September 20, 2016
Fall color is beginning to creep into the trees and ferns behind the garden, a process that helps me adjust to the inevitable.
The biggest changes from last week are the sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) have been decapitated by a hungry squirrel and the heart-leaved asters (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) have begun to bloom on the far left and in the middle (in front of the zinnias and behind the coneflowers). By next week, they will be big lavender clouds, airy and light.
Many gardeners around here eschew this lovely native, but I find it has great merit in the garden if you have the space for it, as it can grow quite large.
While I was taking these photos this morning, I was graced with the presence of yet another migrating Monarch butterfly. It felt like a blessing, bringing a ray of hope now that I have seen half a dozen this summer, whereas the past few years I have seen none. Fellow gardeners, continue to lead the charge for bringing this imperiled species back from the brink of extinction! Learn more by clicking the link above.
Continuing to provide color are purple, pink and white cleome (C. hassleriana), white, dark and light pink cosmos (C. bipinnatus ‘Sensation Mix’), zebra mallow (Malva sylvestris ‘Zebrina’) and zinnias (Z. elegans ‘County Fair Mix’). Calendulas (C. officinalis) are mixed through the left middle. Purple morning glories, on a teepee at the back, brighten the early hours.
On the right side, the white phlox (P. paniculata) is finishing, while the stalwart white flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata), pink coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) and lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina) continue to do their thing.
I’m linking with Cathy at Words and Herbs, joining participants taking weekly photos of the same garden over the course of the growing season to note its evolution.
Below are some of the previous views for comparison:
April 1, 2016
June 11, 2016
June 28, 2016
July 26, 2016
August 2, 2016
August 16, 2016
August 23, 2016
September 6, 2016
September 13, 2016
Eliza Waters 
.”..the sunflowers .have been decapitated by a hungry squirrel…” I was not expecting that comment, Eliza! 🙂
😀
Bad squirrel! The border still looks good, though.
Thanks, Kris. Squirrels are quite annoying and NOTHING stops them. Geesh!
It really is beginning to look fall-like. I love the Monarch – it looks almost fake!
A perfect specimen! Let’s pray she makes it all the way to Mexico!
Still lovely!
Thank you, Belinda!
It’s certainly getting an autumnal feel but still looking lovely. I can see why you like the aster.
Thank you!
It really is a garden for all 3 seasons Eliza! Very inspiring 💛
Thank you so much, Val. I’m going to put a few more alliums in this fall to beef up the early spring show. But overall it pleases us no end. 🙂
Yet another Monarch! (Almost) nothing beats being outside and “capturing” the unexpected Butterflies and other pollinators! All (my) Goldenrod is covered with Bumblebees and wasps & others, grateful for all the nectar. They are so welcome and I enjoy the yellow color of these flowers, and love the visitors so much! What a wonderful amount of enjoyment your flower garden has provided for so many this past 1/2 year!
Thank you so much, Alice. I’m glad to share this little plot with so many.
It is true that native plants have the most pollinators on them. The aster is just covered with a great variety of bees, hoverflies, etc. Love it!
A few days ago, I saw the last Hummingbird, but the male and female Downy Woodpeckers are still enjoying the fresh “hummy nectar!” Fun to make them all happy! Last week I bought a raspberry colored Aster….(I needed more to take care of 😀 ) .lots of bumbles on it.
It must be beautiful, and it worth its care. 🙂
Even with all the summer flowers I can see what you mean about autumn tints coming through. The backdrop is coloring up and those asters are going to be great! Did you plant the asters or did they seed in on their own? I have a few which came in but they’re all somewhere between weedy and somewhat attractive with only a few real nice bunches.
They both were volunteers that I allowed to stay. They get big fast – they are 3 years old and about 5′ diameter. I think they are spectacular. 🙂 Right now they look celestial, I see why they named them ‘asters’, they look like little stars floating in a nebula galaxy. Soon they’ll be lavender mounds. Love it!
Well the good news is, it’s spring over here Eliza so you can still connect to this beautiful season 🌻🌺🌻🌺
I know, isn’t that wonderful? It is sweet to know that folks somewhere are enjoying the beauty and rebirth of spring. I get to enjoy it vicariously. 🙂
I just love seeing the garden in all it’s phases. What a wonderful idea.
Thank you, Gigi. I was pondering the first shot this morning and how very soon I’m heading right back there. Time seems to go so fast these days. 😉
It looks as though it really came into its own in the past two months. I love the way everything has a last burst of loveliness before getting all autumnal.
It is an amazing cycle to witness. Although summer is my favorite, I really do enjoy the four seasons.
I recently bought a pair of warm, heavily treaded snow boots in the hopes that having done so will sabotage any possibilities for bad weather this winter…
I hope your strategy works! 😉
If it wasn’t for the slight changes in foliage I would think it is still summer Eliza! You still have so much lovely colour! That must be why the Monarch stopped by, to admire it all. 😉 The asters are pretty – nice to have wild ones settling in. I hope the squirrel doesn’t remove the last of the sunflowers as well. Thanks for sharing, Eliza!
Thanks, Cathy. I’m hoping that I might be able to harvest some seed for next year, but I might not get the chance! The asters all throughout the property seem to have benefitted from the dry summer, they look terrific.
Wow, this is a piece of Heaven, Eliza! I am looking forward to seeing the Aster in full bloom next week!
Thank you, Anca!
“Off with their heads!” said the squirrel. Poor sunflowers. 😦
IKR? I was hoping that the goldfinches would get some of that seed!
When I was a child, I did a school project on butterflies and learnt about Monarch Butterflies. That was the beginning of my love for butterflies, and the Monarch in particular. We see them sometimes here in South Australia, usually towards the end of summer. They are such beautiful creatures, and even more so when you know how fragile their existence is …
Fascinating! I didn’t know they were introduced to Australia – amazing that they adapted. Is there a native Asclepias (milkweed) species or were they imported as well? Perhaps they might prove to be a buffer population in the face of their North American decline.
I am not sure, Eliza. I assumed in my ignorance that Australia was part of their long passage of migration, but I’ve probably got that completely wrong. If I have, then I would imagine it must be an introduced weed here (of which we have many) that allows them to live. I see a few every year — not many, but always a few, and only ever in our house south of Adelaide, the one further from the city.
I read up on them at the Australia Museum. Seems that the first sighting was 1871. I can’t help but think the first ones must have been mightily confused when migrating! While the adults feed on flowers, the larva only eat milkweed, so it must have been a challenging (or lucky) introduction.
I love your cloud-like Aster, it adds that frothy exuberant touch to the border belying the fact that autumn is approaching.
Thank you, Christina. There are numerous wild asters around my property and they are looking glorious, filled with pollinators, all a-hum and buzz. 🙂
The squirrels stole my plums. I had no idea they liked them. But they made us laugh attempting to take more than one at a time. There were plenty left for us. Thanks for sharing your glorious photos.
Thank you, Karen. Squirrels can be quite pesky, but they have to eat, too.
That’s my attitude to them. Quite happy to share. I just plant more than I need with everything in the garden and keep a philosophical view. Much nicer than getting cross.
Agreed!
It looks nice, Eliza!
Thank you, Maria!