WOW!!!!

Just breath-taking gardens Sharon! I do have to ask about your variagated datura......does it set seed easily like other daturas??(No hinting here at all ;^)) It's just a beautiful plant all around. It's funny, because somewhere I read that how to tell the difference between a brugmansia and a datura, is that datura flowers face up and brug flowers hang down. But this one must be the exception to the rule.

I'll have to go and take a walk around and see if there's anything worth taking a picture of in my garden.

I was wondering about that datura too, but because i have one that someone gave to me - variegated like that, and it has never shown any sign of blooming. In fact, the leaves keep falling off. It isn't very happy at all. But wow, if it's the same as yours, Sharon, that's beautiful! :)

You have so much colour left in your gardens. I love how you've got large groups of the same flower. It just makes everything stand out so well. Makes me realize what work i have to do with my gardens!

Well thank so much gals,

Laurie, I was puzzled when I first saw the flowers blooming down, I know Brugs will do that. All that I know is that my tag said Datura Variegated, thatÂs it. No seed heads yet, even if I did collect seed, IÂm sure it would not come out variegated.
Marcia, my 2 year old Brugmansia sanguinea is like that, yellow leaves from the bottom just keep falling off and not one bloom, I canÂt see any bugs, so IÂm not sure whatÂs go on

IÂm going to overwinter them again and will take cuttings in the Spring if you like.

Sharon

Sharon, Your gardens are just beautiful. My favorite pic is the fifth one down. Very nice combinations, and I like how it is set against the background of trees. I also really like the one outside the greenhouse.

Fantastic, Sharon. I really like what you have done around the greenhouse.

In pic. #5, what is the red plant behind the coral ?zinnias? To the right of the pic.

Shauna

Thanks North53 and Shauna, that is Amaranthus caudatus 'Velvet Curtains'. They are started to seed and the Finches and Chickadees just love it ;)

Oh my goodness Sharon. I thought that my yard looked good yet, but yours is heaven.
Shelley

Absolutely breath-taking!

I really love how you combined the Amaranthus "Velvet Curtains" your 5th picture. Gorgeous.

After seeing your pictures I don't think I will show mine... Your gardens are work of art.

Ang

Ohhh I love your red castor bean plants Sharon. I looked here for seed for the red ones but all I could find was the green ones...Mine didn't get anywhere as big as yours, they didn't even set seed.
Do they come true from seed? Hint...hint....LOL!

Sharon, once your variagated datura sets seed, then you'll know if it is a datura for sure, or if the label was incorrect and it's a brug. Usually daturas set seed quite easily. I know the single purple has gotten to be a weed for me already!

Oh gals, thanks soooooooo much, IÂm loving all these compliments, but where are your photos?

Thanks Laurie, I will keep that in mine, so far I donÂt see any seed heads, maybe I should post it over at the Brug forum for indentification ;)

After seeing your pictures I don't think I will show mine... Your gardens are work of art.
Ahhh, Ang, come on, I've seen your garden photos before, Kudos back at you grow-girl! The gallery is not a contest, everybodys' garden is their pride and joy, so come on, let's see your photos too ;)

Hunner, those red Castors are called ÂNew Zealand PurpleÂ, IÂve bought seed from JL Hudson in the USA for a couple of seasons now. I would collect and save you and myself seed, however in my zone and past experience, I have NEVER in my gardening life able to collect viable seed, they get zapped by F**** before they can mature. However, knock on wood you never know, this may be the year, if so, of course I will send you some, but I have my doubts ;)

Of course I have a 4 day weekend off starting tomorrow and the forecast is rainy and cool, IÂm not complaining we sure do need the moisture.

Sharon

Sharon - Those gardens are sooo beautiful! And that datura is such a lovely colour. Marcia's comment about how you have large groups of one type of flower really hit home with me. I have been so pleased with the success of my winter sown plants but disappointed in how I have put them all together in the garden. Let's just say that if I was going for a 'jungle' theme - I would be loving it...

Took some pictures on a cold dreary morning today. Kirby and I decided that it was way too cold and wet for our paws but we did manage to find some pockets of color out there.

