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Waterwise Gardening - a book review

Waterwise Gardening: Everything You Need To Know About Efficient Watering to Grow a Healthy Yard by Richard Restuccia Published by Rizzoli, 2025 I would guess that watering is the major issue that most gardeners grapple with, especially novice gardeners. I know from working at the nursery that the majority of questions and issues we get stem from either watering too much or not watering enough.  Many people in our area have sprinkler systems and I'm sure that can be a good thing if used properly but I feel that they primarily keep the lawns green but fall short for landscape plants. Especially when it comes to trees and larger plants, the timing and amounts are not satisfactory for many plants. I often hear people say that their sprinklers are set to come on every day - yikes! And there are those who did not water because it "rained" when it actually drizzled.  The best thing to do in this situation is to have a xeric garden but that would mean sacrificing favorite plant...
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Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - October 2022

Aster 'Purple Dome'

It feels more like September here and tonight the weatherman gave a startling statistic for this area. So far, during the month of October (and we are only halfway through it), we've had 10 days over 80 degrees. In the past decade, the most days with 80+ temps was 2 days. 

Here what's blooming in the garden this month -

Gaura 'Beeliza Dark Pink' - my favorite Gaura and so well behaved.

Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' - Bought on a whim from Annie's Annuals, this is a really nice one.


Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet) 'Charles Grimaldi' - I thought it would never bloom this year but it is finally showing off.

Aralia 'Sun King'

Western Ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii)



Anenome


Goldenrod (Solidago 'Fireworks')


Clematis 'Josephine'


Pennisetum '24 Karat'


Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel'


Mahonia 'Soft Caress'

Fuchsia 'Cardinal'

Fuchsia 'Voodoo'

Hardy Begonia 

Dahlia

Another Dahlia

Datura 'Double Purple'

Dicliptera suberecta (Uruguayan firecracker plant)


Check out what is blooming on other blogs at May Dreams Gardens.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. LisaOctober 15, 2022 at 9:01 AM

    I am amazed by that gaura! Its flowers are so huge compared to my Siskiyou Pink and Rosy Jane.

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  2. Kris PetersonOctober 15, 2022 at 11:14 AM

    If my asters had formed a nice clump like that instead of attempting a takeover of half my back garden, I wouldn't have pulled them out last year. (They're still attempting a comeback.) You've got a great range of blooms. The only thing we share this month is Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', which I've grown for years (and also came from Annie's), but mine are currently in need of a good pruning as they're scraggly.

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  3. AlanaOctober 15, 2022 at 3:03 PM

    I love your Starfire Pink Cuphea - the only ones I have grown are orange and yellow. This year I grew Vermillionaire and our hummingbird loved it until it migrated in the first week of September. (The cuphea didn't make it to my GBBD post). I have never had luck with pink anemone so enjoyed yours. That hibiscus is majestic, too.

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverOctober 15, 2022 at 6:41 PM

      Alana, I grow Vermillionaire every year in a pot just for the hummingbirds. I think it is their #1 plant here.

      Delete
  4. LeaOctober 15, 2022 at 3:50 PM

    Beautiful! I especially like the Clematis and the Dahlia

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  5. HorticatOctober 15, 2022 at 11:22 PM

    Lots of beauty in your garden at the moment, Phillip. That Datura 'Double Purple' really is something else. It reminds me of the icing on an elaborate cupcake!

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  6. Hoover BooOctober 16, 2022 at 4:14 PM

    That is 1 heck of a beautiful Gaura. Your garden looks wonderful...maybe it's okay for the summer to linger a bit longer up north?

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