Since this is Super Bowl XLVI weekend, let’s take a look at some plants from 46 years ago and today that received awards for excellence.

The 1966 All-American Rose Selections were ‘American Heritage’, ‘Matterhorn’, and ‘Apricot Nectar.’

Photo of Rosa 'Apricot Nectar' at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, taken October 2004 by Stan Shebs (Wikipedia).

The 2012 winner is ‘Sunshine Daydream.’

Photo courtesy of White Flower Farm.

For the All-America Selections® 1966 we have considerably more plants. The All-America awards are for seed propagated plants. In vegetables there was lettuce ‘Butterking’ and winter squash ‘Gold Nugget.’

Photo courtesy of bestcoolseeds.com

Flower winners were snapdragon ‘Bright Butterflies,’ dianthus ‘Red Monarch,’ marigold ‘Spun Yellow,’ verbena ‘Amethyst,’ and pansy ‘Majestic Giants White Blotch’ and ‘Majestic Giants Mix.’

Photo courtesy of harrisseeds.com

Things have changed since then. In 2012 we have vegetables winning the 2012 Flower Award. Ornamental peppers have won before (‘Black Pearl’) and they win twice this year with ‘Black Olive’ and ‘Cayenetta.’

Photo courtesy of All-America Selections®

A third Flower Award goes to vinca ‘Jams ‘N Jellies Blackberry.’ Loving this color.

Photo courtesy of All-America Selections®

The AAS Bedding Plant award goes to salvia ‘Summer Jewel Pink.’ The vegetable award goes to watermelon ‘Faerie.’

You can find more on all these plants and how they are selected at the All-America Selections® website.

The Perennial Plant Association wasn’t around in 1966 but the 2012 Perennial Plant of the Year is Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost,’ a great selection of a great species.

Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens.

Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens

And the music? Topping the charts of Billboards Hot 100 the first week of February 1966 is none other than Miss Petula Clark.

And the women are still topping in 2012 with Adele.

courtesy of Pantone.

It is a deep shade of orange but here’s a more detailed description.

Yes, tango and tangerine all in one color.

The tango – filled with sensuality, barely repressed animal sexuality and total control of staccato yet fluid movement.

Tangerine – filled with aromatic oils, sticky sweet yet tart juice, and so round and firm in the hand.

What a combination!

I’m a big fan of orange and the many shades of orange. Here are a few things I found about my house last night.

This does not include clothing, my yoga mat, or my fabulous piece of carry-on luggage.

In my designs, orange has played a role for years. I was unaware of people’s resistance to orange when I started using it. A good many have come around to my point of view. In truth, it goes with about any other color. You do have to watch with lavender (BIG mistake as a rule). And you must choose your pinks carefully. But a hot pink with a hot orange is, well…… HOT. And the right magenta with the right orange is true paradise.

We have several perennials to choose from for orange. So many new Echinaceas I lose track at times.

‘Tiki Torch’ from Terra Nova has been a favorite since I grew it a few years back. I know they have newer ones but the color on this one is so good.

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova® Nurseries, Inc.

Of course their ‘Tangerine Dream’ looks good too.

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova® Nurseries, Inc.

‘Hot Papaya’ is a favorite for certain. Plants Nouveau has introduced many great double echinaceas.

Photo courtesy of Plants Nouveau.

They also have ‘Marmalade.’ Love this one too.

Photo courtesy of Plants Nouveau.

Big Sky^TM Sundown (‘Evan Saul’) from Itsaul Plants has been reliable workhorse  for us for years. Saul’s were some of the very first with good Echinaceas in the new colors.

Photo courtesy of ItSaul Plants.

Geums are coming on strong these days with many new colors but my favorite is still the oranges. ‘Fireball,’ also from Terra Nova, has been great in my garden at home.

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova® Nurseries, Inc.

Of course in annuals and tropicals we have always had a large selection to choose from. Remember marigolds, nasturtiums and zinnias? You can still find heirloom cultivars of these at the same time new varieties are coming on the market every year. And let’s not forget cockscomb.

I remain in full love-lust with the plumed variety ‘Fresh Look Orange.’

This has stayed in my top list since it was introduced several years ago. It blooms like crazy, gives great color and texture in the garden, and makes a superb cut flower.

