Garden Photo of the Day

Ready or not!

Acalypha Fire Dragon Begonia Dragon Wing  Pachystachys

Check out the seasonal changes in Jeff Carlton’s garden.

“Still plenty of stuff in the garden even though there is a chill in the air every morning.  I can see changes in all the plants preparing for colder temperatures.  I am never prepared for colder temperatures.”

Please keep sending in photos (and stories)! Whether you’ve never shared before or you’ve been featured multiple times, we want to see your garden! Email a few photos and the story behind your garden to [email protected].

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

 

Caladium Tradescantia and Persian Shield 
Coleus Impatiens Colocasia and Begonia Sophie Cecile 
Daylilies in September
Euphorbia Bonfire Juniperus Gold Strike and Chrysogonum Green n Gold
fall grouping
Macho Fern and Begonia Whopper 
Persian Shield Ensete Colocasia

View Comments

Comments

  1. perenniallycrazy 09/15/2015

    Wow! This week is just an explosion of glorious garden specimens. Thank you Susan, Jeff and Tim.

    I'm still in love with your Acalypha but I am completely enthralled with the specimens in the third photo. Sophie Cecile is just darling and that "Frog in the Blender" Colocasia is still a show stealer.

    Your fall grouping is so refreshingly cool. I love the blues and the orange accent sticks! What is the conifer in the smallest container?

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      Cherry, that is Chamaecyparis Gold Mop

  2. user-1020932 09/15/2015

  3. greenthumblonde 09/15/2015

    As usual Jeff, spectacular!

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      thanks so much, Jan! are you heading south soon?

  4. NCYarden 09/15/2015

    Looks awesome, Jeff. Great displays, even with falling temperatures. I, however, am ready for cooler temps. Summer was oddly brutal on my garden this year.
    Curious - what is the thinking around the "skewers" in the pots in the fall grouping photo?

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      there really was no thought behind it. my 4 y/o grandson was helping me "work" (i pay him in quarters) and he stuck some of those in a pot. couldn't really see them so we painted them . he was thrilled with his work and so was i,,,,,,,gotta get their hands dirty early on i think

      1. sheila_schultz 09/15/2015

        Good job teaching him to have a bit of fun outside, Pops!

  5. User avater
    meander_michaele 09/15/2015

    Hard to look at your pictures with such a tropical vibe going on and think autumn is almost here. Remind me again...do you save all your colocasia bulbs/tubers (which is it?) and, if so, what is your technique? The euphorbia 'Bonfire' is aptly named ...esp. with the hint of sun seeming to have lit up the tips. Does it hold its leaves throughout the winter like many euphorbias do? If so, must be quite a pleasing sight with that bold coloration. Things look great and have to give that great feeling of "job well done!"

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      Mike, i do overwinter the colocasia and alocasia, , i just cut off the tops and store the pots in the basement until spring. i might give them a cup of water occasionally when i think about it. they really do not start growing fat and happily until Memorial Day. the Euphorbia does hold it's leaves ,it has several different faces throughout the growing season

  6. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 09/15/2015

    What's not to love? Looks great, Jeff. I'm surprising myself, but I love that impatiens in the photo with the amazing begonia Sophie. It almost looks like a new guinea impatiens infused with blood from the hardy impatiens that are becoming more common. That's a great caladium, as well.
    I'm ready for fall garden editing in the new 'coolth' of fall and the rest that comes with the colder temperatures, but I'd really like the lows to stay above 30°.......

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      Tim, that is the only impatiens variety that i grow, i like the color, the form and growth habit and the leaf color AND it flowers prolifically all summer in dark shade. i have no idea what variety it is tho

  7. hontell 09/15/2015

    Jeff, love the tropics, hate the thought of cool weather, but it hit this weekend. Your plant groupings are very vibrant...super talented

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      thanks! i just turn on the water hose in May and turn it off in October :)

  8. User avater
    gringopeligroso 09/15/2015

    Jeff!!
    Love your personal style and especially how you integrate contained specimens with the planted treasures, the hardscape peeking thru here and there, and especially how you use colour....not relying on solely on flowers but utilizing foliage variations and textures for deeper interest and "Pop"!!
    REALLY envious of your E. 'Bonfire'. I LOVE it, but have yet to figure out how NOT to kill it here. Several carcasses have made it to the compost pile, but I'm hoping to one day figure out what it likes and what I'm doing wrong!! It seems to be my curse this incarnation that I have the most trouble with the so-called easiest plants!!
    Beautiful photographic capture of the Daylily. I LOVE the backlighting and the petals seem to be gracefully dancing!!
    Not sure HOW in the World you keep your client's gardens looking soo good, and still have time to make your own place a show stopper? My suspicion is that you garden by braille and only sleep 2-3 hours per day!!

