It seemed every morning last week my phone informed me to expect afternoon monsoons?! And it was right. The copious rainfall produced a fine crop of summer flowers, most likely the last of the season. This is a handful of summer in my garden.
When I lived further north I was never happy to see the summer end. Now I relish the first fall cold front. It arrived over the weekend bringing lower humidity and temperatures. My husband gleefully exclaimed “it’s 68 degrees.” The garden season is beginning in South Florida.
This vase is a casual mason jar Plonk. I was surprised to find Tropical Gardenias (Tabernaemontana diviricata) in October – but here they are with Benary’s Giant Zinnias. Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis) in yellow also enjoyed the rain.
The purple Beautyberries (Calliocarpa americana) are still hanging on. A native Passion Vine (Passiflora suberosa) was hanging on as well and was added to the vase. Blue flowers are Porter weed (Stachytarpeta) These are supposed to be evil invasives and I am just not getting why. This Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) are flowering in corals. I cut a few white Bidens alba and Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa) and celebrated the end of summer.
I hope everyone is enjoying fall. To check out other fall vases, visit Cathy at RamblingintheGarden.
The Shrub Queen 
63 degrees this morning. I bought new basil yesterday as all the rain killed all my plants. Yes, happy to have better weather. Lovely vase display.
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Thank you. Nice weather for a change.. I need new herbs, too. Tomato time as well.
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It is funny how people view the weather in different locations. Houston is in the high 80s, which is a relief there, and here it is only going up to the 60s. I’m trying to figure out the coat thing. I had to wear my “winter” coat, which is a fleece jacket. I have a lot of shopping to do.
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It is. Are you relieved to be out of Houston? I hope there is a Lands End outlet nearby!!
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Yes and no. I miss my garden. Almost every plant I grew was new to me. I had lived there so long, I’m not used to the cold anymore. It will probably take a year or two to get accumulated to seasons. And yes, there is a Lands End and LL Bean.
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I still miss aspects of my Atlanta garden. 12 years later. Camellias and Japanese Maples. Not sure how long the acclimatization will take. Don’t forget the Polartec!
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The landscaper put in a camellia, so I guess they grow here. I was surprised that Crepe Myrtles grow here, too. Japanese Maples will grow here for sure. It’s actually not as cold here as it is in the mountains where I grew up.
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How long do beautyberry last?
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I have had them around in December. I cut more than the birds eat. The leaves are slowly falling off.
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So they can last almost as long as winter berries? That is cool. It is new to me.
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yes, it depends. I have two the other one is stripped of berries soon after they ripen.
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Happy Fall gardening. It is a relief for the humidity to decrease. The zinnias and gardenias at the base of the arrangement give it a sophisticated zing.
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Thanks, Susie.
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I’m glad to hear you’re getting that cooler fall weather. We may be on the receiving end of some of that too – our temperatures have dropped and there’s rain in the forecast! As always, I envy the beautyberries.
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
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Rain! Whoohoo!!
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This is a strikingly colourful vase, Amelia, with an intriguing mix of blooms and stems. As Automatic Gardener says, it is interesting how different people view different weather conditions. Here, there has been a distinct change too, with lower teen temperatures in the daytime, and the central heating has just begun to click in some mornings. Some misty or foggy mornings too.
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Thank you, Cathy. We see people wearing flannel shirts at 75F here and still laugh, but probably would never move back north.
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Haha -the Golfer would be one of those people, and he would probably have a jumper on as well (maybe a woolly hat too)!
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After many years of my husband laughing at me for having a blanket on the sofa..now he has one.
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A colorful vase to celebrate the change of seasons. Did 68º feel really cold? 😀
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Thanks, no he was thrilled it was 68!
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Good to hear your temperatures are finally lower, and the humidity too – despite all the rain. We are getting misty mornings in the 30s and 40s F here, (4°C overnight) but it is a pleasant 14°C or so by mid afternoon which is perfect for gardening! The Juba bush is a lovely spiky flower for a vase, and I like the blue flower too and must look that one up. As always, the salvia is lovely!
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Yes, yay fall ! I have been throwing salvia away there is so much.
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Love the Zinnias and the Beautyberries–great combination!
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