Saturday, November 15, 2008

Garden Blogger Bloom Day November 2008


Fall days that have cooled into the 60s and 70s have brought a flush of blooms to Davis gardens. Solanum rantonnetii has bloomed all summer and after getting pruned back over a month ago it has burst forth with another round of color. This is a very forgiving plant here...no matter how much I cut it back to keep some degree of control (I admit there may have been a better plant for this spot) it just stays happy. Except for a month or so midwinter (when it can show its semi-deciduous tendencies if the weather gets cold enough) S. rantonnetii is a trooper.
The potted wax begonias are equally happy, not realizing that soon they will die back and disappear for a month or three before returning in the spring.
I'm happy to see this pink chrysanthemum blooming. I accidentally uprooted it when digging and dividing some overgrown agapanthus a couple months ago. It appears to have forgiven me.

I was surprised to see pea blossoms on these Sugar Ann peas...they are only a few inches high but are beginning to put out a few blooms...maybe we'll have peas for Christmas!
Solanum jasminoides brightens up the west fence .
My new-this-summer Dwarf Indigo Spires is sending up some intense blue blooms near the front door. I'm hoping they were telling the truth and it stays under three feet...I'd have to do some thinking if it ends up needing staking.
Rosa Flower Girl is an old favorite. Although the leaves look a bit worse for the wear by the end of summer, it just keeps blooming and has regained some pink color now that the days are not quite so hot.


Lavandula pinnata bucchii is another long bloomer and is seen here in front of the potted Meyer Lemon with Felicia amelloides and Plumbago auriculata and pelargoniums in the background. Actually, aside from a few chrysanthemums, some annual vinca and the peas, most of the bloomers today are plants that bloom a good part of the year. Here is the list, hopefully fairly complete despite the fact that it is too dark to go take a last look.

Solanum jasminoides
Solanum rantonnetii
Glossy abelia Edward Goucher
Pelargoniums
Lavandula pinnata bucchii
Plumbago auriculata
Anisodontea Elegant Lady
A. Hibiscus Bits
A. Very Cranberry
Pink Pandorea
Erodium
Annual Vinca
Allysum
Wax begonias
Dwarf Carnation Evermore
Felicia
Dianthus
one clueless tomato blossoms
several clueless pepper blossoms
basil
Salvia Friesland Pink
S. Mulberry Jam
S. Dancing Dolls
S. Victoria Blue
S. greggii
S. Dwarf Indigo Spires
Rosa Flower Girl
Abutilon Pink Parasol
Abutilon unknown pink
Bat face cuphea
Bush mallow
For more gardens around the world visit Carol at http://www.maydreamsgardens.blogspot.com.
Carol began GBBD over a year ago and continues to provide a meeting place for gardeners to share blooms each month.

12 comments:

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Oh, to be in Davis in November. It sounds & looks like heaven.

Carol Michel said...

Fresh homegrown peas for Christmas? Sounds like a wonderful place to garden. Thanks for sharing your blooms with us. It is getting so gray and brown here...

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Jan said...

You are so fortunate to have such nice weather and a beautiful assortment of blooms! It's getting chilly in VA this time of year! Jan

Cindy, MCOK said...

That purple solanum is calling my name! Dwarf Indigo Spires ... ooohhh, ahhhhh. Keep me posted!

joco said...

Hiya Leslie,

Those two Solanum plants are doing you proud. I do not know the blue rantonnetii one, but it would probably need more heat than I can give it.

The pink rose with the single five petals has the charm of the wild dog rose, but being repeat flowering makes it one I will look out for.

Are you OK out there in California? Some horrific images are coming our way. Keep safe.

Annie in Austin said...

Your Solanum rantonetti looks wonderful, Leslie and so does the white one. Did you realize that success makes you the Solanum expert?
What am I doing wrong? Nearly 2 years ago I planted 2 plants labeled Blue potato vine, and guessed they were S. crispum, Chilean Potato vine. One is in more sun, the other in part shade and neither one has grown much or made a single flower.
Your garden sounds wonderful - sure hope you'll blog about it if those peas really are ready by Christmas!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

growingagardenindavis said...

Hi MMD! I have to admit it's nice here now but I love seeing through the year how each garden has it's day.
Well, Carol, I can only hope it stays warm enough for the peas. It would be the first time I pull it off!
Welcome, Thanks For 2 Day! I am indeed fortunate and I remind myself frequently of that fact.
Cindy and Annie...the solanum is so easy to grow and I would think it would be happy for both of you. And Annie, your comment answers our past question...you have crispum! I've had way worse luck with that...rantonnetii is the one you want!
Hi Joco...I would guess the solanum would like more heat than you might have. And thanks for asking, yes, I'm far from the fires. I visited my dad this weekend though and we saw the beginnings of the fire/smoke early Sunday...luckily SW of his apartment so we were never in any danger as the fire moved west.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Hi Leslie,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I am still going through trying to see everyone's GBBD blogs. I have been doing this for a little over a month, and am having so much fun, but at some point I need to allot more time than I have been to housework.

I love your blooms! Baptisia is one plant we have in common. I had a dwarf one that I lost due to a late freeze this year. It didn't stay as small as they said it would, but it was a good looking plant.

Jan said...

Leslie,
Thanks for stopping by today! Jan

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Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos. I wanted to make a calendar from our flower photos, but I've left it too late now!

Connie said...

Lovely blooms....I'll try not to have zone envy. I do appreciate the seasonal break from gardening, though, and a chance to plan and dream. :-)