October Blooms in Tennessee

October is usually one of those months here where you can take great photographs of the garden. The skies are usually clear since it is our driest month and the light is usually perfect for the garden blogger to take great shots of the last of the blooms. That's not the case this year. Gray skies and rain have doused our fall blooms with multiple inches of rain. This morning we've already received over an inch with more coming. For Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day I put together the blooming pictures I've taken over the last two days and hopefully you will see something to enjoy!


Monarch Butterfly on Zinnia:

We've been fortunate to enjoy the visits of the monarch butterflies lately. We must be one stop on their migratory route. This monarch seems quite busy tanking up for the journey!





Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii):

Everyone who has visited our garden this year has commented on this Butterfly Bush. It does have a nice color to it but unfortunately I don't know the variety. I bought two of these two years ago for five dollars a piece and no label.




Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia):

Our Russian sage is still producing blooms but has really slowed down. It's hard to tell since when the flowers fade a purple husk is left behind to form the seeds. As a result there is always color until the absolute end. Even after the leaves and flowers fade Russian sage is pretty cool for winter interest because of the white colored stems that remain.




Yellow Lantana:




Pink Cosmos:



Pink Cosmos with 'Powis Castle' Artemisia:


The pink cosmos and 'Powis Castle' Artemisia are accidental companions. The cosmos self-seeded nearby and a stem with a few flowers dropped close to the artemisia due to the rain. It's a good accident I think.




Homestead Purple Verbena and Sweet Potato Vine:

In the birdbath garden the 'Homestead Purple' Verbena and Sweet Potato vine have blended into an interesting combination of foliage and flowers.



Oak Leaf Hydrangea and Hosta:

While neither the oak leaf hydrangea or the hostas are flowering I thought I would end this post with how they end their blooms ~ seeds! You can see part of the oak leaf hydrangeas seed head remaining where the dried up bloom remains. Hosta seeds are little black winged seeds that resemble the samaras of maple trees. You can collect hosta seeds and raise new hostas from them but they will not breed true to the mother plant.





That's it for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day in October. I wonder what will be left blooming in November?

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