Tuesday, October 31, 2017

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles?

There's a Lot of Color on the Central Coast in October


Over the weekend I walked to the mailbox a block away with my camera to see what was blooming in my neighborhood. I will share what I saw with you here.  I made sure to walk past the home of my favorite neighborhood gardener, and I wasn't disappointed. This bougainvillea's bright color immediately got my attention. At the very back you can almost see one of the pots containing a yellow pansy in bloom.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Bougainvillea in October, © B. Radisavljevic

I'm not familiar with the purple flowering shrub in the photo below. It's from the same yard. I do recognize the roses surrounding it and the white scabiosa (pincushion flower) in front of it. I'm also not sure of the red flowers next to the wall. Whatever their names, you have to admit this is a colorful arrangement of blooms at the end of October.


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Part of my Neighbor's Flower Garden in Paso Robles


The next photo is just to the right of the photo above in the actual flowerbed. I can't make a positive identification of everything below. I believe most of the daisy-like flowers are gaillardias, asters, or African daisies. The flower hanging over the edge is a California poppy, which I was surprised to see in bloom. There is another rose bush on the extreme right.


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
More of my Paso Robles Neighbor's Flower Garden


Are you convinced yet that one can have a colorful garden at the end of October? But there is more around the corner in the front flowerbed. That plant trying to take over is, I believe,  Lipstick Sage. Some sages will expand if given a chance. This appears to be one of them. It seems to be trying to smother the Jupiter's Beard to its right.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Lipstick Sage


Last but not least in this neighbor's side yard is this lavender-like sage plant. I'm not sure what variety it is.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Sage, variety unknown


Need Help Picking Seasonal Blooms


If you live in the West, there's no better all round gardening reference than this.


What's Blooming on the Rest of the Block


Shades of purple and yellow add a lot of color to fall gardens here. One of the light purple staples is society garlic, pictured below. It's not showy, but it's drought resistant and almost everyone who cares about that plants it. The small white sweet alyssum is a wonderful flowering ground cover to  fill in the bare places.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Sweet Alyssum and Society Garlic


Daylilies are a colorful addition to any garden. These are still blooming in my neighborhood. You see one tiny society garlic flower peeking out to the right.


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Daylilies in October


Here's another garden with thriving roses. The roses usually keep blooming well into winter.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
A Neighbor's Rose Garden


Oleander is a favorite in my neighborhood. Several of us have it in our yards. One neighbor has several colors, including white, which I don't show here. We like it because it's drought resistant and blooms during from spring well into fall here. Read about oleander growth stages through the year.

All parts of the oleander plant are poisonous, but I've lived with it all my life and no one in any of the places I lived where this was in almost every yard ever died because they ate it. It doesn't seem to invite snacking. Parents tell their kids it's poison and for some reason they believe it about this plant.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Oleander


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Oleander


Flowers Blooming in my Own Yard at the End of October


After seeing what my neighbors have, I have garden envy. My health hasn't enabled me to clear the leaves from the flowerbed that the gardener used to take care of. He quit for health reasons. About all I can do right now is photograph what's happening. I had hoped to put in some fall annuals, like pansies. First, though, I have to make space where the Lamb's Ears have taken over. I hope to be able to get back to the garden soon.

My roses in the back garden are still blooming. The red roses seem to be doing best. The yellow, coral, and white ones are also blooming. I think the roses aren't healthy, but I'm not an expert on roses and I'm not sure what to do about it. I didn't plant the garden. I usually only plant what I can take care of. The gardener kept it pruned in winter, but that's about all it gets but water.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Red Rose


Below are my scabiosa flowers. I begged for these when my neighbor was thinning her plants from the lovely garden I showed you first in this post. She gave me a couple she was uprooting, and they are thriving in my yard. This one is doing well at holding its own in the midst of the invading catmint and juniper around it.


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)


My gazanias seem to bloom faithfully every day we have sunshine. They close when there is not much light. They can handle drought well. The only thing that's ever killed them are gophers and a hard frost. But after the hard frost was over, they came back from the roots still in the ground. They spread as they grow, and can be an ideal ground cover.


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Gazanias


Rosemary usually provides forage for the bees during winter. I see it blooming during almost every season, though it appears to be slowing down a bit now. It's strongest in winter through spring. If I don't keep it pruned back it will take over.

Almost everyone in this neighborhood grows some because it's a useful herb, the bees love it, and it needs no water once established. Some have made hedges of it.

It's not as tall as it looks here. It's really only about four feet high now, but the angle of the camera makes it look much higher. It's the only way I could get the small flowers to show.

What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Rosemary in Bloom in October


Ah, faithful calendula. It just keeps on blooming as long as it gets a bit of water sometimes. It's an annual, but keeps reseeding. I will post more about its virtues later. It seems to bloom in all seasons. It occasionally gets attacked by aphids, but the ladybugs usually control it. 


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Calendula


Lastly, I present my wild watermelon sage. I planted it in 2013 and appreciate that it adds color, the bees like it, and it doesn't try to take over. Compared to my other sages, it has a small footprint and it's only about a yard high. It occasionally gets some water. Other than that, it fends for itself and I prune it if it appears I need to.


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Wild Watermelon Sage


Here's one last tidbit from my neighbor's garden. She grows this morning glory in a pot with a support to climb on. She probably wants to confine it because it tends to be invasive. Delicate, isn't it?


What's in Bloom at the End of October in Paso Robles? Walk with me through my Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming.
Morning Glories


I hope you've enjoyed this informal garden tour of one block in a Paso Robles neighborhood to see what's blooming here in October.

What is your favorite autumn flower in your area?

***

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Wordless Wednesday: Time to Schedule Garden Tasks for October

My Garden Is a Mess


Wordless Wednesday: Time to Schedule Garden Tasks for October
I need to finish pruning kale and thinning Lamb's Ears. © B. Radisavljevic


Decisions to Make about What to Keep


Thin or transplant new seedlings? Depends on whether they turn out to be borage, mullein, or clary sage.
© B. Radisavljevic

Where Shall I Start?


Prune herbs back, trim irises, or thin gazanias? Oh, my!  © B. Radisavljevic


I'd better see if any tree seedlings are lurking under these leaves. © B. Radisavljevic


Time to Schedule Garden Tasks for October - I'd rather look at this sunset.
I think I'd rather look at this than get to work. © B. Radisavljevic




Have You Started or Finished Your Autumn Garden Tasks Yet?

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