End of October highlights Tim Vojt's Ohio garden
"No frost here yet and none in the forecast. Some plants know it's autumn, others are putting out new growth and pumping out new flowers like winter is never coming.
The photo of the crazy Celosia I've included is cool and yet grotesque: it's very weedy-looking until it blooms. I planted seeds two years ago, so this is a second generation seedling. Those flower heads just keep elongating and elongating.They are white during the heat of summer and then turn pink in the cooler weather. Cyclamen purpurascens 'Pewter Leaf' (I called it 'silver leaf' last time by mistake) has been putting out flowers for over a month. Definitely the plant I photograph the most in the garden. Salvia darcyi is a gigantic thing. that was stingy with blooms all summer while the hummingbirds were around. Now that they've all migrated south, it is sending out those red-hot flowers like crazy.
I hope everyone is having a great fall in the northern hemisphere and a wonderful spring down under!"
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Comments
G'day Tim - Great to see your post today. Your passion for and knowledge of plants certainly shines through. And it is most appropriate to feature the 'grotesque, crazy' Celosia on Halloween. Lovely photography for the post mate.
Your inclusion of 'down under' in your climatic wishes is very much appreciated. FYI, it has generally been a wetter and milder spring than normal down here, but I'm sure the heat will come soon. More trivial information - tomorrow is the Melbourne Cup international horse race (prize money of A$6.2 million for the winner); the race that literally stops the whole nation.
Cheers from Oz.
Thanks, Frank. It is rather fitting that the crazy Celosia is posted on Halloween. I've seen other Aussies post about a wet, chilly spring. I guess the only thing dependable about the weather is its undependability. I don't think I cared so much about the weather until I started gardening seriously.
I had no idea horse racing was a national passion in Australia. That's very cool.
Hope you are doing well and that a mild springs bodes well for a reasonable summer!!
Hi fellow GPODers - Hope this tickles your fancy. Farmer Henry was soooo 'attached' to his 1920s horse-drawn plough that he ended up as garden art.
Our neighbour, Rita, is soooo infatuated with poor old Henry - but it is a hollow relationship since the horse has bolted and Henry is a shadow of his former self.
Enjoy Halloween. Cheers, Frank
Shame on me for not knowing that Halloween is a holiday celebrated in Australia. It certainly looks as though you and your neighbor are well into the spirit of the day. And how nice that Henry is still rocking' a sporty hat.
Hi Michaele - We don't have a holiday for Halloween, but have one for the Melbourne Cup horse race (tomorrow). Work that one out.
Traditionally Halloween was not celebrated in Australia, but the younger generation now is more interested. Rita is a special needs teacher, and she dressed up for a school Halloween event. She is a good sport. Cheers, Frank
Rita *is* a good sport and she has good taste in color choices!
I love it! So Halloweenie!
Love it!
Could that be a White Walker from the "Game of Thrones"? Better be careful with Farmer Henry.
I think Rita needs to find a better man.
Hey Kev. - This luddite had to google White Walker, and I noticed that he didn't have a hat. I'm thinking Henry is more like the Grim Reaper when he is holding his scythe. And yes it is definitely time for Rita to find a man with substantially more substance.
Thanks for joining the fun. Cheers, Frank
Thanks for sharing, Frank. What a hoot!
Tim,
What a great selection of unusual plants that come into their prime in the late fall.
Thanks, Dale. I'm trying to look at my garden with a critical eye this fall in the hope of having more plants with multi-season staying power!
Lovely collection of plants, of course, and your photography is great. I always enjoy seeing your garden Tim. Happy gardening!
Thanks, Jay. Happy gardening to you, too. Love the darn iPhone camera. I'm excited to upgrade my phone this winter to have an even better unprofessional camera! :)
How did your Podophyllums perform this year?
Which Chinese horticultural zodiac year are you observing? Was the last one 'Year of the Podophyllum'?
This was the podophyllum year. Next year... who knows. Even though it was quite hot here this summer, most of them did pretty well. The delavayi kinda disappeared but I'm pretty sure they'll be back in the spring.
I hope the P. delavayi come back; I've heard they tend to go summer dormant.
And I need to learn how to spell 'delavayi'!
Tim, You certainly have the knack for finding , combining & photographing unusual plants. With the exception of the Heuchera I hav'nt seen any of these in garden centers. My mother in law gave me those Celosia seeds 25 years ago & they ae prolific re-seeders .Apparently the birds like the seeds & spread them everywhere. The Cyclamen is going on my list for next spring. Good work & good luck, Joe
Thanks, Joe. I do a lot of mail order to slake my plant lust! My wife wanted the Celosia and I was expecting a short-statured plant with magenta flowers when I bought these seeds. What a surprise! I am happy that they set seeds and are true. They are a lot of fun, plus the pollinators love them and praying mantis hang out on them to grab a snack.
I enthusiastically endorse Cyclamen purpurascens. It doesn't go dormant in summer and doesn't demand the dry dormancy that C. hederifolium and C. coum need. You'll be happy with it. I ordered mine from Eidelweiss Perennials in Oregon.
Awesome as always, Tim. Your garden updates are a perpetual pleasure. So glad you're getting an extended growing season with any frost being held at bay. Love the collection - just my style. I can't believe you have squirrel bait in bloom.
I have so much squirrel bait in bloom! Heck, everything seems to be squirrel bait, although now they are busy planting walnuts everywhere......A neighbor must have been feeding the squirrels raw peanuts last year because I have pulled at least a dozen peanut plants from around the garden this year!
What a fun collection of plant photos for today, Tim. I almost feel like I'm visiting an aquarium rather than a well loved garden. How awesome that you (and we) are getting to enjoy these exotic beauties even as Nov. 1 is knocking at the door. What is the hot pink striped plant tucked in the frame with the eye catching Podophyllum 'Galaxy'? And, I guessing the podophyllum is hardy for you. I wonder how quickly it will spread and turn into a large clump? What are your hopes?
I immediately noticed that cool pink plant, too. Looks like a bromeliad -Cryptanthus, maybe? Very strategically placed to brighten that shady spot. I assume you'll take it in, Tim? Even with this great weather, I'don't think Ohio will be considered Zone 10.
You are spot on, Chris. I had that No ID Cryptanthus in a container from last year and wanted the container, so stuck it in the ground. I *am* in zone denial, but that denial won't help this tropical. Frankly, I'm on the fence about bringing it in or letting it freeze. I love the garish color, but have to draw the line somewhere regarding how much tender stuff I overwinter.
Thanks, Michaele. There is definitely an under-the-sea feel to so many of these plants.
Chris is right about the hot-pink plant: a No ID Cryptanthus. Quite garish, no?
Yep, the Podophyllum is quite hardy and I'm so pleased. It's still rather young. Young leaves aren't terribly indented, mature leaves have a deeper-indented palmate shape. I don't know ultimately how it will mature. I know the Chinese species don't run like our native P. peltatum, but they can sprout up from root ends. Whatever it does and however it clumps up, I just want it to live. I've purchase a lot of different ones and already killed a couple of really expensive cultivars.... :( 'Galaxy' and 'Spotty Dotty' are two hybrids and they have performed the best for me so far; hybrid vigor.
I'm uploading a picture of my 'Spotty Dotty', in which you can clearly see a mature and immature leaf on the same plant. Down in the left of the photo you can see a baby one coming up, too, but I don't know if it is coming from spotty dotty or the Podophyllum delavayi in the cage just out of the photo to the left.
Oh, my...that is quite the adorable baby peeking out from the ground...looking up admiringly at what it will grow into. The indentations of the more mature leaf are really striking.
I really hope the little baby survives the winter. I keep resisting the temptation to dig around to see where exactly that baby is coming from!
Hi Tim! Good to see what you are up to! Nice collection of all things different. Your podophyillum is really nice. I hope to get a couple of those this coming year. Your castor bean is awesome too. It sure has been a good year for growth! Enjoy the fall!
Thanks, Jeanne. It's been an amazing fall. We have some great fall color, although many things are not turning yet. It's really being drawn out, which is fine by me!
Hi Tim, so many treasures! I'm jealous of your may apple. My specialty one didn't come up this spring so alas money wasted. Wish I knew what it didn't like. Love the marrubium. Is that in your gravel garden for drainage? That is one of the loveliest silver plants. Haven't tried that one yet. I am also a big fan of himalayan fern. Fortunately I had divided mine up and have it in multiple locations, as all locations don't overwinter. My other new one showing great promise is maidenhair 'Mairsii'. It has grown well in dry shade this year. So if it overwinters I am in luck! I get all these great ferns from Crownsville Nursery.
. Your cyclamen photo is quite beautiful, would make a nice print to frame. Now I have to take my coffee outside to see where in the world I can have fall crocus show.
I'm so sorry about your mayapple, Nancy! I feel your pain. I lost two $40 P. delavayi last year and that really hurts! I have the Marrubium in two different places, both sunny, dry gravel. I love it and it is my wife's favorite plant. I does well for about two years before the humidity and moisture kills it. I'm not sure how it can thrive when young and then succumb, but it's done it over and over and I buy it over and over......
Love your fern with the Carex and hosta. Is that your 'Mairsii'? It's been on my list for a while.
I haven't ordered from Crownsville for a long time; thank for the reminder.
I love the autumn crocus. The saffron crocus is another favorite, but mine did not survive long. Hope you are enjoying the mild fall we're having and that you've had enough rain. Cheers.
Hi Tim, you never disappoint! I have not heard of some of these plants, so your posts are always educational. I forget what zone you are in Ohio...Kevin and I want to take a field trip to your place someday! Speaking of Kevin, he wants as many of us that are able to meet at the Philadelphia Flower Show in early March maybe on Friday??? I am an hour from Philly, and we take the train from Newark, Delaware.. I can house 2 couples. Any takers? GrannieAnnie? Frankie, baby?
Hello there Rhonda - The comradery amongst the GPODers over there is fantastic. You and Kev. are obviously movers and shakers - very impressive!
Thanks, Rhonda. I love armchair plant exploring. Let others travel the world, collect plants, and I'll happily mail-order them! :)
Come to Columbus anytime. Thanks for putting the bug in my ear about the Philadelphia flower show. We have some friends there and it's not that terribly far away. I've never been for the show, but we've gone to Philadelphia a couple of times to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation. Maybe.....
Armchair plant exploring-love it. I have only gotten into mail-order plants for the last 6-7 years, so I still feel I am way behind in ultra cool plants. Kudos to you and your magnificent garden.
The Philadelphia Flower Show is awesome. BEen going annually for the past 20 years. Next year theme is "Holland".
Hmmm. Could be very interesting!
PS. Zone 6, but only 6 ish. We had two zone 5 winters in a row and last year the winter was a clean zone 7. Since I am in an old, early 19th century neighborhood with small lots and very close houses, I get a definite warmer microclimate than folks outside of the city, like my friend Eddi who comments on the blog.
It would be cool if we could get a group of GPODers to the Flower Show.
Always glad to see your photos being posted. Great plants, every time. I'll have to try the cyclamen. We saw some (not sure which species) blooming in California last week at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden and my wife thought some were hardy here. Now I know they are.
This is crazy weather. In Madison, WI, we have had frosts around us but none at home or at my work. The toad lilies are still going strong but most of the other perennials are slowly shutting down. My wife trimmed back the finished asters by the house to better show off the very happy Lantana. My tropical garden on the terrace (area between sidewalk and street) is still looking good. I was going to dig up the bananas, elephant ears and canna last weekend for winter storage but weather's going to be so nice I decided to do it next weekend. Maybe I'll send in some photos to GPOD of the November Wisconsin tropics.
Just noticed your tropical milkweed (A. curassavica) looks like it is next to a banana stem. I'll have to try some of those again next year.
Thanks, Chris. Are you zone 5 or 6? I've got a Lantana from last year that I overwintered and stuck in the ground in spring. It languished all summer and now is blooming and growing gangbusters.
I'm glad your gardens are still going strong. Love them.
C. purpurascens, hederifolium and coum are all very hardy. I've the best luck so far with purpurascens because they are more of a woodland species. The other two are summer dormant and bit more demanding as far as dry dormancy. I gave up on C. coum because it is a late winter bloomer and always froze solid, but hederifolium is blooming now and starting to put up leaves. So many leaf pattern variations that I want to collect them all!
The tropical milkweed is in a container next to one of my stands of Musa basjoo. The banana still surprises with me with the tremendous growth it can put up in a summer after freezing down to the ground and coming up from runners. I actually have to thin and try to contain it now.!
Zone 5. Most of my bananas are Musa 'Gran Nain' - the tropical Chiquita banana. I have to dig them up each year and store them in the basement. It's great that you can grow basjoo. I'm told we can grow it here. Just cut it down after a frost and then mulch with 4 feet of straw. I assume you have to mulch yours, hopefully with less than 4' of mulch.
No mulching. I have them in two spots; one on the south side of the house, next to the foundation; another about five feet from the east side of the house. The clump closer to house does better, I assume because the house leaks heat into the soil there. I let them freeze and push the mushy foliage on top of them for protection over the winter and clean up the mushy mess in spring when new shoots emerge. I've been told that the mush protects and may even generate some heat; the microclimate helps. They rarely grow from the old meristem, but send out side shoots from a starchy base that quickly become enormous.
Thanks, Diane. We've had one very, very light frost when the temps dipped to 34°F; only a couple of coleus had a little burn. No frost in the forecast. I haven't brought a singe tender plant inside yet.......
I started my castor beans late, but they really caught up. I think now they are somewhere between 10 and 15 feet tall.
Attached is a picture from my porch roof (sort of looking into my neighbor's yard and his lumber for a patio!) of a couple of seedling Ricinus and a second R. zanzibarensis from a couple of weeks ago. Love them!
Tim, your plants and photos are amazing as usual. Love the cyclamen and marrubium, but it's all beautiful and lush and happy looking. You find such interesting specimens.
Enjoy the fall.
Thanks so much Shirley. This seems to be the best fall ever here. I hope your garden is doing well and you are have a great autumn, too!
Awesome (as my nephew says), totally awesome. Your photos are a treat on this Halloween day. Love the podophyllum galaxy...out of this world, your rotund marrubium is ghostly white and the specter of the celosia is on All Hallows' eve is spooky (spooky-good). Enjoy Halloween!
Thanks, Kielian. I guess I unintentionally have sent in photos appropriate for the season. I hope you are doing well and your garden is happy; hopefully not under snow, yet!
What a collection of little beauties you have, Tim! And BIG ones too! All of the foliage is striking.Your photos are very lovely, too. I love the marrubium, the cyclamen and fall crocus 'alba' poking thru the green lvs.-so delicate looking. Your mayapple(s) are very cool. I have a few different ones that are just hanging in there-esp. with this past very dry season. Maybe I'll try Spotty Dotty...it's such a fun looking plant! Do you think it does better w. a bit more moisture ?
Thanks, Jane. I'm thrilled with the autumn crocus because squirrels usually rip my crocus, both spring and fall, to shreds. Beside the distraction of walnuts a few doors down, I'm wondering if the sedum ground cover is a bit of a deterrent.
My Spotty Dotty and Galaxy are both in my most ideal shade garden conditions: on the north side of my house/porch in very bright, open shade and rich soil, no major root competition. It's really the only spot where I have the moist, well-drained soil you read in every plant culture description.
Strangely, I've had a Podophyllum delayvii quickly die nearby; a new P. hexandrum is also close by and seemed to struggle this summer; I have P. difforme growing nearby and it is doing great!
I know some species grow in the wild in China on slopes, so well-drained is probably good.
