October means planting bulbs!

Good morning, Wren! We had two luscious days of rain and the flowers are shaking off their droplets and shining again! I also received the beginning of my spring bulb shipment this week, from Van Engelen and John Scheepers; really they are the same company, but Van Engelen sells in larger wholesale quantities.
So, I have some Twilight crocus bulbs, some Gypsy Queen and Sky Jacket hyacinths:
and some other blue bulbs, like Valeria Finnis muscari, and English bluebells (which are endangered, because of cross hybridizing with Spanish bluebells; the bulbs sold as English bluebells are a close imposter I guess, since it's illegal to dig them up in the wild now).
I must confess, spring flowering bulbs make spring my favorite time in the garden! But of course right now I am loving the mums, asters, zinnias and marigolds: so colorful! Next up: photos of my own gardens...

Too Early To Harvest...

Hi Peg! I am watching the Weather Channel daily now and eagerly anticipating the arrival of the 'fall cooling front'. It's a Florida tradition: the boundary between the 'hot weather plantings' and the 'cool weather plantings'. One day it's summer; the next day it's autumn. It can literally happen just like that.

I was at the garden center this weekend and did manage to resist the lure of teasing blossoms. (It's too early.) I left only with the honeysuckle shears I came in for. But promises were made... Oh yes, promises were most definitely made and the dianthus, phlox and grinning pansies know I'll be seeing them again soon.

Fall Puts On Some Lipstick

Hi Peg,

It seems strange to speak of fall when it will still be around 90 degrees here in Tampa for a few more weeks. But the gardens know it is coming.

The backyard sages are almost leafless now and I'll prune them to the ground next week. The pentas are bit bedraggled but since the bees are still working them over, I'll leave them until I can get some pansies, dianthus and snapdragons in the beds.

The bromeliads that Don Waterhawk planted for us around the Norfolk Pine in the front yard are about to bloom. No asters and red maple leaves for we Floridians! We're bringing out the lipstick!

...While I Touch The Sky

The Mexican Sage -- which did exceptionally well this year -- is peeking over the fence and spying on the neighbors!

Purple Haze...

Hi Peg,

The elderberry bush provides berries for the mockingbirds and endless amusement for the cats watching from the window.

Eye Spy...

This little guy followed me all across the garden. Just keeping an eye out, I suppose...

And this is AFTER the weeding out!