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Autumn Leaves

'Dancing Peacock' Someone needs to write a song... :) With an atmospheric river and 30 mph winds predicted this past weekend, I was afraid the ginkgo, which had just started to turn color, would be stripped.  We were lucky though and it remains intact. Gingko 'Princeton Sentry' After the storm... The Black Tupelo (Nyssa slyvatica) changes color from the inside out - The above photo was taken last week. Here it is today - 'Wolf Eyes' Dogwood (Cornus kousa) has never had such pink color - Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea', Crape Myrtle 'Dynamite' ( Lagerstroemia ), and Persian Ironwood ( Parrotia persica ) - Japanese Maple 'Beni Hime' - Serviceberry 'Autumn Brilliance' ( Amelanchier ) with tree peonies - Stewartia pyschocamellia starts the color show early. It has since faded to a much softer color - Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Happiness is the return of rainfall


It has been raining off and on since Sunday and I couldn't be happier. According to our rain gauge, we've received about 1.5 inches as of Monday afternoon. The temperatures are cooler as well with highs in the low 70s and high 60s. Overall, this summer has not been like the hellacious one we had last year. I think there have only seen a few days in the 90s. 

 I am always amazed to see how plants respond to rainfall. The Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) seems to put out an inch of growth overnight.
Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)
Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia 'Charles Grimaldi') has also has another bloom display although the leaves are very yellowish. 
Begonia 'Bonfire' and Creeping Jenny 
I've just discovered Caryopteris and this is the second one I've planted. It is called 'Good as Gold'.

Clerodendrum trichotomum (Harlequin Glorybower) (Peanut Butter Tree) - I've been warned about this one reseeding but the flowers are incredible. 

Coreopsis 'Sunray' 

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake'


Lantana 'Miss Huff' 

Leucosceptrum japonicum 'Golden Angel' (Japanese Shrub Mint)

Tibouchina (Princess Flower)
Rose 'Lady Emma Hamilton'

'Lamarque' - so happy to have this rose again and it is just now blooming. Very strange time for it but I'm not questioning. 

Rosemary 'Foxtail'
Solidago 'Fireworks' (Goldenrod)

And last, rhododendron 'Anah Kruschke' is blooming - what the heck?


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. chavlinessSeptember 10, 2019 at 10:49 AM

    The end-of-summer garden can be a little bit of a downer for me, so a good soaking of rain is just the pick-me-up I need, not to mention the plants. Everything perks up and glistens. I'm not sure which heather is in the first picture, it looks similar to one I have as well, and as soon as it gets cooler at night, it will be ablaze with orange and red.

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    1. Phillip OliverSeptember 10, 2019 at 2:06 PM

      The heather is 'Multicolor'. It is really colorful.

      Delete
  2. Barbara H.September 10, 2019 at 11:29 AM

    Oh you lucky duck - rainfall AND cooler temps - green with envy here in Alabama. I don't know if your clerodendron is the same as the one I had in Portland but on mine, after the flowers beautifully colored round seeds or seedpods covered the tree. I had never seen any thing like it. Or smelled the peanut buttery smelling leaves before either.

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverSeptember 10, 2019 at 2:07 PM

      This one does that too. Oddly though, I have never detected the fragrance!

      Delete
  3. Lisa at GreenbowSeptember 11, 2019 at 6:08 PM

    Lucky you getting some much needed rain. That rhodie didn't know what was happening. ha... Just sit back and enjoy it.

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