Fall Details

This last weekend was perfect for moving plants around, including three peonies and the dwarf smoke bush.  It was also time to plant a hardy hibiscus that had spent the summer blooming like crazy on the front porch.  However, there is no way to get an interesting photograph of chopped off stems sticking out of the ground.  Instead, it is time to pay attention to the small bits and pieces that are scattered around, underneath, and behind the usual display.

It was surprising to find one of the Sedum sieboldii is still blooming, though at the moment the variety is unknown.  Even more surprising were the yellow, black and white beetles feeding on nectar from the flowers, slowly working across the top of the flower heads.  I could not find any matching pictures of beetles in the short web search, so if anyone knows what these are, I would appreciate learning their name.

The two plants need a much more sunny location, now that the viburnum has grown out over them.  Along with the Sedum Autumn Joy, they will get moved into a newly opened flower bed by the road, where they can get lots of hot, bright sun.

Another plant that was a newcomer to the garden this year was the Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata).  The plants arrived early in the season, and had to wait a bit before they were planted.  Two pairs were planted  at the base of a tripod of stakes, and one pair below a trellis in front of a clump of tall grass.

The plants needed to build up a clump of leaves and stems on the ground before they would start climbing up the various supports they were put beside.  The tendrils were somewhat weak and never got a tight grip upon their intended stepladders to the sky.  Yet, they did work their way up, and seemed to wrap round each other as they climbed.

There was never a big display of flowers, but a consistent sprinkling from the ground to the top.  Being at eye-level, the simple shape and elegance of each flower was appealing.  The pair that grew into and through the tall grass added a nice surprise of yellow flowers.

It is not clear if they did set any seed, and whether the seeds will come up next spring.  If we recognize the seedlings, we will let them grow, along with many other self-seeders.  But I don't expect to buy either new plants or seeds next year.