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      Jesse, that Euphorbia is the ONLY survivor out of 10 that i planted... all of the Helena's Blush have died off and now i'm working on killing E. Blackbird. not sure why that daylily variety decided to flower all summer but i am glad it did

  9. jagardener 09/15/2015

    Jeff- really beautiful. My kind of garden as most plants grow in the tropical zone. The Persian Shield is vibrant and not to mention the colocasia. Love it all.

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      thanks! i'm gonna miss them this winter but i won't miss the watering

  10. greengenes 09/15/2015

    Beautiful as always, Jeff! It is hard to head for fall and get the last glimpse of summers end. I would have to say the Persian shield is a show stopper. And do you overwinter your caladiums? Those granite steps are to die for!

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      no, i don't over winter the caladium. it's just easier to buy large showy plants each spring. i might, however, over winter the frog in a blender because i paid way more than i should have for it

  11. sheila_schultz 09/15/2015

    I'm going to start calling you King Jeff, ruler of all large leafed plants! Your banana's, colocasia's and caladium's always look sooo perfect... no pesky little holes riddling those fabulous leaves! I mean, this is the end of summer and your plants look pretty darn pristine! Really???
    Now for the serious question... Oct. is just around the corner and my eyes aren't what they used to be, but do I see a little horror humor creeping into your vignettes? A hand trying to escape from a pot with a solemn face lurking in the shadows of photo #3? A skeletal hand in a lantern, a dessicated brain (rock?) with a jack-o-lantern in the background posing as a terra cotta pot in photo #6 and a spider climbing the post in #8? Or is it just my aging imagination running amok? Just wondering...

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      well, Eagle Eye Schultz you found the "easter eggs" i start slipping ghoulish things in kind of early . ... most are at or near 3 ft from the ground and that is the perfect height so kids can discover them. i still love Halloween!

      1. sheila_schultz 09/15/2015

        The spider caught my eye and it was so subtle I knew it was just the beginning ) Was there a jack-o-lantern in #6? The sunlight was filtering thru the shot but I got excited when I thought I found the 'tough to find' creepie. ;) So happy my eyes weren't playing tricks... or treats???
        Annek check it out ;)

    2. perenniallycrazy 09/16/2015

      Do you use surgical magnification to view blog photos Sheila?

      1. sheila_schultz 09/16/2015

        It was that spider that caught my eye... plus I know Jeff well enough that if there is one ghoulish tidbit there will be more ;) Creepy can be so delightful!

  12. Meelianthus 09/15/2015

    Jeff ~ Beautiful and lush, and intriguing combinations!

  13. annek 09/15/2015

    You've done it again, Jeff! I'm a little green with envy and completely enthralled with your groupings. I agree Sheila, King Calton

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      i say every year,,,,,,,,,,i'm NOT going to plant as many pots this year but if there is an empty pot ,,,,,,,,,,,,chances are that i'm gonna fill it

      1. perenniallycrazy 09/16/2015

        Liar!

      2. philhakala 09/18/2015

        everything looks great Jeff!

  14. Cenepk10 09/15/2015

    Dang !!!! Feast for the eyes !!!

  15. Cenepk10 09/15/2015

    How did you get daylillies to bloom now ?

    1. user-1020932 09/15/2015

      i didn't do anything, that is the only variety still flowering and has been since July

  16. Cenepk10 09/15/2015

    I want daylillies in Sept !!!!

  17. user-7007327 09/15/2015

    Love all your plants, especially the persian shield. Is that an antique cup holder on the post? Great idea, I have my grandmother's.

  18. user-4691082 09/16/2015

    Oh, Jeff, your garden is so lush! Do you pinch your Persian Shield back so it stays smaller? Mine is too leggy...I have to look at them all again after I read Eagle Eye Shultz's comments! Delish!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest