Autumn Colours

We will try this again.  I hope I get my mosiac into the blog this time.   Here is my Monday Mosiac to share.

Monday Mosiac

I decided to do a mosiac this week on Autumn colours. 

Autumn Reds

Nothing says autumn in our garden more than the changing of foliage from the various shades of green that are present through spring and summer to the reds and yellows of fall.  Those that stand out are Parthenocissus or Virginia Creeper: a vine that the came by way of the birds that creeps happily up the brick wall of the house, Euonymus atropurpureus or Burning Bush is true to its name with red foliage and berries in the fall, Cotinus coggygria or Smoke Bush which also appeared thanks to the birds and has grown into a large shrub that blooms beautifully in summer, and Sedum oreganum that looks like little miniature jade plants but with lovely colouring.  All seem to do well in our sandy soil.

This week I noticed that there were no more sightings of our summer visitors the Ruby-throated hummingbird so we put our feeder away until next May.  I saw a Robin this morning in the apple tree but he was probably just passing through.  I hate to see the birds leave but they must. 

Grass Mosiac

I have been reading some very beautiful and interesting blogs lately thanks to my friend at Lavendar Cottage.  Creating a mosiac of your best pictures is all the focus right now.  I wanted to give it a whirl too so here it is.  I thought it was good for a first try but I now I see what the other are doing I am going to be out taking pictures and creating more. 

Autumn Plumes

At this time of the year I really enjoy the seed heads of the ornamental grasses in our yard. We grow a dozen different varieties.   My favourite in the fall of the year  is the plumes of the Miscanthus sinensis 'Huron Sunrise' and a new one in the garden 'Huron Solstice'  Both have plumes of dark pink.   As they age they become a softer pink and last right through the winter.  They remain a focal point and a bit of architecture when the weather turns nasty. 

Happiness is Hydrangea

In the last few weeks the blooms on the Pink Diamond Hydrangea have turned from a white to a pink to a deep pink colour hense the name. This shrub is one I brought home from a local nursery several years ago. It was looking forlorn in the reduced pile and I felt sorry for it. It took a few years to grow to its mature size of 5ft tall or 1.5 meters and 4 ft or 1.4 meters wide. The blooms are in a conical shape different than the round globes of the 'Annabelle' Hydrangea. In the spring the 'Pink Diamond' can take a shearing back as it blooms on new growth. At the moment the smaller Magnolia 'Susan' is lost somewhere under the bloom. The Magnolia blooms earlier in the season so that arrangement works. The blooms must have a wonderful fragrance for insects as I counted a few different kinds including a paper wasp that was 2inches or .06 meters long buzzing in and out of the shrub.

Also on the property I have the large bloomed 'Annabelle' Hydrangea. This one needs cutting back in the spring. It grows on new growth but it suckers quite a bit. Good if you have a spring plant sale to donate the extras to. I love the size of the blooms. They can be huge. I always put them in the flower shows and have won the red ribbon for my effort.

A few years ago I planted an 'Endless Summer' Hydrangea. This one is supposed to bloom right through the season with either pink (in alkaline soil) or blue (in acidic soil). It bloomed the first year and then nothing. This is the third year and no bloom. The plant itself is very healthy and at the moment the leaves are turning a yellow and red autum colour which is nice. I haven't made up my mind whether I will dig it up and move it or give another season or whether it may be a candidate for a plant sale. There are always other varieties to try.

At the moment I am trialing two new varieties of Hydrangea for a friend. One is 'Incrediball' an improved form of 'Annabelle' which has a bloom 4 times the size bigger than 'Annabelle' with stronger stems and the other is 'Invincible Spirit' a pink form of Annabelle. At the moment the 'Invincible' has a very small pink bloom on it. It will be interesting to see how these two grow in the next couple of years.

Hydrangeas are fairly easy to grow even in our sandy soil. They need moisture, sun or part shade and benefit from mulching to keep the moisture in. Of course they need room to grow as they become a good size shrub. Certainly this plant is worthy of a place in everyone' garden bed.

Hardy Hibiscus is a Show Stopper

Do you grow Hardy Hibiscus in your gardens? I first noticed this plant when I was visiting Niagara on the Lake one summer. Some of them were the size of dinner plates. When I came home I looked in the nurseries to see if I could grow one in my area.