Lantana is a blooming machine in many shades of orange from the nearly red ‘Dallas Red’ to the multi-colored ‘Miss Huff.’ Of course there is ‘Radiation’ (think that one is bright?), ‘Landmark Citrus’, and ‘Tangerine’ (not my first choice but willing to try again). I love the fact ‘Miss Huff’ can reach 4-5 feet tall in a season here in Indiana. I get tired of small plants.

Most of my favorite cannas have orange flowers too – ‘Pretoria,’ Tropicana,’ and ‘Orange Punch.’

‘Orange Sparkler’ is a new one with a lot of potential as well.

Photo courtesy of Plants Nouveau.

It was bred by Brian Williams from down in Louisville and also being marketed by Plants Nouveau.

Orange is not restricted to summer color.

There are early spring pansies.

photo courtesy of BallHort.

Fall foliage is certainly always considered in selecting woody plants (Fothergilla).

And let’s not forget the winter blooming witchhazels (‘Jelena’).

Just because ‘Tango Tangerine’ is the official color of the year, remember you don’t have to use just that shade of orange. There are a lot of crayons in the box.

Designs for the coming year are pretty much done. We’ll have to wait to hear from some suppliers whether what we want will be available. It’s always good to have a back-up plant or two tucked away in one’s head just in case. Adaptability is rather important in horticulture.

We haven’t needed to shovel any snow thus far. Quite different from last year when it seemed the only time the world wasn’t snow covered between November and March was that freaky New Year’s Eve day when it was 61. That temperature didn’t last long and we were soon covered again by the white stuff.

Like last year, this winter is not terribly cold. But the mild temperatures are interrupted often enough by cold to remind me it
is indeed winter. This past Monday (the 2^nd) was WINTER with temperatures dropping to the teens and a vicious wind. Vicious I tell you. Friday (the 6^th) however will be spring at something like 50 degrees or warmer. Weather anymore is a roller coaster freak show of a ride.

It was so beautiful out on Thursday I took a break from the computer to have a look around the gardens. It felt like a January thaw except we really haven’t had a January freeze. I wasn’t sure what I would find but soon realized I had to walk back and get my camera. Things were a-poppin’.

One is not surprised at Hamamelis (witchhazel) in bloom when we have a mild streak. But I still so appreciate these amazing plants. The individual flowers are so intricate. They seem so delicate but in fact are tough as nails, unfurling on mild days, curling back tight on harsh days. They put on a show that lasts for weeks, sometimes months.

Here’s coppery ‘Jelena.’

And not much is sunnier in winter than the yellow witchhazels. This is ‘Wisley Supreme.’

Lots more buds yet to open so it’ll be a long show.

I found the Lonicera frangrantissima (duh, winter honeysuckle?) by the Garden for Everyone just starting to open. It often holds its leaves a long time but this is ridiculous.

Even a single bloom is fragrant if you get close enough.

But soon there will be many and you will smell it from quite some distance.

Another plant with semi-evergreen foliage is Magnolia virginiana (Sweet Bay Magnolia). This year the foliage of our ‘Satellite’ is nearly unblemished. I love this plant.

I usually start looking for Helleborus (hellebore) buds now if it is warm. Of course the Helleborus foetidus is blooming – just more perfect with the mild weather.

And what about plain old Helleborus x hybridus? Sure enough, buds are showing.

The new Helleborus x ballardiae Gold Collection^® is already flowering.

I love the foliage and flowers on these. I do still worry a bit about them because they bloom so early. But they seem tough as can be. I had some at home last year and there were flowers there every time we had a snow melt. They would get covered back up then when it melted again, there were the flowers. What concerns me is winters like this one where we have no snow cover. There could be a lot of damage to the flowers I fear. But, let’s worry about that when we have to. I still recommend these plants.

This is ‘HGC Cinnamon Snow.’

Some annuals are hanging in this winter – so far. In the Garden for Everyone again is Helychrysum italicum, curry plant.

Buddliea (butterfly bush) still has healthy foliage five feet in the air.

Petasites japonica (Japanese butterbur?) is an early bloomer but this is really early.

But the real kicker on my walk-about was this.

Those are daffodils in bloom!!!!!

Look. This just ain’t normal. Admittedly, this is obviously an early blooming cultivar , maybe ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation?’ Help me, Brent and Becky! I can’t find a record for it in this location. But we rarely have them blooming in February let alone early January. Not normal. And I know all about normal. This is crazy. And I know all about crazy too.

So what can we expect the rest of the winter? Mercy. Who knows? But as long it is mild, get out there and have look around. You don’t know what you might come across. And you never know when winter is gonna turn around and belt you with ice and temps below zero. So until it does, enjoy the perks. And try to keep those nasty global warming and climate change thoughts out of your head. They’ll just ruin the moment, Cleopatra.

How damn fabulous is that? I think it might be better than Madonna performing at half-time during the Super Bowl.

Oh hell, I know it is. (But here’s a link to her newest song anyway - no real video yet)

What is Fascination with Plants Day? Well, let’s look at a quote directly from their website.

The first international “Fascination of Plants Day” will be launched under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO). The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture, in sustainably producing food, as well as for horticulture, forestry, and all of the non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy, and pharmaceuticals. The role of plants in environmental conservation will also be a key message. Everybody is welcome to join this initiative!

So it leans to the agriculture and scientific community it seems, but there in the midst of it all is Horticulture. Oh yea. Horticulture (I added the capital H to emphasize).  Horticulture is this slightly indefinable thing created where agriculture, science, and art join together. And what leads most of us to Horticulture? That’s right Smarty Pants – a fascination with plants. It’s that undeniable love of chlorophyll that joins us all together from the old neighbor with the first tomatoes of the season (every year) to the professional in the public gardens (like me!) to the newbie gardener scared they are going to kill a daylily (so sad yet sweet).

Yes, we have National Public Gardens Day through the American Public Garden Association, with support from Rain Bird and Better Homes and Gardens on the Friday before Mother’s Day (May 11^th in 2012). And yes, we will be participating in that program (more details later but some tours at the very least). But that program is about getting people to visit and appreciate public gardens which is a little different in my mind than getting people to appreciate the plants themselves. Both are good causes worthy of attention and I see no reason why a person or organization cannot participate in both.

There are some really neato pictures at the FwPD site here.

As of now, Fascination with Plants Day is a European idea and project. But it is not too late for America, as in the United States of, to get involved. Even if not on an official level, we can still celebrate Fascination with Plants Day. Maybe give a plant to a non-gardener. Maybe cook something to share with a friend or neighbor. Maybe just sit in our own space and really think about how much the plants do for us either directly or indirectly – cleaning the air we breathe, the water we drink, and even the very soil they grow in. Feeding us, clothing us, celebrating with us, comforting us, bringing us uncountable moments of joy throughout the day and a lifetime. For me, and I suspect many others, every day is Fascination with Plants Day at some level.

And in truth, it is November. Snow in November isn’t exactly a miracle or a sign of the arrival of the End of Days.

All the same, I was not amused. It had been spitting snow off and on for a few hours but I never figured it would really get to the point of covering anything. When I arrived home, the wind-gathered leaves were heavily dusted with it. Plants in the garden had it clinging to their leaves and spent flowers. My gazing globes were covered with it, though under the full moon they looked rather delightful.

Fortunately earlier in the week I had gathered the last of my tropicals from my IMA gardens. At home, I collected the last of my most crucial plants and hauled them down to the basement on Monday evening. It gets dark so damn early I barely get started before I can’t see where to dig. With only four minutes of daylight after I get home in the evening, I gotta move fast. I only got four minutes to save my plants!

I still have cannas and dahlias to dig. Still have some agaves outside in pots (and one XMangave – Manfreda X Agave). Oh shit. I just realized I left my yellow-leaved fig out. Oh, I hope it’s okay. Damn. I don’t know where I can get another and it was not cheap. Dammit. Oh well. I said I was not going to try to save everything this year. Guess I’m just keeping myself true to my word.

Here at work, we are keeping more plants in the offices since we are trying to save money by not heating the old over-wintering greenhouse we used in the past. We concentrated on the tough stuff that can handle less than ideal conditions. It’s good to have some large specimens to put out so there is a bit of maturity to a design from the get-go.

These variegated figs and gingers will tolerate less than perfect conditions inside and outside, which is one reason we love them so much.

Some Xanthosoma and Plumbago occupy a conference table.

Bromeliads sit next to Jonathon’s desk.

And in my office is a collection of stuff from home and work.

In the basement of the northeast side of our offices (we are in the “double” – one side was the night watchman’s home, the other the gardener’s home) the bananas will wait out the frozen Indiana winter. These are both Musa and Ensete.

Check out the high tech containers.

Yes, those are garbage bags. You don’t need to be fancy. But it’s okay if you are. Especially, if it is your one chance.

In the basement on the other side, things are still a work in progress.

Some of the Colocasias (elephant ears) are put away but a good many still need processing. I wanted the soil around the roots to dry a bit before dropping them into plastic bags for the winter. It is a delicate balance – enough moisture to survive but not enough to cause rot. And why do all this? Why fret about if a plant will or will not survive? Well, isn’t it obvious?

Result of dropping immature giant puffball mushrooms off the Interurban Bridge.

The mushrooms were fresh and new, with firm white flesh that is at its best for flavor and edibility.  It’s not until the puffball has turned brown, discolored and inedible, when the outer flesh has started to break apart, that they are primed and ready to be sent sailing through the air.  I wish people would wait until the mushrooms are ready, when they aren’t as visually appealing, so other people can enjoy seeing them in the garden and perhaps have the opportunity to share something unfamiliar and intriguing with their kiddos.  Please consider this before acting on perfunctory impulse.

Fresh, immature giant puffballs in Ophiopogon.

Group of mushrooms from a single mycelium at woodland edge.

Let’s explore a bit further into the fungi behind the fun, and gain a better understanding of just how incredible these giant puffballs are.  Fungi are in their own kingdom classification; they are not plants, as was once thought, because they cannot generate their own food.  By absorption via a complex branching colony of fungal cells called a mycelium, nutrients are acquired through a process which aids in the decomposition of organic matter found in the soil.  Interestingly, fungi are the only organisms that are able to naturally process lignin, the tough, woody tissue that gives shrubs and trees their strength and provides structural support.  Nothing else is able to so efficiently release nutrients back into the soil for the support of its ecosystem, and most of the process is hidden from sight.  Mycelia secrete enzymes that break down organic matter and allow fungal cells to absorb nutrients through its cell walls, which explains why mycelium is usually hidden from sight in wood or soil – that’s where the supply is found.  The best part is that fungi are not the only ones to benefit.  In fact, a symbiotic relationship between fungi and plants exists with 90% of all plants found on land, where both organisms benefit from living in close proximity to each other.  Mycelia improve soil structure so trees and other plant roots in the surrounding area are better able to access available water and minerals.  Plants photosynthesize light energy into carbohydrates, which are transported to the root zone where fungi can “feed” on the higher concentration of sugars.  All of this is happening with the structural part of fungi, the mycelium, but how do giant puffball mushrooms fit into the picture?

Mature giant puffball, ready for spore expulsion.

Giant puffball mushrooms, or Calvatia (syn. Langermannia) gigantea, are the fruiting structure of the fungus.  An easy analogy is to think of the mushroom as the “apple” portion of an apple tree, while the mycelium plays the role of the actual tree.  Mushrooms are designed for one thing: making babies.  In the case of giant puffballs, they can produce trillions of spores – up to 2500 per inch – because of their enormous size.  All the spores are produced internally, which may seem less efficient, but from the perspective of the actual scattering of spores, it’s quite effective.  When the spores have matured, the surface of the mushroom breaks down and tears open, where wind, water or physical contact can aid the spores’ escape.  Perhaps the natural desire to kick giant puffballs is really part of the mushroom’s plan to take over the world…I guess we’ll keep playing along!

Here’s an internal look at spore arrangement in giant puffballs with Director of Horticulture, Chad Franer:

Now my first reaction I admit was –Well, what the hell do you think? Was there a nuclear holocaust I missed? But then the reasonable part of my brain kicked in and I figured they were probably really wondering about the annuals and tropicals. Most of these are indeed gone, either damaged by last week’s frost or removed so winter materials could go in.

You will still find a few that were not badly damaged or we simply have not got round to. Don’t let a little frost stop you from coming out to see some “flower gardens”.

We do not do fall pansies and the like because they are too expensive for our fairly short autumnal season. But you might be surprised at how many perennials are still blooming.

Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ is seen here in all its October glory on Oak Island. This is one of the latest mums of the season always making me wonder if the frost is gonna get it. It doesn’t really care about the frost. It’s not pink so much as a soft peach or apricot.

