One way or another October always makes me happy. Bar hurricanes from that statement. The weather cools and this month marks my return to gardening. I spent Sunday morning in the garden dodging rain showers and toweling Fiona the Greyhound off every time we had to run back into the house.
There are seemingly millions of sticks scattered throughout the garden from the glancing blow of Hurricane Milton. It doesn’t seem like I have enough trees to have produced all of these sticks. They can’t really be raked up, so I have been picking them up one by one. Sisyphus would have loved it.
Some of my favorite native plants flower in the fall. The Juba Bush is one that causes jubilation as does Muhly Grass, both lending their fluffy pastel brilliance to this vase. I cut a handful of blooms and plonked them into my Ute tribe vase, swirled them around and viola!
Closer views:
The Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa) is the creamy white flower. It has a wonderful fragrance and is a good cut flower. The plant, being native, has a mind of its own and will only grow where it decides to. I leave it in the middle of pathways, etc. as I enjoy the flower. Here’s the full story from George Rogers at Treasure Coast Natives if you want to read up on Juba Bush. The peach flower is Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) wearing fall colors; a bit of Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaries)
It’s hard to see these blue flowers in the vase – ‘Sapphire Showers’ Duranta (Duranta repens); they rarely flower – so I plucked a few to enjoy in the house. The white daisies are another native, Bidens alba, I pull and cut these at will – they never go away and will happily grow with no attention whatsoever.
That’s all from my garden this Monday. I hope to be back in the garden with Sisyphus, clearing up the sticks. Follow this link to visit Cathy and see more vases in the comments – RamblingintheGarden
The Shrub Queen 
A plus for living in the South, flowers in the fall. I am finally getting someone out here this week to finish clean-up from my hurricane damage. Just think about the great exercise you are getting while picking up sticks.
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I love how feathery this arrangement is! Keep on, keep on going picking up the sticks, just like Sisyphus. 🙂
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October is usually pleasant here, too, and more so this year with our mild, comfy weather. The Duranta, Salvia, Juba, Asters, and the foliage create a lovely, airy combination. Stunning! The vase is perfect, too.
Beth @ PlantPostings.com
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Ha! Duranta! Brent bragged about his while it was still rather rare years ago, and was SO annoyed that I was unimpressed. (Actually, I was sort of impressed, but would not give him the satisfaction of being obvious about it.) If I remember correctly, it is ‘Sapphire Showers’. Is there another species that is more vining with bloom that looks just like ‘Sapphire Showers’? Brent’s is shrubby, although it grew tall in an attempt to get through other vegetation. It is a pretty accessory to the large flowers of ‘Charles Grimaldi’ angel’s trumpet.
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Had to giggle at the Sisyphus idea! I suppose the sticks are a small price to pay for escaping the worst of MIlton 😉 Picking, plonking and swirling is a new angle with a very fetching result. What an asset the lovely Juba bush must be, with those pretty and fragrant flowers
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Still picking up sticks.
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That’s a great description of the cleanup effort required in the wake of your brush with Hurricane Milton. I’m facing something of the same exercise with the deluge of tiny flowers from our strawberry trees – they’re blooming more heavily than I’ve ever seen them do, which was beautiful until billions of those little round flowers began dropping everywhere. I love your Juba bush and I envy your rain.
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
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Frilly and beautiful, I esp. love the muhly and coral salvia.
Your stick clean up sounds like my massive oak tree under which sticks fall all year long, but particularly in windy weather. They also resist raking with their twigs growing at right angles to the stem. Great kindling however, so the clean up has its rewards. 🔥
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Thanks, Eliza. these sticks are too small for kindling! more like matches.
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Maybe a broom!
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LOL, brooms for fairies.
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This is just so pretty. Nicely balanced with such interesting elements. I agree with Eliza about the muhly and coral salvia combination and I like how the Juba Bush works with it all. Glad you can feel like Sisyphus yet still title your post Jubilation.
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Thanks, Susie.
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I’m glad the hurricane only gave you a passing blow in form of some sticks. I too love October although this year it seldomly shows its golden side. Your bouquet is delightful and sparkling. A big hug for Fiona
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Thanks, Annette. Fiona was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in late August. She collapsed this week and we lost her at age seven.
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Oh no😱 I’m so terribly sorry! This must have been a very aggressive form of cancer. At least she didn’t have to suffer too long but I know how it is to lose a beloved dog. Our last Ridgeback got leukemia at the same age…sending you lots of love x
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Thank you. It is, the dogs last a few months. So sad to lose our dogs so young.
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There is a delicate lightness to your floral arrangement this week, which is most pleasing.
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Thanks, Noelle. It’s fluffy fall flowers!
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I’m glad to read that you’re enjoying October Amelia. No doubt the drop in temperatures must come as a relief. I do like the juba bush flowers and to have scent too is a bonus. Here today I’ve joined you and have been busy picking up twigs from our willow tree after Storm Ashley at the weekend 😂
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Thank you, Anna. I am glad someone else is picking up sticks!
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Every one of these flowers is cause for jubilation Amelia! All in a vase together they simply look wonderful. So you are an October person too? My favourite month of the year. 😃 It is usually mild and dry enough to get lots done outside. Good luck with the picking up of sticks. Thank goodness you didn’t have anything more serious spread across your garden though…
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This is so beautiful and stunning photos.
https://openyourhearttogardening.blogspot.com/
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Thanks
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Most of these flowers are in my blog except The Juba Bush. I’ve yet to find one. Nice arrangement!
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I’m wondering if the Juba Bush is rare. The only place I have seen it is in my garden?
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The most common one around here is Iresine diffusa f. herbstii (the one called ‘chicken gizzard’). Iresine diffusa, or Juba’s bush has red leaves but elongated in shape, and the flower spike is much taller. I will keep my eyes open. It could be more common than one can imagine because when it’s not flowering, it’s just a common red leaf plant which may be confused with other similar ones.
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I’m seeing now some Juba Bush plants that have green leaves. That makes it even more confusing to ID when it’s not flowering.
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