Day in Pictures

It is a fine fall day at The Havens.   After I hung out a couple of loads of laundry, I was out watering the vegetable garden and noticed that the last three beds that I planted with cover crop are finally sprouting.  I am happy they have germinated before it got too cool for the seeds.   The first beds are well on their way, about four inches tall now.

In the old salad bed, I couldn’t bring myself to remove the greens I planted in July, which are just now really getting beautiful.   The endive is really pretty right now.  It forced me to go in and get the camera.

 

On the way out to the vegetable garden, I stopped by the herb garden where a waterlily colchicum has just gotten prime.   It is surrounded by my sage, which managed to survive the heat of the summer.

 

Over on the other side of the yard at the edge of the Petite Prairie another fall bulb has made an appearance.  I was surprised to see it here since I totally forgot that I planted it there…  I really MUST start making notes about what I plant where.   Anyway, this is a saffron crocus, and I think it is spectacular.

 

Just a few feet away from the saffron crocus surprise is another very busy spot, the aster field is blooming.

 

Behind it you can see a crepe myrtle and a kerria, which are both enjoying the cool weather.   If you focus in on the aster, however, you find that it is literally swarming with little bumblebees, who are after the pollen.   Last year I did a little research and discovered that these small bumblebees are the females, so I imagine they are collecting pollen to store with their eggs so the larvae will have something to eat when they hatch.

They are really very very busy, and wish I would not point the camera at them.  I guess the Duchess Kate can relate…

 

Well, while I was writing this, the next load of laundry finished, so I guess I’ll get busy and hang it up.

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Garden shots

There are a few things going on in the fall garden.

The colchicums are still blooming in various places.   This one is a waterlily form that lives in the Hosta Dell.

The wild aster I planted that is trying to take over the whole rain garden is blooming in a frenzy right now.   The sulfur butterflies like it a lot, as do the honey bees, and numerous types of skipper butterflies.  In this shot, a sulfur is posing.

In the same vicinity I have a hen and chicks plant that decided to bloom this year.

Like bromeliads, the plant that blooms then dies.   You always hope they have several “pups” to continue the grouping, and this one certainly does.

Last, but not least,  the sternbergia are finally blooming.   I just love the bright yellow of this plant, it adds a nice note to the fall garden.

There is quite a nice group of these guys coming along, perhaps in a few days I can show you a drift of them.

The fall blooming crocuses have put their noses up.   I don’t expect them to bloom until the weather gets a bit cooler.

Now, I really must get out there and do some weeding.  The extended length of time I was gone allowed the weeds to get WAY ahead of me.

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