Here is pinkish lavender sport that appeared a couple years back that is doing well. It could be a seedling but mums tend to mutate easily so I think that is the case here.

Tricytus ‘Sinome’ (toadlily) in the overlook garden is placed where it always should be, near a walkway so you can appreciate its intricate patterned orchid-like flowers up close.

Also at the Overlook is this large mass of Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Golden Arrows’ (mountain fleece). This workhorse of a plant easily has four to five months of bloom. I love the deep but bright burgundy flowers with the chartreuse foliage.

I also love the months of chartreuse foliage before the bloom. Some years there is a bit of Japanese beetle damage but it quickly outgrows the problem.

These Agastache that were a gift from Skagit Gardens have been in bloom since arriving in August.

They are the Nectar^tm series that comes in Apricot, Grape, Grapefruit, Orange, and Raspberry. Find them growing in full sun in the well-drained soil atop the Tunnel leading from the parking garage to the museum entrance. All Agastache tend to attract hummingbirds and bees and pollinators.

Geranium ‘Rozanne’ has been blooming since May.

You can find some Echinacea still throwing up a few flowers.

In bright shade is Anemone hybrid, fall-blooming or Japanese anemone. It comes in white and an array of pinks.

Most are 30 inches tall and up. But dwarf cultivars are coming to market soon.

Along the Bridge Garden the Cimicifuga rubifolia (Actea rubifolia?), Appalachian bugbane, is in bloom with lots more buds coming. At least this is what I thought it was named at one point.

Aster oblongifolius (now Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) can still be found in bloom as well. Known as aromatic aster, The Rain Garden has ‘Raydon’s Favorite’, a slightly deeper blue color and later blooming plant than the equally beautiful ‘October Skies’.

Don’t forget, color in the garden comes from more than flowers. Fall foliage is still brilliant and everywhere on our 152 acres. Just take some time to stroll about.

That soon the land will be covered in a deathly blanket of brown and gray. All my intense oranges, bright pinks, and glowing chartreuses will be gone. GONE! Just like that.

And then, then I’m faced with life filled with neutrals. It’s almost too much to bear. Not that I don’t appreciate the change in the seasons, but come early February……. sheesh!

I usually wait until frost before removing annuals and tropicals, getting every last drop of summer beauty from the plants. Plus some of the plants I overwinter go dormant a bit better if they are hit by frost before digging – elephant ear (Colocasia, Alocasia), Canna, dahlia, and banana (Musa, Ensete) are good examples. All of these can spend the winter in a state of suspended animation in the basement. Tropicals that cannot tolerate cold and are kept growing over the winter do, of course, need to be dug before frost.

But if my tender plants are in a garden area that gets a winter treatment, well, you do what you must. Some years you cannot wait ’til frost and you have to respect the available time for doing the change-out. Thus was the case this week with Nonie’s Garden right in front of the main museum building entrance. Over a three day period, the garden went from summer glory to winter joy.

The garden had filled in rather nicely.

The salvias were in full bloom, the tall S. splendens “Van Houttei” and its dwarfer color echo, S. splendens “Vista Burgundy.”

The Justicia fulvicoma (Mexican plume) was at its peak.

Now, not everything was at its peak, I admit. The Leonotis leonurus  (lion’s ear) was just beginning to show color. The Hedychium “Tara” (ginger) I planted to fill space (and hoped might bloom despite a late planting) did fill space. It was not that great a summer for growing, even the tropicals.

On the other hand, the Colocasia esculenta “Elena” was beautiful.

The Canna x generalis “Intrigue” was stunning in its tall upright smoldering bronze foliage and peachy-orange blooms.

Perhaps most fabulous of all was the Dahlia hortensis “Karma Choc.” Without a doubt, this is my new favorite dahlia. Dark foliage with bronze overlay and the most incredible flowers.

The color. How to describe the color. Black cherry chocolate red burgundy.

They are just too much for mere words. And they make superb cut flowers.

Anyway. It all had to go. Time for the winter show.

I had planned on blue lions hunting in the Serengeti plain. Which is to say Picea pungens “Glauca Globosa” (a dwarf globe Colorado blue spruce) among Calamagrostis x acutiflora “Karl Foerster” (feather reed grass). But…….. well, you know how sometimes the best laid plans go astray? Mine strayed. I could not get the grass with flower/seed heads still attached. Oh, they would tell me they still had the seed heads but when I got there – no seed heads. So now my blue lions are a bit exposed on the Serengeti.

