Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - October 2021

Welcome to my October garden. I do actually have a few blooms to show you this month, although if you have visited my garden before, you've probably seen them in the past. I haven't really added anything new this fall yet, but I hope to soon. Here in zone 9a near Houston, as in many parts of the country and world, we have endured an unusual year of weather. It has not been kind to the garden and my plants show that. So please understand if a number of my plants do not appear at their best.


My tithonia plants are in a part of the garden that is not easy to water and they show that they have been deprived of moisture. Still, they bloom on, undaunted.


The cosmos bloomed in the summer and reseeded itself and now it blooms in autumn.

 

These crinums still put out a few blooms from time to time.


Do you ever forget that you've planted something? That happened to me with these yellow lycoris plants. I had completely forgotten that I had them until a few popped up to remind me.


This is the more common lycoris and I hadn't forgotten about it.

Duranta erecta, aka golden dewdrops.
 
The Cape honeysuckle is full of blooms.

'Cashmere Bouquet' Clerodendrum, aka Mexican hydrangea.

The cooler autumn weather has triggered the start of blooms in the purple oxalis.

Blue plumbago.

Pentas.

And more pentas.

Tropical milkweed, a gangly, somewhat unlovely plant but butterflies do like it.

The buddleias are still going strong, although the blooms are smaller now. (Yes, I do know I need to deadhead!)

And more buddleias.

Firespike, Odontonema strictum.

The muscadine grapes have been hurt by the year's weather but they still managed to produce some fruit that the wildlife will be glad to get.

The beautyberries seem impervious to weather. All of my several plants are fully loaded with berries.

This lantana was attacked by insects a few weeks ago but it is recovering and beginning to bloom again.

Peaches and cream lantana.

Purple trailing lantana, a favorite of butterflies.

The blooms of the almond verbena are not very noticeable to the eye, but if you have a sense of smell you can't miss them. Their scent is heavenly. Those are the neighbor's huge pine trees in the background.

Turk's cap, 'Big Mama.'

Justicia 'Orange flame.'
 
Cestrum.

Autumn sage.

While out taking pictures of flowers, I came upon this little guy resting on a fallen red oak leaf. I'm not 100% sure but I think it is a Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar. Please correct me if you know better.

The roses are responding to the cooler weather with blooms. This is pink Knockout.

'Peggy Martin.'
'Julia Child.' The blooms fade as they age. The one at the top is several days older than the bottom one.

 
'Caldwell Pink,' an antique polyantha.

'Belinda's Dream.'

'Lady of Shallott.'

I can always depend on the "blooms" of the bottle tree next to the Texas sage. You may be able to see a few of the fuchsia blooms remaining on the sage and there is one of those loaded beautyberry shrubs in the background.

I hope you and your garden are both doing well this October. I look forward to visiting you. Happy Bloom Day!

(Linking to Carol of May Dreams Gardens, our host.)


Comments

  1. I enjoyed your offerings because so many are plants I could never hope to keep alive where I live. So many of us had crazy weather gardening seasons so don't worry about the looks of things; your post was enjoyable as always. Happy GBBD to you, too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has indeed been a weird year of weather for many of us, but I fear this may be a harbinger of our future.

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  2. Beautiful blooms!
    I love Purple Oxalis, but I don't have much luck growing it.
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The oxalis really likes cooler weather. It will soon be in full bloom.

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  3. What a beautiful tour you've shown us. I enjoyed all of the wonderful photos you shared, and I'm glad you and the butterflies can still enjoy the late season blooms!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Late season blooms come from the survivors and are especially precious.

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  4. what a wealth of riches! cheery to see on this gloomy day in western Oregon....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to be able to impart a tiny bit of cheer.

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  5. Wow! These flowers...and your garden...are amazing. So many beautiful blooms in so many beautiful colors. Thanks for sharing! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am always happy to share whatever blooms I have on Bloom Day each month.

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  6. Despite the tough year your garden's experienced, you have a lot going on this October, Dorothy! I'm especially impressed by your roses. I had very few roses at all this year (I'm blaming our severe drought) and only one is producing the occasional flower right now. I'm envious of your Lycoris too. I didn't even know there was a yellow variety.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That yellow lycoris was unknown to me as well when I bought it a couple of years ago and then I planted it and forgot it. I'm so glad it showed up this fall to remind me.

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  7. I think that your garden is stunning! Even if it's been a hard year your garden is glowing! My favorites are the blue plumbagos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The plumbago is one of my most dependable bloomers.

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  8. Beautiful roses, Muscadapine grapes looks droolworthy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The roses are putting on a show just now. Perhaps their last of the year.

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  9. Your garden is perhaps a microcosm of how plants are adapting to the changing climate. The bottle tree is no doubt immune to it all. And finally, your caterpillar ID is correct.

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  10. All your blooms look so lovely this October, especially the purple oxalis. It really stands out. The color of the 'Lady of Shallott' rose is beautiful to me. , as that lovely bottle tree that never disappoints. Beautiful photos.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Yvonne. The oxalis and the 'Shallott' are favorites of mine.

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