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.
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| 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.
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| 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!
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