We enjoyed the cheery marigolds:

So did a very slow moving bee:

A cute little volunteer sunflower peeking out of the corn:

Rudbeckia hirta 'Sputnik':

Same asters as in last week's thread blooming in many shades from pink to light and dark purple:

Helenium autumnale from earlier in the week when the sun was shining:

Susan

Things aren't looking that great in my yard right about now. What's blooming now is pretty much the same as last week, and since the f**** on the weekend, many of the annuals are not looking great. None of the asters have started yet, and the mums are just beginning to bud and only have a few blooms - nothing worth taking a picture of. Maybe there'll be something for next week!

Susan, very nice garden photos, I sure like those 'Sputnik' Rudbeckia's!

Kirby is such a lit' gentleman ;)

Susan, that photo of Kirby could be framed and hung on a wall--what a terrific shot!!Those asters are glorious; any idea what the name is?

Sharon, your garden is beautiful, as always! Thanks for adding the link to your photo page.

OK, Sharon! Yes, I did snap some pictures before all this rain started! My garden looks really really bad now with everything sagging, drooping and waterlogged... but gotta love the moisture!

My favourite flowerbed this year!

Red Spider Zinnias amoung a few other things.

I love the creamy colour of this Calendula.

I'm surprised how good orange and pink can look! Never thought I liked that colour combo!

I'm thinking now that I should go dash between the raindrops and snip a boo-kay for myself before the weather zaps them!

Ang

Very nice Ang, I love pinks and oranges together, infact orange will go with anything IMO, my favourite colour in the garden ;)

As always Doris, thank you!

Here's what I'm having for supper tonight, 1/2 red, 1/2 fried green tomatoes with avocado and sourcream.

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Tomato Sub-Arctic Plenty

I still have lots of greens out there yet to harvest, will cover with blankets tonight just in case of F**** and by the looks of it, it might snow as well ;(

Sharon

Things are getting rather sparse in my gardens. Had some snow this morning in the hills around me.... Still to many things I want/need to get done B4 weather changes much more. Gathering what seed I'm going to have this year. Seems the summer weather had a larger impact than I thought at first but will save what I can.

Autumn Joy Sedum. This plant was loaded with bees, the type of bees I pet. LOL, they just love that you know.

About finished with re-doing my deck and now am finishing hauling my firewood. Squirrel mode - gotta get it done...

Pet Bees! LOL

Sharon - I got the Sputniks from Specialty Perennials last year thinking they were perennials. I WS'ed my leftover seeds this year which are the ones in the picture - no sign of last year's plants so I guess they are annual here.

Ang - Very nice colourful bed in that first pic!

echoes - What a thrill seeker you are - petting bees sounds risky to me ;) Although at this time of the year in the cold they do seem very slow.

Doris - Thanks for the compliments on Kirby's pic (p.s. Sharon, I'm a little lady... LOL). I don't know what those asters are but I hope they hang in long enough to collect seed. I got them in a trade labelled 'Tall Aster Purples'. Here are a couple of more pictures showing foliage and when they were just starting to bloom. Maybe someone can help me ID in case I don't get seed I can buy some. I'm even wondering if they are asters - to me the leaves look more like chrysanthemums but aren't the flowers on mums more double? I'm not too familiar with either plant so I'm just guessing. I did some googling but there are sooo many varieties.

Thanks - Susan

Susan, oops, shes a lit' lady, tell her I'm sorry ;)

Your Asters are called China Aster Callistephus chinensis.

Thanks so much for the ID Sharon - I was having a hard time wading through all the asters and mums to find it. But drats that it is an annual...

Susan

P.S. - Kirby's not that sensitive - she's just like most of us girls and can't pass up an opportunity to give someone a hard time :)

A few from my garden.
Dianthisis Spotted Cheddar

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Dianthisis Artic Fire

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My Jackmanni Clematis is still going. Not as nice as before, but ...

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Geranium Purple Pillows

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Geranium Sanguineum

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Fleeceflower. I love this little plant.

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Honeysuckle-Dropmore Scarlet. I can't wait until this vine is a bit more mature. I'm sure it will be outstanding.

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Tiarella. I'm not sure which one.

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Heuchera

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Amaranthus Velvet Curtains

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Now with the cool weather, who knows how long these will last.
Shelley