Flowers & Other Plants
October 30, 2013
October 16, 2013
October 6, 2013
More Fall Flowers
In the last week, we have seen a couple of temperatures in the mid-20's F (around -4o C). But for several weeks before that, our deck and yeard were full of bright and massive flowers. Here are just a few samples; the captions give the names.
Maroon and Green-white Coleuses in Bloom, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Close-up of a Coleus Flower Stalk, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Petunia Blooms in a Hanging Basket, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Close-up of One Petunia Blossom, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Patch of Lantana, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (17-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Close-up of Two Lantana Bllooms, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (17-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
And as has been usual this fall, I have more to post as soon as I find time. Enjoy!
October 16, 2013
An Assortment: Aster, Sedum and Pokeberry
I like the fall foliage and flowers at least as much as the spring flowers and maybe more so. Here are three more samples.
A Clump of Asters, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (5-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Close-up of Aster Flowers, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (5-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Closer Close-up of an Aster Flower, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (5-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
And then there is Sedum--green foliage and flower heads for a good part of the summer. When fall starts showing up its cooler nights and shorter days, then Sedum shows its true colors.
Seduum, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (3-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Sedum on a Cloudy Day, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (3-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Notice the difference in colors from a cloudy day and a sunlit day.
Sedum under Sunlight, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (5-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Want some more hints on cultivating Sedum? Then try visiting one of these sites.
- National Gardening Association - care guide for Sedum
- Old Farmers Almanac - Sedum page
To add more depth to the last posting, here is another close-up of Pokeberry berries and flowers.
Close-up of Pokeweed Berries and Flowers, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (3-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
I have some more photos to post in the days ahead; I just need the time to do so!
October 6, 2013
A Fall Mixture of Blooms
Almost a month ago, Elsie and I visited the James Madison University Arboretum. I still find that I have not mined all of the photos from that day's stroll. So here are two photos of a rather unique Oakleaf Hydrangea planted in the arboretum.
Oakleaf Hydrangea Bush, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Sep-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Below is a close-up of the Oakleaf Hydrangea flower head (inflorescence) showing the dried sterile flowers and the emerging seed bodies from the fertile flowers. It is native to the southwest US and the flowers show up as sort of a cone cluster rather than a globular snowball looking head. (See the Wikipedia entry on this plant for more info.)
Close-up of Dried Sterile Oakleaf Hydrangea Flowers, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Sep-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
The Moth Orchid keeps me surprised at how many blooms it has and how long they last--several weeks by now.
Moth Orchid with all 10 Blooms Open, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (25-Sep-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
A Pokeweed bush started to grow behind our Holly bush this fall. While some persons in the South (USA) refer to eating a Poke salad, the warnings I have found on the Internet suggest not eating it since all parts can be poisonous if not prepared correctly. (The Penn State Extension site is one example.)
Pokeweed Bush, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (3-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
It is definitely a weed, growing where I did not plant it and where I do not want it to grow, but I let this one grow a bit to allow me to get some pictures of the berries, and as it turns out, the flowers, too. More later this week.
Close-up of Pokeweed Berries, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (3-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
My guess is that birds have been eating the berries as they ripen and letting the juice drop down on the leaf below the berries.
--©2013, Richard L. Bowman
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