Where Did It Go?

Truth be known, I fretted most of the month away and really, to no avail! I have yet to meet the new neighbors so that we can discuss my somewhat overzealous plantings, if in fact it is even an issue for them! I’m a bit of a worrywort, wearing my emotions on my sleeve and over analyzing situations to the nth degree! And in this time, I’ve missed my garden in one of my favourite months! I did manage to snap a few photos…..

I’d been watching the growth on a new Aconitum which I had planted the previous Fall, fingers crossed that it didn’t develop the nasty wilt that seems determined to wreak havoc on my fall flowering species on a yearly basis. I was amazed with the vigor displayed by Aconitum incisofidum – it was close to 2m in height with strong, thick stems and possesses the most deeply lobed foliage of all that I grow.  From a side view the flowers almost look fan shaped, colour varying from mauve to a near blue with white at its centre and along the outside edge.

Gifted a Tricyrtis last Fall, I didn’t have the heart to say that I wasn’t fond of the persistent spotting prevalent within most species, and you know, this one has actually grown on me since. Not sure which one it is, though it does possess a delightfully tomentose foliage and seems to flower from the axils where stem and leaf are joined.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Goldrush’ is shooting skyward by leaps and bounds. I can honestly say it’s gained close to .5m in height since I planted it in August. I saw absolutely stunning specimens in Whistling Gardens when I went this past Friday, and, though I am somewhat concerned with its overall height, I think it will one day be a most fabulously chartreuse beacon against the deep wine colouring of the siding on the house. Even in this photo, it creates a fabulous contrast against the pink and wine infused foliage of both Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’ and Cornus alternifolia ‘Golden Shadows.’

I only cultivate two perennial grasses on my property, and one of them is this, Calamagrostis brachytrica, with its pink and silver seed plumes. Also known as Japanese Reed Grass, its more popular cousin ‘Karl Foerester’ has heads that look like ripening hay.

  And to close out the month of September, here’s the wonderfully variegated foliage of Disanthus cercidifolius ‘Ena Nishiki.’ I can hardly wait for the white edges to exhibit their pinkish glow as the weather cools. And here we are in October. Darker much earlier, with a crisp chill to both the evening and early morning air. Pretty soon we’ll be thinking about Thanksgiving and then Hallowe’en!