Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day October 2014

October 15th 2014 has rolled around damp and disgusting in my small Plymouth garden.  Not conducive to getting out and certainly not suitable for photography.  So it's a quick in and out session to see what's flowering and then relying on older photos to give you a flavour.

We're running against the back end of the year so only one or two new plants.  Most are hangovers from previous months.  Having said that it's still mild enough to leave a good few in flower.

Fuchsias - at least the species fuchsias - seem made for autumn.  I have a problem with thrips in the summer and my Fuchsia do seem to prefer the cooler weather to flower well.

Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae (previously alba) is a case in point.  It's a fairly hardy small tree when allowed to grow but, as I don't have the room, I have to keep it cut back to a twiggy shrub.  Small flowers but very pretty, with a delicacy that isn't always present in the larger cousins.

Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae
Fuchsia splendens 'Karl Hartweg' is, as I've said before, supposed to be tender.  Down here it acts as a woody perennial and reaches its peak in the autumn.  The rootstock must be pretty large by now to sustain 6-8ft / 189 - 240cm of annual growth before frost cuts it back.
Fuchsia splendens 'Karl Hartweg'
Also in good flower are the yellow foliaged Fuchsia 'Genii' and the old favourite 'Mrs Popple'.  Fuchsia boliviensis alba is putting out buds but isn't yet in flower.  Thrips again.

On the shed wall Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' is once again putting out an autumn display.  I still can't detect the alleged scent!

Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles'
I've been lucky enough to keep the definitely tender Tibouchina organensis going for the last three winters by tucking it hard against my south facing house wall and, when needed, covering it in fleece.  It's now paying back with the lovely purple flowers erupting from red buds.  Great in a cold conservatory where it would flower all winter - but mine will keep going till the frosts.

Tibouchina organensis
My two Abutilons, 'Waltz' and 'Patrick Synge' are still in flower, as are my passion flower and 'Graham Thomas' rose.  Ceratostigma willmottianum is still producing it's powder blue flowers, while in the little shade house both Streptocarpus 'Blue Harlequin' and my Christmas cactus are currently flowering.  They'll have to come in soon - but it's still warm enough to keep them outside, albeit undercover.

Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera buckleyi
Finally I have a patch of bright orange in the rear garden.  Purple leaved Canna 'Wyoming' has flowered.  I won't show the foliage - it's impressive more for the slug holes in the leaves than their size and grandeur - but I will show the flower.  Exotic October colour indeed.

Canna 'Wyoming'

As ever, my thanks to May Dreams Gardens for hosting the Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day meme.  Head over there to see what's flowering in many more gardens round the world. 

1 comment:

  1. Lovely to see your fuchsias doing well, I haven’t had any issues with trips, but that’s probably because I don’t have a greenhouse? All my fuchsias have to survive outdoors and I am wondering if my new additions will get through this winter. I was interested to read that you have a Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba', that’s one of the cuttings I bought in May, and it is now a 1 ft tall plant in a pot. I had thought it would grow quicker, and possibly flower this year like most fuchsias do in their first year, but it didn’t. How long have you had yours? Do you keep it in a green house or outside during the winter? Do you cut it down in the spring or just leave it to grow new leaves? Would be very interested in some info as I am rather green on this particular one – I have bought it in the hope that I will be able to grow lots of fruit on it. How many years will that take do you think? I will be patient, just would be interesting to know :-)

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