September 14, 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - 09/15/09

The first time I participated in Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day was February 15, 2009, and it was only my second post ever. Everything in my yard was covered in snow except for the tops of some ornamental grasses. I posted of photo of that and wrote a few words and remember being stunned that four people actually took time to leave comments. Those four thoughtful people were Gail at Clay and Limestone, Jan at Always Growing, Jan at Thanks For 2 Day and Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Bloom Day was Carol's original idea and what a great idea it has been.

The Susans are still putting on a show
and the Autumn Joy are looking prettier
with every passing day.

The "messy bed" is filled with Lantana,
Russian Sage, Sneezeweed and volunteer
Petunias from years past.

The Sneezeweed looks pretty tangled
up with Russian Sage.

The Butterfly Weed was very late
to show up this summer.
It was worth the wait.
Adapts wells to poor, dry soil.
Maybe that's why I love it so.

Green grass doesn't get the credit it deserves.
What better place for a boy to sprawl
out and look at the sky while he
dreams whatever it is little boys
dream about on summer days.

I haven't seen a hummingbird at the
feeder for a couple of days now.
Maybe they've flown off to warmer places,
although it was still 85 degrees here today.
They'll be missed.

Good news. Bad news.
The good news is that I
find fall colors to be intoxicating.
The bad news is that it seems too
early to be seeing a tree this red.

I'm posting this one day early because I may not have time tomorrow. But I will make time to visit your garden.

26 comments:

  1. Your blooms are still going strong, Donna, even in September. The bees will love that sedum. I think we call sneezeweed 'sneezewort' - whatever, it looks great in combination with the sage.

    What a classic shot of your grandson. The mum in me also thought 'white T-shirt', 'green grass'...! At least it's warm enough and dry enough to lie on the grass. Here it was 55 degrees yesterday :-(

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  2. How nice you still have color in your garden. Our trees are showing a hint of color but nothing as beautiful as the red tree. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. I noticed you have a new profile picture of you and your grandson?
    Very nice!
    Love the fall reds you captured and you sure have some things blooming late. But worth the wait.
    Rosey

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  4. Things look good at your place. The reason your lanatana isn't as widespread as mine, it's perennial here and we don't have to start over every spring. It just puts out new growth from old roots and crawls right on over.

    That red tree is gorgeous. We don't get nearly as much fall color as I'd like to see. Many leaves here go from green to brown.

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  5. Dear Donna, It was my pleasure~~I remember my own early blogging days and the thrill of having any one visit! It was intoxicating! Since then I've met lots of bloggers, made good friends and have had the chance to see gardens i would have missed other wise! Isn't blogging wonderful!
    Thank you for the kind words and the holler out/link! Take care~~btw, your garden is lovely and I think it's too early for that red tree, too! Can we hold back winter and have a really long autumn? gail

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  6. Sneezeweed? Somehow, that doesn't sound too appetizing!! I have seen so many black-eyed susans this year, I don't know if its been an exceptional year for them or not, but next year I am definitly getting some!

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  7. The red foliage is gorgeous, but I'm not quite ready for the fall color show yet either...it always reminds me that winter is on its way. Your Susans are certainly looking good; this is my first year for planting some, and I can't imagine why I waited so long. I'm afraid, too, that the hummingbirds have left; at least you were able to get a great photo! And I am with you--there needs to be some grass for the grandkids to run and play!

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  8. I forgot--your link on Carol's Mr. Linky doesn't work. I think there's an extra comma in there...just in case you want to fix it so others can visit. I came by way of Sue's:)

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  9. Donna, even though your first GBBD didn't have anything but snow covered ornamental grasses, you certainly have made up for it since then. I am glad you found my first comment so encouraging. I have enjoyed reading your posts.

    Jan
    Always Growing

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  10. I'm a honey crisp lover too....so much !
    I wonder if we will get the new ones here in town...the sweet tango sounds amazing !!!

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  11. I just love that first picture and the grasses in the back, it just looks like fall. I'm going to try Butterfly Weed next year, anything that likes poor, dry soil is welcome in my garden. Plus it's pretty!
    I love the hummingbird picture.

