Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Bloom Day - October 2012

 
We had our first hard freeze here last Friday evening and there isn't much left in the flower department. I found it a challenge to stroll through the frozen, browned annuals looking for something pretty to share. I was acutally surprised to find a few survivors here and there and some last lingering perennials with flowers. Without further ado here is a sampling of the end of our 'bloom season' here in chilly New Hampshire.

Many thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this great eye candy bloomfest

Salvia greggii 'Desert Blaze'

 



Salvia 'Mystic Spires'


Agastache 'Blue Fortune'


Chelone with Persicaria 'Golden Arrow'


Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'


Bonica


Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’


Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’


Persicaria 'Golden Arrow'


Begonia 'Dragonwing Pink'  ~ I have no idea how this and the impatiens survived the freeze when everything else died.


Impatiens 'Butterfly Salmon' 


Tricyrtis hirta 'Miyazaki'


Tricyrtis hirta 'Miyazaki'


Salvia 'Mystic Spires'


Phygelius


Fuchsia 'Firecracker'


Hakonechloa macra 'Albo-striata'


Phlox paniculata


Tricyrtis, this beauty has been blooming for weeks and was a gift from Sue of Idyll Haven


Yes I know, not blooming but look at those gorgeous leaves!Platycodon!


Abutilon 'Voodoo'


Miscanthus 'Morning Light'


Hybrid Tea Rose 'Fascination'

This lovely brugmansia spent Friday night int he garage


Echeveria




Aster



Miscanthus 'Morning Light'

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19 comments:

  1. GardenbugOctober 16, 2012 at 5:47 PM

    I see a change in your outlook that I like very much in this set of photos. The roses that have passed their prime, the not quite perfect tricyrtis with pine background, the platycodon and the Hakonechloa macra 'Albo-striata' are just lovely. Isn't it interesting how we continue to take pictures on the same property year after year and manage to see things differently each time?! Your backgrounds, as always, are fantastic.

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 16, 2012 at 6:09 PM

      Many thanks Marie! I've really enjoyed the challenge of the 'Bloom Day' this month because it forced me to go out and look around and find something 'photoworthy' instead of looking at the ending of things from the hard freeze last Friday. It changes one's outlook to look for beauty in the passing of the growing season. I'd like to paint some of those 'past their prime' roses. They really are quite lovely in their soft faded colors

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  2. ksOctober 16, 2012 at 6:12 PM

    How similar your 'survivors' are to what I still have going on here , several climate zones removed . Beautiful plant portraits Deanne !

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 16, 2012 at 7:12 PM

      Thanks Kathy! I ran around this morning camera in hand thinking I wouldn't find anything. What a surprise. They are all looking a bit tired but still pretty

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  3. GayleOctober 16, 2012 at 6:39 PM

    I especially love your first photo of Miscanthus Morning Light.

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 16, 2012 at 7:13 PM

      Thanks Gayle, the background in that is a maple tree on my neighbor's property in its fall glory. The trees here are gorgeous right now.

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  4. SueOctober 17, 2012 at 6:57 AM

    That Tricyrtis is a blooming fool, isn't it? Closeup photography is definitely a valuable skill to have this time of year! Nice!

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 17, 2012 at 8:41 AM

      It surely is Sue, it was blooming at my birthday party when you were here last and that is almost two months ago. A fabulous plant that I like better and better as it continues to perform so well. Did you remember what variety that was?

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    2. SueOctober 17, 2012 at 10:38 AM

      No, but if I googled around I could probably figure it out.

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  5. MichelleOctober 17, 2012 at 5:17 PM

    Beautiful set of pictures Deanne. I love your soft backgrounds. Fall reminds me of the human aging process, we aren't as young and vibrant but there is still beauty.

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  6. sharonOctober 17, 2012 at 8:53 PM

    SO many pictures!!.. glorious ..you phots have great dearth of field ...tell us you secrets

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 18, 2012 at 4:28 AM

      Thanks Sharon, no secrets, just use a telephoto lens(for these I used my Canon 100/400) and shoot the pictures with a wide open apeture setting, I was using F 5.6 for most of these. The combination of a long lens and low apeture number gives you a shallow depth of field which can isolate your subject.

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  7. garden girlOctober 18, 2012 at 5:23 AM

    Beautiful blooms and great photos! I love the variegated salvias and fuchsias.

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 19, 2012 at 2:24 PM

      Thanks so much! I adore the variegated salvias and fuchsias too!

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  8. outlawgardenerOctober 18, 2012 at 7:37 AM

    Gorgeous as always Deanne! Strange but wonderful that your begonia and impatiens survived the freeze. Are they in the same area of your garden? Microclimate of some sort or maybe just luck? Thanks for sharing your beautiful October blooms!

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 19, 2012 at 2:27 PM

      Well, thanks! Indeed I was taken aback that the impatiens and begonia survived. They were in the back yard near my shed under mature trees. I think the combination of the stored heat from the shed building and the cover from the pines and oaks created a microclimate. Thanks for the comments!

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  9. scottweberpdxOctober 19, 2012 at 10:37 AM

    Absolutely gorgeous posts...one of THE BEST Bloom Days posts I've seen all month! Each photo was a treat!

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    1. Deanne FortnamOctober 19, 2012 at 2:27 PM

      Thanks so much, back at you! your photohgraphy is divine!

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