It is hard not to notice these beautiful plants at this time of the year. The Hardy Hibiscus never fails to catch my eye as I travel through the neighbourhood. The size of the bloom is the diameter of 6-8inches or 18-24cm across. The Hardy Hibiscus is a native of North America. They are in the family of Malvaceae which is the same as another favourite of mine the Hollyhock and the Malva. Hibiscus is a relative of the Rose of Sharon shrub which is also blooming at this time of the year, but, with much larger bloom.

The hardy Hibiscus is an easy to grow herbaceous perennial that will grow in most soils from normal to sandy to clay and in neutral, alkaline or acidic soil. Recommended to a Zone 4 but if protected will survive a possible Zone 3. It tolerates light shade but grows best in full sun. Protection is needed from wind or they will suffer windburn. Mine is a "Luna blush" variety and faces north-east on the property. The plant needs good circulation and room to grow in order to provide good growth and resistance to disease. The Hardy Hibiscus grows 2-8ft tall or 60cm to 2.5 m tall. The flowers could number in the hundreds but last only a day or two. Keep them deadheaded to produce more bloom. The flowers themselves resemble crepe paper and come in an array from white to pink, mauve and yellow, many with coloured eyes and shading. Butterflies and Hummingbirds are attracted to these plants.

The Hardy Hibiscus is a late bloomer. The dead looking stems needed to be cut back in the spring. You will think it is dead but in June you will notice the green growth coming up. It grows quickly on new growth in my zone. I have never noticed any disease or insect problems with the plant. Hardy Hibiscus can be used as a hedge or a specimen in the border. One thing is for sure it is a show stopper. You can't miss them.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

Our property has been given a Backyard Habitat certification by the Canadian and National Wildlife Federation. That means that we provide food, water, shelter, nesting sites, host plants for insect larvae and keep our property pesticide free for welcoming nature.

One of our annual visitors to the backyard is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. This tiny male with the red bow tie arrives in May to visit the feeder. The female will arrive later. We put the feeder out the first week of May as we never know the exact date they will arrive. If we are late they appear at the kitchen window announcing their arrival. We know that spring and summer are finally here. Throughout the warm season we see them darting in and out of the various flowers. Red is supposed to be the colour that they are most attracted to but I can't see that they are more attracted to one colour over another in the garden. The hummingbird will even come down to investigate a colourful shirt I may be wearing.

At this time of the year they are preparing to leave us for their winter homes. More than one will appear at the feeder at the same time and then there is a squabble. They dip and dive at each other like they are on a trapese, back and forth and up and down. They squeak like teddy bears all the while. It is such fun to watch. In early September they will bide us adieu. I will miss them but will look forward till next May when they appear again in our garden.

Creating a Pond

My husband and I discussed building a pond in our yard. We have a half-barrel that is a habitat for gold fish in summer. For many years that was our water feature. On old water pump attached to a submersible pump gave a steady stream and sound of running water. This year when my husband started holidays we decided that this was the time to develop the pond. We had looked at ponds belonging to others and scoured the how-to books about the subject. Some were helpful and some confusing. When shopping for the liner and other supplies we discovered a good source of information in Bradford at a pond supplier called "Hydrosphere" owned by Chris Dahl, B. Sc. . He had all the answers.

Our vacation became a "staycation" into the second week as we soldiered on each day. By the end of week two we have a very nice pond and a new home for the fish. Next will be the finishing touches with water plants including a water lily and some plantings to make the site visually attractive. We are quite proud of ourselves.

Hollyhocks: An Old Fashioned Favourite

Remembering back to when I was a child I would go around to the side of my Grandmother's house in Peterborough, Ontario where she grew hollyhocks. I would make dolls out of the blooms. The bloom itself would be the skirt and the bud of another the head of the doll. I purposefully grow them in our garden as a rememberance to her.

Hollyhocks or Alcea rosea have their origins in Asia and belong to the Malvacea family. They are grown easily from seed. They are a biennial so form a clump the first year and the second set bloom and seed. Plant in the back of the border as they grow to heights of 5 and 6 ft tall (1.5 to 1.8 metres) and have unsightly stems. Bloom time is July through September. Flowers can be single, semi-double and double and in a wide variety of colours. I have one blooming now on the north side of the house that is a beautiful pale yellow. Let some of the blooms go to seed for the next year. Hollyhocks are cross-pollinated by insects so you can never be sure that you will get the same colour in the same area. Save the seeds if you want true colours.