Bogturtle's Garden- Nov. 16 to end, 2022

 

Cold temperatures, without much frost yet, really have set back some Morning Glories and other plants, but these Red Double Knockout Roses are two of many that look fine. 

   A plant that rivals the common 'Burning Bush' Eunymous alata (I think) for brilliance, if grown in day long sun, Enkianthus perulatus is shown here, getting maybe half a day Sun back into the border near the little pool. Contrasting nicely with the green of a truly southern shrub, the TiTi or Cyrilla that has been given the species name 'arida' because it seems to do well on drier land than most other species. A famous source of nectar for honeybees, down South, but it just doesn't bloom for me, but I think it is quite evergreen. Cyrilla arida, then. 

Not confident this Enkianthus shrub will hold these brilliant leaves much longer, although they should turn before falling. If it looks better, I will delete this photo and put the more brilliant one here.  

So Mahonia 'Winter Sun' has begun to bloom, and if severe cold holds off it may bloom as it has in some past years. I didn't try to smell them, but I think they have a nice fragrance, and on warm Winter days little flying insects will pollinate them. 

                                  

                                      Acer palmatum 'Bihou'. 

The Japanese Maple, shown often, but here caught by a ray of Sun.                 

And, in the circle, as we take the exit drive, another Mahonia. M. 'Charity' really is almost in full bloom. 

What with almost nothing growing, I took to weeding the little rock garden again. Discouraging, as the hired crew just let it get so over-run with weeds that some valued plants may be lost. I would fire them if I had actually hired any, ever. What a lot of work, and I am keeping a photo record of progress, because it gives me heart to keep going. Plan to just keep moving around into the main perennial bed. Will have to see if any plants I want sprout, next Spring, but it is impressive how much room there is to plant plants I once had, or something new.  Now that the pool is closed, the vegetable garden is idle, and the lawn hardly growing, and before the soil gets too cold to deal with, I am finding time. A few evergreens remain, like a dwarf kind of 'Mondo Grass', probably Ophiogon japanicus 'Nanus', a Juniper I think is referred to as a Japanese Temple Juniper, a truly dwarf Euonymus, E. kewensis, and another sprawling one called E. 'Woolong Ghost', as well as the most dependable, hardy and sturdy little Geum called 'King Boris' or G. boresii. Few perennials have been here longer that that splendid addition. Not shown in this photo. While I was weeding I did expose the tips of bulbs that will bloom this Spring.

Hermit Thrush takes a selfie. I noticed the date is wrong, this being 11/17. These birds have a beautiful song when announcing their nesting territory in the northern forests. Wintering here, we only get an occasional 'chip' and a flick of the tail. 

The only Oak in the woods that turned this bright red, and perhaps it is the species called the Scarlet Oak. Really did glow out in the woods behind the house, and I was curious.

The Amelanchier, Shadbush, Shadblow, Juneberry has taken on its typical orange shade, and then below that small tree, the Fothergilla 'Mt Airey' has some of the scarlet, while being mostly orange this year.  Colors do vary from year to year, and it has not been extraordinary this Fall. Continuing to the right, the plain green leaves of the Wintersweet or Chimonanthus shrub just sort of hang a little. They will fall and the tiny flowers will bloom in the dead of Winter. Continuing to the right, the classic Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Snow Queen' still has quite a few mahogany colored leaves. 

Cheers my little heart to have almost no leaves on the extensive driveway. A chore of blowing them away every 3 days or so. 

Another aspect of living in a World I don't really understand is that I cannot post any of my comments or responses to any that do come???????? I can see what other folk comment. 

Really don't even know how or who to ask, as Google seems unhappy with any efforts I make. And I would like to, at least, respond to the one or two that ever seem to even see this blog.