 6 pack! Wish I would've bought it all!! It was rainbow colors....soooo pretty!! Do they make seeds, or are they perenial?

[Wrennie]

Up here they are annuals. I've never had luck starting them from seed, but yes they are available.

[Tonya]

Cool!! I am getting some for next year. I think they are sooo cool!!

[Penny]

Very pretty Wrennie, i like the colors, so pretty!

The wild aster is nice too!

[Triss]

Very pretty.  I was going to ask about the coleus as well, bummer that it is not perennial cuz it would sure look nice with the new plants I picked up today.

[Penny]

I know, i agree, they are sure pretty though huh.

I wonder how easy they are to start from seed??

[bestofour]

My 4 o'clocks were blooming this morning.  Guess the battery the their watch was dead.

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[bestofour]

Some balsam and a coleus in the background.  Coleus red is a fall color.  No?

[bestofour]

One plant of this showed up in a totally different place than where my other flowers are.

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[christy]

   balsam! i have some growing by bb's house n didnt know the name, there so pretty  thanks is that the seed pod under the flower?

[Penny]

Those are so pretty Sheri, still nice and colorful!! 

Thanks for sharing!

[Tonya]

I still have morning glories and a Gerbera daisy blooming...herer ya go!







I have 4 o'clocks, also, but the darn things only open up pretty after dark

[Penny]

Thats so pretty Tonya.........i love the Gerber, the color is so vibrant!!!

[christy]

very pretty tonya!  your gerbers such a nice dark pink color, looks likw a hot pink!

[duh]

Coleus can be started from seed but expect one long germination period.  Just scatter them on top of the soil and then press.  But they are really slow growing in the beginning. 

Although they are an annual if you stop them from going to seed you can keep them for several years.  They will not tolerate temperatures below 55 degrees F.  I used to keep mine indoors over the fall and winter and spring and put it back out in the summer each year.  But they do get big.  And while they are indoors they will get very leggy and drop leaves when they are first moved indoors because of the change in lighting. 

The short zinnia are still doing well but the tall ones have all died.  And I still have one yellow celosia left.  I wish I knew when the seed head was ripe on those because I would love to have the seeds. 

[patches]

Oh, Tonya, I love your pink Four O'Clocks, but your Gerbera daisy is totally awesome!  ]What a bright and gorgeous color!  They are one of my favorite flowers! 

Coleus can be started from seed but expect one long germination period.   

Actually, I've never tried to start them from seeds, because I never have any trouble starting them from cuttings.