Sure Feels Like Autumn

Today was mostly overcast in the morning with some occasional drizzle. We've had rain over the past four days but it still is quite welcome. The sun did peak out later (with blue skies) and the temperature was a comfortable 70 degrees F. With the onset of fall colors, ornamental grasses blooming and leaves falling, the garden is still looking fairly nice this early fall. A good 75% of our annuals are still hanging in there too. Tonight is the talk on Ornamental Grasses (6 pm - 8 pm) by Nancy from The Flower Factory nursery. The top image of grasses was from Olbrich last week and shows a huge patch of perennial, 'Red Head' foxtail grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) which they've used en masse to great effect. We have specimens of this grass which I also noted was used heavily at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Nancy's talk is very timely this evening and hopefully will be well attended. The image directly above are the wispy seed heads of a clematis (Clematis tangutica) which has aptly earned a common name of "old man's beard" for this late season appearance (earlier flowers are small, yellow dangling bells). To the right is the increasingly colorful kale (Brassica oleracea 'Glamour Red') which is one of our All-America Selections display varieties. While we're tearing out neighbors to this plant, kale loves the cool days and nights and should look good until Thanksgiving (at least).

We had a tough crew here today that worked thru most of the drizzle and continued clean-up efforts in the gardens. There are still plenty of leaves, twigs and branches down and the tidying has really made the gardens look nice (tour this afternoon). The threat of high winds later in the week may create another mess and that old adage of "shoveling in a snow storm" seems appropriate but we do like to keep things looking neat and tidy on a daily basis. Volunteers included Bill O. who came in to continue his leaf/twig collection in various areas. Dr. Gredler was in to run loads to the dump, mow and tidy. We also saw Rose, Elaine, Maury, Mary W. and some other around the Horticulture Center today. We're starting to pick our squash collection which I think was a huge hit this year. We don't usually get a lot of visitors checking out the displays at the Horticulture Center but I saw quite a few examining not only the interesting squash this year but the vertical supports that were utilized to train them upwards. To the left and right are Big John, Marv and Terry who planted a Triumph elm (Ulmus x 'Morton Glossy') in the Smelly Garden this morning. The pictures aren't quite in sequence but as you can see, access involved a ball cart and note how the guys remove the burlap and wire before planting. The tree went in nicely and should grow well in that location. The North Point garden looks nice (see below) and will host the fourth? small wedding this Saturday. This space will also receive 1,000 tulips to be planted later in October for a nice spring effect in the surrounding beds.

This flame grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens') above is a textural, green mass from late spring thru September but really starts to become colorful this time of year with yellows, oranges and reds. Many perennials, including ornamental grasses, have interesting fall foliage coloration which is an asset for extending interest late in the season. So many plants are purchased for the brief window of flowering (which is fine) but fall color can last just as long and is a welcome splash of color before the long winter descends upon us. The plant to the right is the variegated blue mist spirea (or bluebeard) which has the Latin name Caryopteris x clandonensis. This is the variety 'Summer Sorbet' which we don't have yet at the garden. I took this shot outside the UW-Extension office in Sheboygan on Monday night and was very impressed with the clean variegation and profusion of late blooms (36" tall). Blue mist spireas are great for late season blooms and there are other variegated varieties and all gold-leaf varieties as well. We have some out in the gardens but do see some dieback and death of these with the severest of winters. They typically will die back to a couple inches above ground level (mulching recommended) and will regenerate growth once the ground warms in spring. I really like this variety and will seek it out this winter. To the left is the 'Angelina' sedum (Sedum rupestre) which is normally a chartreuse yellow in full sun and starts to get an orange tint later in the season as temperatures drop.

Marv and Terry, aside from planting the elm, worked on digging up and potting many of our valuable tropicals that we'll be hauling to a greenhouse very shortly. Although we may not get frost for awhile, the nights below 40 degrees F are quite stressful and potentially damaging to these expensive plants. The guys collected all the "popcorn" plants (Cassia didymobotrya) which were a huge hit in the Smelly Garden for their "burnt popcorn" scented blooms. It will be nice to overwinter these and get even more growth out of them next year. Marv and Terry also worked on clean-up out in the gardens. Marianne tidied up the front entrance garden and collected leaves/twigs in many locations. She also put together a very cool arrangement of grasses (below right) to decorate the room for the presentation this evening. I think she was a talented florist in a previous life as she has an "eye for arrangements." Marianne also worked on planting almost 200 columbines (Aquilegia) throughout the woodland walk garden. We get columbine donations every fall and poke them in all over the place and it is quite a display come spring... Janice tidied up the Ornamental Edible & Compact Vegetable display and collected remaining vegetables in that area as well. She moved thru three areas with the goal of collecting accumulated debris as needed. After tree planting, Big John worked on digging up our expensive elephant ears (Colocasia) and potting them up for winter greenhouse storage as well. John also collected debris, transplanted shrubs and cut back many of our larger elderberries (Sambucus). I was able to get outside before the first batch of rain and fertilize about 50% of our lawns and will do the remainder tomorrow or Friday. We have plenty of fall gardening to accomplish but will become increasingly more involved with all the duties associated with the preparation and set-up for the Holiday Lights Show. Below are one of John's elephant ear loads and Marv with a batch of the "popcorn" plants.