The winds around Chicago are fierce--was just driving around town and saw two full-grown trees down along the short route I traveled.

yup - windy in peoria today too. we heard on the radio we are under a wind advisory... i was going to rake leaves but i think i will wait and the wind may do some of the work for me.

It got up to 78 at my house. It was SO humid though! I couldnt stop sweating while raking the leaves. We have this nice weather and then we are punished with 50's and wind chill the next day. My musa basjoo pushed out about a foot of leaf too lol. I'm surprised it hasnt been taken out in the frost.

Its crazy

Happy Halloween everyone! I looked out my window today to see what was once my shade garden under our elm tree (which has now lost all its leaves). It was a really wierd sight, seeing my red salvia, nasturtium, wax begonias and impatiens all happy and still blooming! In the main garden there are still some glads blooming, some sunflowers that got a late start, cosmos, carnations, rudbeckias, annual chrysanthemums, annual scabiosa, gaillardia, vinca, marigold, ageratum, portulaca, plus a few others and yes, even a few tough zinnias still in bloom. Sure, they aren't in their prime anymore, but still alive and adding color and greenery. Still have those big castor bean plants, too. Also, I left a spider plant out that's still 100% fine! What? Tomorrows' November 1st? More like October 1st! I'm thankful for the extended season. We had some patchy frost here earlier in Oct., but obviously not enough to make much of an impact.

-tg86

WPalm--about that musa basjoo... Do you winter it outside? I finally sent away for a young one this spring. It's still small, so I'm afraid to leave it to the elements, even though I keep reading that survival is possible with proper protection. I also have a couple of ensete glaucas that I grew from seed that I've been overwintering in the house the past couple of years.

This is the first year that I have had the basjoo so I hope it works...

Crazy weather, but I don't mind at all. We had a beautiful day today. Our temp was up to 64, windy but sunny out. I think our Fall has been great so far. Actually, I thought the summer was great too. I still have my hanging baskets up and looking good. Most of my annuals are still blooming. I just love it!!! I'm just afraid we're going to have a bad winter. And with gas going up, I'll be spending all the money I saved on air conditioning this past summer.

Kat