Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens.
This is the tenth month for bloom day which started way back on a cold, snowy February day. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the different gardens from around the world as we’ve moved through late winter, spring, summer and now fall.
Thank you to everyone for making this a monthly tradition of the garden blogging community.
In my USDA Zone 5 garden, I rely on container plantings to provide a lot of the fall color, as there is less and less blooming in the garden.
Above are some Chrysanthemums purchased a few weeks ago to brighten up the front walkway.
Other ‘brought in’ flowers include some pansies in a nearby window box.
All the pansies ‘pouted’ a bit in the unseasonably, record high, warm weather we had before last week. But as temperatures have returned to normal, they are starting to perk up.
I don’t try to winter-over the pansies, so I get them in colors I think of for fall, like this nearly black pansy.
The Gerber daisies, though bought in the spring, seem to have brightened up in the autumn light which is not as harsh as summer’s glare.
A nearby Potentilla has a flush of rebloom for fall.
As does the one and only rose in my garden, a white Flower Carpet rose. 
Elsewhere in the garden, blooming with the last of the Shasta daisies are false sunflowers, a few tall phlox, the occasional balloon flower, some veronica, a couple of ‘Stella D’Oro’ daylilies, sedum, and two large clumps of asters. Here and there are a few stray sprigs of more asters, peaking out from under and around other plants where they hid and escaped the gardener’s attempts at weeding.
In the vegetable garden, the zinnias and marigolds cling to their last blooms, and the peppers are bright red and yearn to be picked before the killing frost.
The trees have just started to change their colors; I think we are still a good week or so away from the trees putting on their big show.
Finally, hidden behind the hostas, claiming some of the only shade in the garden, are the last new flowers to appear in my garden, Toad Lilies.
What’s blooming in your garden? Please join us for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day by posting about what is blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month, and then leave a comment here on my GBBD post so we can find you.
All are welcome!
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” – Elizabeth Lawrence
Happy October Carol, I have posted what is bloom in my Iowa garden, there is more in bloom than most Octobers because we have not had a killing frost yet.
Hi, Carol. I’ve got my Bloom Day post up, with quite a few things blooming because here in Illinois, we also have not had a frost yet. Love the black pansy!
Carol, I just put my post up too, because tomorrow I’m posting my Blog Action Day essay. I love your pansies, because they always make me smile, no matter what colour they come in.
You make me wish I had gotten some black pansies for myself, Carol. And your toad lilies look great; I wish they’d grow that well for me! I do have some other autumn bloomers to share. My GBBD post is at http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=283
Carol: I have so enjoyed your ‘Bloom Day’ so thanks! I have just posted, a bit early especially for me! Love your toad lilies and the pansies are so happy!
I love participating in Bloggers Bloom day (haven’t got my post up for October yet … but there is always tomorrow) We had our first frost last night so my blooms will be limited.
You still have some lovely blooms. I really like the toad lilies.
Got my scans up for this month. (And a blog action day post too.) Early for a change: http://www.remarc.com/craig/?p=267
Hi Carol,
What a lovely post for October’s Bloom Day. I’ve got my post up as well.
We’re up and at it at Whoreticulture Gardens.
http://coldcalculation.blogspot.com/2007/10/bloom-day.html
P.S. You only have one rose in your garden? Is there a story that goes with that?
My GBBD post is up!
Yep, my Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post is now up! http://catch-a-falling-star24.blogspot.com/
Container gardening is a good way to still have flowers in the fall. No frost at my place yet…but maybe tonight. But hey! My gardens held out till the October Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I never would have “thunk” it a couple of weeks ago!!
Hi Carol. My post is done and will be up in the morning. It is so amazing how much is blooming this late since we also have not had a killing frost.
How much frost can a Pansy take?
It is what it is and it is there, all of the wonderful blues of October.
Your flowers all look so fresh and nice and I really like the toad lilies. My GBBD post is up too…it’s a busy day tomorrow so I thought I should get it done ahead! Thank you for thinking up such a fun group activity although it’s beginning to take a long time checking out all the posts!
I love your pansies, the black one is so unusual, and also your white rose, which looks like a gardenia. I’ve got my blooms day up and look forward to peeking at everyone else’s blooms.
The “Welcome” pumpkin and mums are
are really nice. And I wish I’d thought of pansies this Fall, yours are so pretty. I’m got my Bloom Day ready. Please come and visit.
LOVE the black pansies! Very interesting color and so appropriate right before Halloween. Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage
No frost yet so there are still lots of things in bloom here. I just got toad lily at the Sept plant swap and I’m loving it.
