Comments

1. 
   meander_michaele 10/12/2015

   Your 2nd and 3rd pictures have me singing the autumn blues in a most happy way, Joe. Although, actually, on my laptop screen, the center plant is really more a purply blue...is it an aster? Your corner bed looks great with the hot orange from the canna flowers making things sizzle. Do you lift and over winter the canna rhizomes or leave them in place and hope for the best?

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Meander, The Blue plant is Aster Blue Bird. I store the rhizomes from the Cannas in the basement except those planted near the house. They overwinter fine. I've had these for av=bout 20 yrs. & have given away bushel baskets of rhizomes thru the years.

2. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 10/12/2015

   Looks great, Joe. It's fun to see what folks' gardens are looking like in October. It's a lush, cool tme in a lot of places. I love the muhly grass in your containers, especially in combination with one of my favorite annuals, 'Black Pearl' pepper.

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Thank you , I am glad to hear you like the containers. A friend sells the pepper plants at a farmers market. There is also a Deutzia Yuki Cherry blossom in there that I hope survives the winter..

2. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Tim, If you have the time & I would appreciate it if you'd give me some advice about how to overwinter the Deutzia in the container. I think you & I are in the same zone 7. Thank you, Joe

1. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 10/12/2015

   Hi Joe. I'm actually in zone 6, although sometimes it is more like zone 5. Deutzia appear to be all zone 5 hardy, so my best guess is that it will be fine in the container all winter, as long as your container itself can make it through the winter. So far, the only shrub I've overwintered outdoors in a container is Rhus typhina Tiger Eye, which is zone 4 hardy. It was exposed and froze quite solid and came back fine.
   Do you get much freezing/thawing that would result in frost heaving? If so, I'd mulch it or anchor it down with stones.
   My not-expert opinion!

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Hi Tim, We do get freeze thaws during the winter & I will follow your advice. Thank you for your help., it is informative & encouraging regarding over wintering containers. Thank you, Joe

3. 
   diane_lasauce 10/12/2015

   Nice Joe. I am surprised your neighbors have not caught the bug or hired you to create gardens for them!

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Thank you Diane, My neighbors stop by now & then & ask questions about plants etc. & 2 elderly neighbors across the street like to set on their porches in the evening to check things out but that's the extent of it.

1. 
   diane_lasauce 10/12/2015

   Joe, every pretty garden makes a huge difference. Keep up the good work!

4. 
   Chris_N 10/12/2015

   Everything looks so lush, Joe. It's always fun to look back at past photos and compare.

   Past posts for Joe:

   https://www.finegardening.com/summer-growth-joes-front-yard-garden

   https://www.finegardening.com/joes-front-yard-garden-just-one-year

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Thank you, We had quite a bit of rain & the hurricane was still a threat to come up Chesapeake Bay & that's why I took the photos in the rain. The weather has been great here & lots of things blooming. Mother Nature rewarding me for letting her pumpkin plant grow ?

5. 
   HelloFromMD 10/12/2015

   Hi Joe, beautiful perennials and containers. What is the tall yellow? What grass is in your containers? Really nice pink color. Love the picket fence. Wonderful color.

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Hi, The yellow plant in the background is Helianthus Gold Lace. The grass in the containers are Pink Muhly,Tiwsted Dar tRush , Draecaena Spikes. also Rosemary, Angelina sedum & Dracaena Superbells Blackberry punch. Thank you, Joe

6. 
   GrannyCC 10/12/2015

   Joe your gardens are wonderful. I looked back at the beginning of the year and everything has grown in and looks lush and full. Amazing that you can keep your Canna's in the ground. I have had some which I dug up but had trouble getting them to flower again. I can see why your neighbours like to watch what is going on.

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Catherine,Thank you for your comments. The Cannas next to the house have always pulled thru & provide a continuous supply of rizomes for the last 20 yrs. or so. The stored ones are about 55/50 usually. Joe

2. 
   Meelianthus 10/12/2015

   Catherine, hope you don't mind me stepping in here but since we are in about the same zone, I just wanted to say that I leave my Cannas in all winter. I mulch them heavily every Fall in preparation for freezing and they come up beautifully every summer with plenty of flowers. If I suspect a really cold winter that may go below 20 then I just invert a plant pot over the top of the crown. You might give it a try.

1. 
   GrannyCC 10/12/2015

   Thanks Linda I will try that as I do love their tropical look. I do winter over my Dahlias but the crop did not do so well over this last year.

7. 
   Meelianthus 10/12/2015

   Goodmorning Joe ~ Your garden is so lush, inspiring, and really beautiful. You must get a lot of sun right there (something I don't have!) as your flowers all look so happy. I looked back at your previous GPOD - you truly have mastered the 'front yard garden', thanks for sharing your creativity once again.

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Hi Meelianthus, The front gardens s full sun on the south side of the house. I just followed the guidelines in F.G No. 122 & had help with plant selection. A little compost & organic fertilizer in April & then I get out of the way. of the coming jungle.
   Thank you for the compliments , Joe

8. 
   CJgardens 10/12/2015

   Joe, it's good to see an October update from your gardens. Thankful the hurricane didn't cause problems for you. I don't see the volunteer pumpkin; did I miss it? Your gardens have filled in wonderfully. I've been envious of the gardeners that can grow muhly grass but I never thought about putting it in a container. I'm going to consider that in the future but my unheated front porch gets below 10 degrees and my basement is between 55 & 60 degrees. Would either location work for overwintering? cj

1. 
   user-3565112 10/12/2015

   Hi Carol, We took the pumpkins out about a week before the Oct. 2 photos were taken. I Don't know about overwintering because this is the 1st, year for me. I assumed they were hardy in zone 7. I hope so because there a seven more in the yard.. Started with small plugs in April. Thank you, Joe

1. 
   Chris_N 10/13/2015

   Pink muhly grass is listed as hardy to zone 6 or 7 depending on who you read so it should do fine in the ground for you, Joe.

1. 
   user-3565112 10/13/2015

   Chris, Thank you. The other seven are in the ground & I will move these to the ground also after the 1st. frost. Joe

2. 
   Chris_N 10/13/2015

   Carol Jean, I believe you're in zone 4, Wisconsin. I'd try overwintering it
   in your basement. It's a warm season grass so I assume it goes dormant and would be ok without
   light. I love pink muhly too, but being in zone 5 Wisconsin have never planted it. Seeing Joe's containers, I think I might use it next year at work and try overwintering in our 55 degree utility building. Even if it doesn't make it, it's still an awesome container plant.

9. 
   user-7007076 10/13/2015

   I love how thick your gardens are! What a lush oasis you've create from the rush of city life.

1. 
   user-3565112 10/13/2015

   Thank you, SarahThe front gardens are a little over a year old.& we've lost a few plants & added a few replacements but for the most part we've left them alone. Weeding & light fertilizing in the spring has been the extent of maintenance so far. Joe

10. 
    Cenepk10 10/13/2015

    What Jean said. Loving on that garden, Joe. Grateful you shared with us. I have an affinity for lush, green, cottagey gardens & houses. Your shots really put a smile on my face !

11. 
    greengenes 10/13/2015

    Hi Joe! What a lovely yard of colors and textures! Beautiful all in all. Iam sure the neighbors are glad to see your yard every time they step out of theirs! Beautiful!

12. 
    Yeddi 10/13/2015

    What an inspiration to do away with a front lawn! Your garden is beautiful Joe and it's so interesting to learn that you were following the F.G. Guidelines. Lovely.