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  12. The red tree is beautiful but it does seem a bit early. Lovely shot of the Sedum with the Rudbeckia and grass (Pennisetum?). Here's hoping you have a long warm autumn and lots of fall color!

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  13. All your blooms look like they know how to read a calendar -- looking very well dressed in time for the 15th. I've had no success with butterfly weed in the past, but you've inspired me to try again. Perhaps I was trying the swampy kind... and swamps RnotUs.

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  14. Oh laying on the grass like that seems ages ago. I must do that more often (next spring that is, fall entered our world already and I do not mean only by color...brrr).

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  15. Donna,
    Great garden shots. The sneezeweed and the Russian sage make a great combination. The pic of your grandson is classic. Thanks for sharing that.

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  16. That last photo of the trees is gorgeous!

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  17. I've seen some trees who have changed colors here in Michigan too! I think's a bit too early as well, but it comes when it comes.

    It seems you get a lot of time with Phillip. You are a lucky Grandma.

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  18. I love all your blooms, especially the ones playing so nicely with each other. Phillip enjoying the lawn was great, too.

    Thanks for your nice comment on my GBBD post.

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  19. My favorite photo is your messy bed. I love the casual feeling and all the colors go so well together.

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  20. Linda - It's certainly dry enough here to lie in the grass. We've had not one drop of rain in September.

    Stella - Most of our trees are only showing hints of color. Don't know what was going on with the one that was all red so early.

    Rosey Pollen - Gardening has me worn out, but I'm not ready for the growing season to be over.

    Nell Jean - Lantana as a perennial, you're lucky. When I pull out the lantana plants in the fall, it's hard to do because the roots go so deep.

    Gail - Thanks for coming by. We can try to hold winter back, but I don't think we'll be successful.

    joyce - You're right, sneezeweed is not an appealing name. Most people probably refer to it as helenium.

    Rose - I saw a hummingbird out on the flowers yesterday, but they haven't been to the feeder for days now. And thank you for the heads up on my bad Mr. Linky link.

    Jan - I always see things in your garden that I never see up here and I find that interesting.

    beth - My motto could be....a honeycrisp apple a day will keep the doctor away.

    Catherine@AGardenerinProgress - Every year my butterfly weed comes up so late that I always think it didn't survive the winter.

    sweet bay - Yes, the grass is pennisetum. It's an annual here, and I plan to have more of it next year.

    Helen - Over the years, I've tried lots of plants that RnotUs...cute.

    Barefoot from Heaven - I can't remember the last time I sprawled out on the grass. It's not too late, I guess.

    Marie - Thank you for visiting my garden.

    Bonnie - When I see your name it reminds me of my sister, Bonnie. Glad you stopped by.

    Lindalou - P lives about 30 miles away and almost always spends at least one night a week with us. He'll eventually outgrow us, but I won't think about that now.

    Sue - It's easy to leave nice comments on your blog...it's a very inviting garden.

    Sylvana - I think I'll rename the "messy bed" the "casual bed".

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  21. That red tree is gorgeous! Your grandson looks so happy and relaxed.
    I have been meaning to grow russian sage, but still havent gotten any.

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  22. Is it strange that I'm jealous of your fall color? Here in the desert we don't get much of it, so I just drool everytime I see photos of red and orange leaves on trees!

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  23. I wish I had planted the orange butterfly weed, but ended up with the pale pink swamp milkweed instead. Still, it attracts monarchs, so that's all that matters. You have some great blooms left! I still think lone trees are left by farmers so they could rest in the shade, but Lona says it was for cows to rest under.

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  24. What can be better than a roll in the grass on a nice day. Your post was great!

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  25. MissyM - I know some people who don't care for Russia sage...I luv it.

    Hilery - Desert Greenhouse Guide - While you drool over our fall color, we're planning a winter trip to your desert.

    MsRobin - I'm liking this continuing mystery of the lone tree. I think a herd of cows would need more than one tree.

    teresa - Well....a roll in the hay might be nice, too. I couldn't resist.

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  26. I couldn't agree with you more about it being too early to see red. It's here, too.

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For you to take the time to leave a comment means a lot to me. You make my heart happy.