November Bloom Day-Still A Few

When the days are sunny the buzzers wake up and go about the business of pollinating. They are on the search for blooms. Our offerings are dwindling but there are a few still open for the bee’s business. Chief among those still blooming are the Sheffies, sometimes known as Chrysanthemum koreana ‘Sheffield Pink’, among other names.Burgundy mums that have wintered over a couple of years under the crepe myrtle at the street give a welcome color to the grasses there. I always forget that they are even there.In the same island bed as the red mums are these wildling white asters among the liriope and Pennisetum ‘Moudry’. Several frosts have not slowed these flowers down at all. In fact I think they have improved with age as the foliage reddens slightly.While all of the echinaceas spread hither and yon are beyond done, these two flowers at the base of this plant along the wall behind the main house, without any stem to speak of, are blooming bravely. They are protected by fallen maple leaves and the stalks above.Ox eye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare, appears all over in the garden. We pull many but leave a few for the white daisy blooms are so cheering. The rosette of foliage is evergreen and the flowers can bloom nearly all year. This wet one hanging over the blue star juniper will be given a pardon by the head weeder.Gaillardias have self sown enthusiastically. There will be a scattering of flowers through the winter of the more protected plants as we experience the normally weird Tennessee winter of cold and warm swings in the temps.New to us this fall when the Semi-Piet school was enrolled in are several blue asters. A. frikartii ‘Monch’ has given flower after flower nonstop since it was planted in September. I ruthlessly divided it last week and it is still blooming in three pieces as the falling leaves surround its feet. The color is fabulous and the flowers larger than most other asters. I wish I had bought several more of these and will if they are ever spotted in our travels.We are lucky to have the happy faces of pansies and violas to take us through the winter months. There will be sporadic flowering until March when the warmer temps and longer daylight will send these flower machines into turbo drive. There will be more of these flowers shown in bloom days to come when not much else is flowering here.In the large concrete container we planted assorted hyacinth bulbs layered over with snow crocus and topped off with these violas. There is a wire covering to keep the squirrels raiders out of there until spring.I usually favor violas over the pansies but cannot resist this colorway. A few packs were planted in a rotting log from the old maple Ferngully. They should make a good show come spring and give us some occasional blooms until then.Rosa ‘Grootendorst Supreme’ or Thorny as we affectionately refer to him will bloom throughout the winter months also. The under story branches that are more protected will be the secret treasure trove of flowers.Covered in rain drops is the small Rosa ‘Fairy Queen’. The flowers are tiny but profuse. We have two bushes of these, this one in the black garden is the more protected of the two and still boasts undamaged buds.Another wet bunch of buds and flowers is this Diascia. Probably one of the flying colors series that were purchased a few years ago. The ones planted by the garage side have been a pleasant evergreen perennial in that location. Barely peeking through are some annual dianthus wearing hot pink and white shredded edges.A wild goldenrod is still showing color amidst the gaura foliage out front. I try and pull all of these but always miss some or the stem breaks off and they regrow to bloom later than the rest. The yellow flowers are welcome if not fully appreciated by the gardener.Salvia superba ‘May Night’ will send out blooms here and there during the winter also. They get hit with every frost that comes across our property without adverse effects.Another new addition this year, Phlox paniculata ‘Orange Perfection’ has been spurred to form buds by the fall rains we have received. The flower color is bleached by the cold but the stems still stand.Erysimum citrona orange  is planted under the garage deck. We have several wallflowers there that have self sown in the gravel and beyond. It is hoped there will be a sea of the fragrant yellow flowers come spring. This orange one was added recently after being spied at a nursery in Asheville.The view from inside the greenhouse reveals the same inhabitants are blooming still as was written about in the recent post From The Greenhouse.Blooming out of season is this small rhodie riddled with lace bug dots in its leaves, Rhododendron impeditum. This damage is drought related. Since this little bush is located in the front yard where there is next to zero care given, the daily squirt with the hose that will help with the insect ravaging didn’t happen as these leaves emerged. We will try and keep it blasted with water next spring when new growth begins again. Please accept my apologies, little one.Dicentra formosa planted in a large planter at the foot of the steps under the garage deck is taking advantage of that protected site. Being displayed proudly at the foot of the fern leaf bleeding heart is the gift from my dear friend, fellow Tennessee blogger Tina of In The Garden.
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To view what is blooming in gardens all over the globe, check out the blog list in the comment section of World Organizer of Bloom Day Posts, Carol of May Dreams Gardens.
Frances