Garden Photo of the Day

Coleus in the Fall

Nancy is not giving up, just yet! The coleus in her Maryland garden is still showing spunk.

"I don't feel at all ready to surrender to winter, so it helps to have flowers now that have the freshness of spring. The nights are in the forties, but fortunately I have taken all my cuttings. Are there other coleus lovers out there working to preserve their collection? The two reblooming Iris are Immortality and Clarence."

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  1. joycedaffodilhill 10/19/2015

    What a beautiful display of fall color, iris lovely. Something remarkable about the colors in fall that is so different from heat colors of summer.

  2. user-3565112 10/19/2015

    I like all the photos of your gardens but the 4th one is my favorite. I'd like to know what type of grass the red one is hardy in your area. .The Aster combination is outstanding..

    1. User avater
      HelloFromMD 10/19/2015

      That's a combo of Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' and Lespedeza thunbergii. The fun part in that combo is the wild solidago. It "decided" to plant itself there and join in the fall party. It's just the right height and not aggressive.

      1. User avater
        Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 10/19/2015

        I'm thinking Joe was referring to the Japanese Blood Grass in the background of amazing photo 4. Is that Salvia Black and Blue, or another guaranitica cultivar?

        1. User avater
          HelloFromMD 10/19/2015

          I didn't count the first photo. Yes that's Imperata 'Red Baron'. That salvia is just the straight species. Really not fully hardy here and I have tried it in several locations and that's the only spot where it returns. It's not even that sunny. One of the small miracles in gardening.

          1. user-3565112 10/19/2015

            Thank you & Tim for the information. I am going to Kingsdene tomorrow & hopefully they will have it. They're holding a Limelight tree hydrangea for me.

  3. Cenepk10 10/19/2015

    Beautiful ! Me neither!

  4. User avater
    meander_michaele 10/19/2015

    Wonderful photos, Nancy...the colors have that extra vibrancy and intensity that seem to only happen in the cooler temps of fall. Don't you just love having some reblooming bearded iris do their thing in Oct. I have a variety called 'Autumn Circus' that just keeps throwing up bud filled stalks and I feel almost giddy with delight as each bud opens into a glorious bloom. Since a last name was not included, I'll just be forthright and ask if you are HelloFromMD whose garden pictures I have always enjoyed?

    1. User avater
      HelloFromMD 10/19/2015

      Hi Meander1, good thing I got online today! Had a busy couple of days and I need to catch up on postings at the end of last week. And I do love the reblooming Iris so now I will seek out Autumn Circus. Perhaps you could post a picture.

      1. User avater
        meander_michaele 10/19/2015

        Ha, be careful what you ask for, Nancy. I have been snapping pictures of my 'Autumn Circus' and a yellow one I forget the name of...so here it goes...I just love to see those fun flowers against the dried blooms of the hydrangea...kind of a ying and yang.

  5. wGardens 10/19/2015

    Beautiful fall displays. You have inspired me to get some reblooming iris!

  6. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 10/19/2015

    Nancy! Of course your borders and combinations are stunning. No surprise there. Such a pleasure to peruse. How does the hydrangea in photo 2 still have pure white flowers this time of year? They seem so fresh.
    All of the coleus cuttings and plants that are slated for overwintering came in this past week. We've had three nights hovering around 31°. Did you stay warmer out east? This year I've noted with amusement that some coleus take being cut or yanked from the ground with aplomb. They don't wilt and don't miss a beat. Some act like they are poorly and pining and fixin' to expire. Usually they pull through. I don't get everything to root because I don't go to the trouble to keep them hot. I've noticed they root much better in heat than in the cool of my basement. Do you have any rooting tips or tricks for coleus?

    1. User avater
      HelloFromMD 10/19/2015

      I reduced the height of Bobo hydrangea this spring so it flowered later on those stems. Nice result. I'll have to do that again so I get fresh flowers later…….
      You took your cuttings later than I did. I took mine on Sept 24 and 25. Mine are in the kitchen. No rooting hormone. Just 2 nodes on each cutting. I put plastic freezer bags over them. I poke holes in the freezer bags for ventilation. This year I was careful to remove the bags by 2 weeks and if some of the cuttings weren't rooted enough I completely opened the top of the bag. Humdidity at 60%. Last year I left the bags on too long and got some losses due to grey mold. I am worried about our frosts this weekend dropping my humidity. I brought in my Colocasias and Baby Tut on Friday so it will be tough on them getting adjusted indoors……
      Some cultivars root better than others. Jade, Inky Fingers, Red Head, Marooned easy. Trickier are the Twist & Twirl and Tilt a Whirl, but they are so cool. ….
      Best of all is Plectranthus. Dead easy to root, buts don't like them. Coleus get mealy bug. Colocasia get spider mites. I have a silver, variegated, green on gold variegated, and a purple plectranthus. Awesome plants.
      Best new annual out there is 'Little Ruby' Alternanthera. Great deep purple foliage even in part sun. Nice thick clump. Roots easily.

      1. User avater
        Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 10/19/2015

        Thanks, Nancy. I'd been wondering if shorter cuttings root better. When you say two nodes on each cutting, are you saying your cuttings are only two leaf nodes below the node-packed growing tip? Just one node in the water?
        I've never worried about covering them to keep humidity up. Sounds like a great idea, especially for the touchier varieties.
        Knock on wood, white flies are the only big problem I seem to have on overwintering plants, and then mostly on Duranta.

      2. User avater
        Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 10/19/2015

        PS. Thanks for the photos. For some reason I don't see photos posted in comments unless I refresh my browser window. I see new comments and hints about comments, though. Hmm. The photos pretty much answer my question about '2 nodes'. cheers.

  7. greengenes 10/19/2015

    Beautiful pictures, Nancy! Its so great to see these still hanging on! The iris is always a nice ending to a great summer! I love that anemone... I purchased this one and it reverted back to a single pink.. yours is beautiful! Thanks for sharing with us!

  8. Meelianthus 10/19/2015

    Sure doesn't look like winter is coming around the corner in your garden Nancy. Wonderful colors, especially in your 'rooting' arrangement. Looks like an exciting garden!

  9. Yeddi 10/19/2015

    Ooh! I love all the color and the last picture is my absolute favorite. I will wish you No Frost for a while

  10. janeeliz 10/19/2015

    Your fall garden is so lovely...such great color! How delightful it is to see your beautiful iris re-blooming!

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