Sorry; they call me brain-dump-Tim; ask me what time it is and I will tell you how to build a clock!
Which ones do you have that are hanging in there?
Beautiful photos, of some beautiful plants, Tim - thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Peggy. It's always fun to share! Cheers.
Hi Tim
I always enjoy your eclectic garden. I was pleased with my castor bean plant but you have beat me on height for that one. Mine was about 7 ft. tall.
Thanks, Catherine. Eclectic is a great description. Glad your castor beans did well. I really don't have room, but squeezing them in is now a must! I call them my Tetrapanax substitute, since I can't grow that.
Isn't it amazing that we can still find room for a few more plants! I think you are living proof of that Tim with your 'city-size' garden, always SO stunning. Great photo of your Ricinus up against the sky and I love the colors of the Asclepias - I have never had luck with those for some reason. Your plantings are always amazing Tim and I ALWAYS enjoy!
Thanks so much, Linda. It's a fun challenge to cram and jam, and even fun to ditch things to try something new. That tropical milkweed is pretty special to me. Although I could buy them just about anywhere, this one was grown from seed collected in Belize by a friend!
Yaa, I've really had that 'ditch thing' going this season as some plants become too large and new beauties catch my eye at the nursery. I really need to stop going there!!
Beautiful textures and colors! Thank you for sharing with us.
My pleasure. Thanks for your compliment!
Tim, I should have asked about monarchs since you have Asclepias curassavica. I hope you have "cats" nibbling the leaves.
Well, among everything else, I collect milkweeds.....The monarchs seem to prefer my aggressive, native Asclepias syrica or the very, very similar California milkweed, Asclepias speciosa; both of which are plentiful in my small yard. I've never seen them on the tropical milkweed, which is probably good because the others confer better toxicity to the caterpillars. Sadly, I only found two or three caterpillars this year. :(
in what part of the country do you live? Do you see Monarchs?
I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I planted milkweed last year, and the caterpillars appeared. The plants reseeded and this year has been a bounty of cats and monarchs. I seldom step outside without seeing a monarch butterfly or two. I love peering around the milkweed plants to spot the adorable caterpillars. It's been a real treat sharing the yard with them. I also have an enormous passion vine, and it's usually hosting gulf fritillaries. Tiger swallowtails visit a bit too. Nature is wonderful!
Oh, I remember now!
Ask me to remember a latin plant name, no problem. The fact that your monarch photos were posted a few days ago.....
:)
I'm late as Disqus never load this morning.......grrrrrrrrrrr. It all looks great always but that Pewter Leaf is my favorite. I don't have much luck with Podophyllum but you sure do. Here in my yard they are very expensive slug food. Enjoy the color while you can, supposed to freeze here this weekend.,,,,, Trick Or Treat!
i hate slugs! They haven't bothered them yet, knock on wood.
I guess a freeze comes to the mountains in the south sooner than the plains up here. None in my forecast....knock on wood again!
Oh Tim !!!!!! So stunning..... such great photos !!!!! More ! Encore !!!!! You have really outdone yourself -Looking really good over there. Pewter Leaf Cyclomen looks other wordly beautiful. Celosia Stacata is crazy fabulous....All totally gorgeous
Thanks so much. A lot of these plants really outdid themselves. Don't you feel like that is the magic of gardening!? You do a little something right and sometimes you don't know what it is, and poof! this you get this beautiful reward!
Wonderful photos, Tim. Always great to see what is growing in your garden.
Thanks! I enjoy seeing what's growing in my garden, too! :)
Tim-sorry to be late to comment, but a rough day at work. I have spent the last hour reviewing each photo, and researching some of the awesome plants you have that I have not tried. Spectacular is too mild a word.
Great plants. My favorite photo is actually the one with Adiantum venustum. I have become increasing infatuated with Adiantums in the garden. Their delicate appearance pares so we with so many plants, and the green is such a light shade it contrasts so many other "green plant leaves". Yours looks so fabulous with the Heuchera and Hosta behind.
