Garden Year in Review

Dianthus - name unknown

I spent this past weekend cutting down the garden. I would have done so sooner except for the rain, our Florida vacation, rain, lots of other stuff to do and the rain. Putting the garden "to bed" pretty much signifies the end of the garden season for this year. Today the high was 5C and it's going down to -2C overnight (that's 41F and 28F respectively). It's darn chilly out there now, which isn't conducive to spending many pleasurable hours in the garden.
This past year I have started following a lot of garden blogs and besides having made many new "virtual" friends, have also learned to be more attentive to how I take garden photos. Many of their blogs and photos are so outstanding, they should be winning awards!! But I just observe and attempt to imitate.
So as a finale to autumn 2012, I would like to present 15 of the pictures I am most proud of.

Peony - a gift (therefore, name unknown)

Red trillium

Daffodil 'Tahiti'

Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum'

Autumn crocus - Colchicum autumnale

Violets - name unknown

Old-fashioned Bleeding Heart - Dicentra spectabilis

Parrot tulips - a gift - name unknown (maybe 'Starfighter?')

Clematis probably 'Multiblue' seen on a garden tour

A vase of Ladies Mantle, Coral bells, Euonymus, Stachys byzantium, and Columbine

Climbing Rose - New Dawn

Petunias and Browallia

Pink Gerbera daisies

Polyantha rose 'The Fairy'

Pin Oak - Quercus palustris

First signs of Autumn

What a gorgeous day we have today! Sunny, breezy, no humidity and warm. Too bad I have a stupid head cold. Oh well, I still have enough energy to go out and shoot some pictures of how the garden is changing, now that it's very early fall.

My Sedum 'Autumn Joy" are at their peak: plump, pink and attracting bees like crazy!

Here's a great combo: Sedum, Black Eyed Susans (some in bloom but many are already black seed pods), plus a little bit of re-blooming Weigela

My polyantha rose "The Fairy" is just loaded with blooms - so lovely!!

Mauve-coloured Autumn Crocus have made their appearance in the front yard among the periwinkle

The Burning Bushes (Euonymus alatus) don't do much all year but in the fall - WOW!!! It's their time to shine! (And we ain't seen nuthin' yet!! This is just the beginning!)

Climbing Rose 'New Dawn" is still putting on a show (with more buds coming)

The Japanese Golden Grass foliage is starting to turn burgundy

And the Linden tree is just one of the many whose leaves will soon start to turn colour.

I am pleased to live in a part of the world that has 4 distinct seasons.