The effect is still good but not so dramatic. I suppose there is enough drama in the world these days already. But I do like a lot of drama in my designs.

In spring, the planting will be enhanced with tulips and pansies for a badly needed change to some color. So don’t fret, cause you know a change, a change is coming. Just hold on.

My husband and I moved from a 750 sq. ft. apartment to a tri-level three bedroom house, so needless to say, we’ve started the search for furniture. Oddly enough however, the first items on our “to purchase” list were plants – who needs a couch, anyway? Now I must say, I have only owned one or two plants in my lifetime. I’ve always appreciated plants, especially the kind I can eat, but I’ve never really explored owning them until I purchased a home.

With the IMA’s Greenhouse Shop full of plants from which to choose, I knew where I wanted to shop, but had no idea what to buy.  No idea. One of the great things about working at the IMA is that each department is a resource, full of knowledge across a wide-range of topics, especially when it comes to horticulture. Thankfully, my green-thumbed colleague Lynne Habig agreed to some hand holding and plant teaching. When she started talking about all of the different types of greenery, she said something that really sparked my interest: clean-air plants.

And with that, my plant lesson was quickly interrupted by an impromptu guest-lecture on household pollutants. Pardon my ignorance, but this was the first I had heard of sick building syndrome. As Lynne broke it down for me, our indoor environments are full of pollutants (trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, benzene, etc.) that are espoused from common household items like electronics, adhesives, paints, cleaning products, and fabrics (yikes!). These chemicals are linked to everything from eye irritation and dizziness to liver carcinogens and even throat cancer. Sick building syndrome occurs when small spaces are tightly concealed in an effort to save energy, but in turn creates a harmful space where these pollutants can gather.

So what does all of this have to do with plants? For many years, NASA conducted a study on ways to purify the air both on earth and in space habitats which are perhaps the most contained work environments. The study found that common household plants are actually the best crime fighters for such pollutants.

I was sold. I wanted to fill my house with plants, but now I needed to fill it with clean-air plants. According to the study, the top plants found most effective in decreasing the amount of air-pollutants include:

• Bamboo Palm – Chamaedorea Seifritzii
• Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema Modestum
• English Ivy- Hedera helix
• Gerbera Daisy- Gerbera Jamesonii
• Janet Craig – Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
• Marginata – Dracaena Marginata
• Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
• Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
• Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium
• Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum

With Lynne’s continued guidance, I picked out a selection from the Greenhouse Shop that fit the clean-air profile and my personal tastes: English Ivy, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Golden Pothos, Peace Lily, Spider Plant, and Dracaena, all pictured below.

And while they might not bestow “clean-air” – I couldn’t pass up a few other nice looking gems.
For those of you now wanting to purify your own air, don’t worry, it won’t break your bank. The plants purchased range from only $3.95 – $7.95. If you’re still not sold, check out the video below of our 2011 Indianapolis Island resident Katherine Ball talking about her use of clean-air plants.

My tropicals at home are probably not thrilled with the cooler temperatures, but must be beside themselves with joy at not relying on me for water. I tended to be a bit stingy with it. As you may remember, about two minutes after watering plants the soil seemed as dry as before. It got to be quite a chore. And I’ve been fearing the monthly water bill ever since the drought started in earnest. Here at the IMA it was much easier to keep things hydrated, but to this day I confess there seems to be something different when the water comes from the clouds rather than the hoses.

Fall color is starting to kick in. At first glance it kinda surprises me. Then I remember tomorrow is October. I think it was so damn hot for so damn long that it’s still a little hard to believe change is possible. These ash in the main parking lot really caught my eye this week.

I don’t remember them in this completely red phase in past years. That does not in any way mean they have not done it every year. I just don’t remember if they have. Yea, they’ll probably succumb to the borers eventually.

I love unexpected surprises…… duh, like a surprise should be expected. Anyway, when I was walking about I found these Liatris in the Overlook. They have superb fall color, especially for a perennial.

They were providing a color echo for nearby oak leaf hydrangeas.

And of course there are the fall blooming perennials as well.

Not that either the plants or I have given up on summer. There is still tropical splendor and color all over the gardens.