Hi again, Carol
Yep, you have still colour hanging on. I really liked the toad lilies – I think I will add some of them amongst my ferns next year 😀
My very Autumnal post is up now too 🙂
Hi Carol,
My Bloom Day post is up now too.
I love your choice of pansy colors. Your welcome sign by the mums looks nice!
Well Carol. once again it’s bloom day and my post is up too at http://blissyo-elgarden.blogspot.com/
It’s nice to see your garden still being very cheerful at this time of year. Love the welcome sign!
We have pansies, marigolds, roses and toadlilies in common in see. 😉
I wonder how many blooms we will have on November 15th. 🙂
Hi Carol,
I just managed to get my Bloom Day photos up. I didn’t realize it was the 15th already.
I love the look of the potentilla. Unfortunately we planted some but they didn’t survive. I thought potentilla was a pretty tough plant but not so. I thought we gave it a great location to thrive in too. Reminds me of strawberry flowers.
Despite the drought, there was quite a number of plants blooming. http://phillipoliver.blogspot.com/
Your photos spur me on to putting in my pansies and violas. Those are winter annuals in Austin.
My list is up at Zanthan Gardens.
Now to look at everyone else’s gardens.
Hi Carol,
Garden Rant, Beyond Sustainable Gardening (Susan’s blog), and my blog all have bloom day posts up.
Eliz.
Did you really only start GBBD this year? It seems like such a long standing tradition that it’s hard to believe it’s less than a year old. My October post is here.
My GBBD is up, I know I’ll appreciate having this record of what’s blooming as time goes by!
Gardener’s Bloom Day is a wonderful idea. I love your pumpkin display and that black pansy. Mums and pansies do cheer things up around our brown gardens in NC.
Love your basket of mums. My post is up now too.
The black pansy is cool, and the Flower Carpet rose is amazing. Looks like a cheerful Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens.
My Bloom Day post is up too.
Carol, thanks to your encouragement I have started a blog. It will take me some time to get used to creating my post. I hope you take a look and if you have any pointers let me know. Thank you, Lisa at Greenbow
http://greenbowgardens.blogspot.com/
Carol, my blooms are finally up along with action day (I needed something to illustrate my editorial!) That rose is a beauty and it’s hard not to love a happy pansy!
Lovely flowers, dear Carol. I especially liked the black Pansy.
My Blooms day post is up too.
Why are we all fascinated with the black pansy? I want one, too! But Carol, the toad lilies don’t do anything for me. Thank you for your months of graciously hosting our day of blooms.
It’s already 2 in the afternoon, but if you click on the boldtype annie in austin you’ll find that my post is finally up. Starting it two days early did not help one bit.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I posted my bloom day report yesterday but forgot to check in and let you know!
I love your toad lilies and your black pansy, Carol, but the crispness of that white rose is arresting.
Carol,
I honestly don’t know how you do it all. I cannot keep up with it all and have never once managed to post a Bloom Day post on Bloom Day.
And I also don’t know the names of everything. (Haha, like sweetpeas and morning glories!)
–Robin (Bumblebee)
All… many thanks to everyone for posting for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day! To answer a few questions… I only have one rose because I don’t like fussy plants. I know there are more hardy roses I could get… Pansies can take some pretty cold temperatures, but need a few warm days, too. In my garden, they won’t be there by late December… Everyone go see Lisa at Greenbow and welcome her to the garden bloggers’ community, she just started her blog and this is her first post and she’s from INDIANA… Now go buy black pansies for Halloween!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
I’ve got a post up– my first time making it by the 15th. I may add on to it, but there it is, anyways!
Thanks Carol, and everyone else for sharing!
So did you find black pansies at a local garden center? Grow them from seed? I always wonder where people find the more exotic varieties of plants. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of cool stuff available in the garden centers around here.
Also, my post is finally up!
I am little late with my bloom day post but I got it in before the end of the day
I’m a new garden weblogger in Austin, TX. I’ve watched the other Austin webloggers post their bloom day entries for the last few months and am excited to be posting the first one of my own!
Hi Carol, I got my post up for Bloom Day just under the wire. http://www.gardenhistorian.blogspot.com. Thanks for all your encouragement.
Kathryn
I’m late, as usual. It’s a tradition 😉
The black pansy is cool. It would be neat to try it planted in a hollowed out pumpkin.
Hi Carol! I really like your bushel basket of mums, and that black pansy! Got my post up, too….happy bloom day!
Carol, the reblooming iris opened today, I posted a picture of her. check it out, she’s so pretty!
Frightfully late, but I did finally get my post up at Kiss of Sun
Thanks for pulling this all together.