I am wowed by the Marrubian rotundifolium. Looks a lot like Stachys, but smaller and with a much better leaf. How does it hold up in the summer heat and humidity? I really want to add this.
The Crocus pushing through the sedum is perfect. Thanks for the idea. I know what I will be planting in the spring.
Every time I see Cyclomen and Podophyllum I get green with envy. Have killed them both many times. Much of my shade has extreme root competition from trees. Now that my middle layer (large shrubs) is developing, this may open up better locations.
This year has been weird. We had a killing frost 10 days ago, then 82 degrees yesterday, now 50 today. Still no rain. Most of my trees and shrubs are only now starting fall color and will likely peak in 7-10 days. Amazing.
Your weather has been so much drier and even more erratic than ours. Must be the intervening mountains (although having lived in Colorado, I have a hard time calling the beautiful, rolling, tree-covered beauty of the Adirondacks 'mountains' -please feel free to use the word 'snob' when you speak of me!)
That Adiantum is lovely and I love A. pedatum, too. My desperate desire is to have Adiantum japonicum, also called Adiantum aleuticum japonicum. Gorgeous orange new growth.
The horehound (Marrubium) is a Turkish gem. Love it and replace it regularly. It hates the moisture and humidity. It goes great guns for about two years and then declines, even in my sunniest, driest spots. The flowers are a bust, but that foliage is spectacular.
I have a feeling you'll be replete with hardy Cyclamen at some point. As we've discussed before, the summer-dormant species need the root competition to stay dry in summer. C. pupurascens is a woodland species, so likes some moisture in a woodsy environment.
I just saw a photo someone posted of Galanthus reginae-olgae, the fall blooming snow drop. It's been on my list for some time and now has moved to the top like cream on milk. Gotta have it! Familiar? If not, you'll want it. Cheers.
So many beauties! Really enjoyed the photos and learn lots from all the comments. Happy fall!
Thanks, Evelyn. I hope you're enjoying a refreshing, extended autumn!
My immediate guess when I saw the tentacles was "it's Tim!" Hope the features between bizarre and unique plants continues as a regular thing on GPOD - we definitely need this to fuel our ever growing plant wish list. Ultracool collection Tim!
Thanks, Cherry. Plant Lust is contagious!
You get a lot of bang for you buck with these monsters. Once they settle in you can almost watch them reach for the sky!
Hi Tim, I couldn't pass up commenting on your great photos even though I'm a bit behind. My phone died while I was traveling and It's taking me awhile to catch up on all the posts that I missed. Your 'Pewter Leaf' is so interesting and one that I've not seen for sale in our area, but I'm definitely going to be searching for it. Have you found that your Adiantum venustum has been slow to get established? I planted 3 of them about 3 yrs ago and they just don't seem to grow. They're evergreen here and I really like them or I would have given up by now. You always have great selections of plants and your photos are very good quality so I'm happy that I didn't miss seeing them.
Thanks so much, Linda. Hope you had great travels. I bought that Cyclamen from Eidelweiss Perennials, out your way. I love Urs's selection of plants; his prices are awesome and everything I've ordered from him is bigger and nicer than expected.
That Adiantum definitely has been slow to establish. I'm blanking on whether or not this is its second or third summer.....but it is starting to bulk up. It's funny to me that if can be listed as only being hardy to zone 8 by some nurseries. It is virtually evergreen for me (not completely) in zone 6! If it really takes off, I'm going to divide it and put it everywhere! :) Welcome home. Hope your garden is enjoying autumn and you are too!
Welcome back Linda. Hope all your travels went well. You GPODers are such jet setters (Sheila was also in Europe). Lucky you - back in time for the big decision! We are really worried about those dingbats/drongos!!!!
Thanks, Frank. Other than my phone dying, the trip was great! One of the best parts was not hearing much about the election for almost a month and now we're in Canada for a week to see our new grandson, so out of the fray again:)
Delicious! I always like to revel in plants that I haven't heard of! Especially love the horehound - it may make an Eastern debut.
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