The Deep Burgundy Colors of Early Fall

 One day in late August, a rain shower had kept us indoors for most of the afternoon. After being house bound until 4 o'clock, we headed out in the cool of the early evening to walk with the dogs.  We were passing by a neighbor's garden, when we noticed this blood red hollyhock weighed down with raindrops. It was so pretty that we had to stop and take some pictures.

On the left, the pinwheel shape of the unopened flower and on the right, a view into the dark depths of rich burgundy reveal a delicate cream center. 

The flower revealed, shining and translucent in the late day light.

Dragons Blood Sedum (above) burgundy accents the outer edge of the leaves.

Our early evening walk got me noticing other wonderful burgundies in other plants which come into their own in the late summer and early fall. 

Humber Nursery, Toronto

Here the burgundy stems hoist pale pink flower heads skyward on this Sedum Matrona. 

Planter Humber Nursery, Toronto

Red Fountain Grass shoots like fireworks out of this fall container. I love the way the burgundy colored fountain grass mixes with the crinkled edge of a purple ornamental cabbage and the rivers of yellow leaves in this container planting.

And some of the most stunning burgundies in fall are reserved for dahlias flowers.

I could not resist this heuchera, when I saw it on a recent visit to Humber Nursery. The variety is called "Purple Petticoats".

I end with the burnt burgundy of a maple leaf shot through with an electric jolt of bright red.

A Heritage Home's Garden in Georgetown, Ontario

Isn't this a pretty annual? It is Lavatera that the homeowner grew from seed.

Located in the heart of Georgetown, this heritage house has been lovingly restored. At the front of the house, hanging baskets and decorative urns are filled with colorful annuals. Morning glory vines trail up the front steps and climb up the side of the front porch. 

A pretty vignette on the front porch

At the back of the house there is a sunken patio area with plenty of space for casual dinners and entertaining. A short flight of stone steps and an arbor covered in morning glories (above) leads to the main garden which runs along the side of the house. 

A view of the garden at the side of the house.

Bee Balm, Rudbeckia, a blue variety of Rose of Sharon and Black-eyed Susan bloom at the back gate.

Three different Rose of Sharon bushes add mid-summer color including this blue one, a single white and this lovely, soft pink one below.

The homeowner has a fondness for decorative metal containers which she fills with flowers and hangs on the house's soft grey siding. 

Above, the geranium basket sits overtop of a variegated euonymus bush that has been clipped into a whimsical heart shape. Below, a decorative key purchased for $2.50 hangs from a wire basket with a mix of colorful annuals. 

Sedum fills a pair of terra cotta shoes

I loved the way this sedum filled a crevice in an old stump.

Some of the many playful objects and vignettes that dot the garden.

Every year this Hibiscus makes the trip outdoors to spend the warm summer months in the garden. Now approximately twenty years old, this five foot topiary continues to produce exquisite peach colored blossoms each summer.

A small Chinese figure looks out from a decorative planter filled with sedum.

The Kavassalis Garden, Oakville

"No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden." Hugh Johnson

A Hollyhock from the side garden

On the evening of our visit to the Kavassalis's garden in Oakville, a blonde haired little girl, not much older than 3 or 4, had abandoned her pink bicycle on the sidewalk and despite her mother's entreaties, set off to explore the flowers beds in the Kavassalis's front garden. 

Now, wasn't this same little girl delighted when she was invited in to see the back garden as well. And wasn't she over the moon, when Cathy Kavassalis picked her a bouquet of fresh flowers to take home with her. I tell you, if it was not fate already, a future gardener was born that evening.

Certainly there is lots to discover and admire in Cathy's garden. When you enter the garden from the side gate, among the plantings are sunflowers, hollyhocks (above), brilliant orange-red crocosmia.  And its not just pretty, there are red raspberries for the picking as well.

One side of the allee of daylilies in the back garden.

Cathy has a great way for creating pretty mixes of flower and foliage. Here pink Astilbe (foreground) mix with Sedum (middle), Heuchera (lower right), Ribbon Grass and white Astilbe (distant right).

A closer look at that pink Astilbe.

One of Cathy's Oriental Lilies in full bloom.

A small stream (lower left) feeds the pond, where a male and female turtle swim happily.

A towering evergreen makes a nice shady retreat in one corner of the garden.

Another lovely combination from left to right : Heuchera (Coral Bells), Ribbon Grass and white Astilbe.

Purple Phlox, Sedum and dove colored Lamb's ears.

Isn't this a fabulous little flower? 

This is Spigelia Marilandica or Indian Pink (common name).

A bee on the lavender colored Bee Balm.

A cream colored Rose of Sharon. 

This summer Cathy has been having problems with the Japanese Beetles, who have devouring parts of the garden including this lovely Rose of Sharon. I have yet so see any of these beetles in my garden. How about you? Have the invaders made it to your garden yet?

(Apparently Japanese Beetles were accidentally introduced to New Jersey in 1916, where they quickly become a serious pest. Now they are found in Ontario, Iowa, Missouri, Georgia and Alabama just to name few states.)

The delicate beauty of the herb Borage.

(Below) Cathy lets her cilantro go to flower so she could collect coriander seeds.

Isn't the cilantro flower pretty? I am not sure if this is a bad bug or a good bug, but he certainly looks like a happy bug lost in the marvel of this flower top.

The Changing Faces of two of my Favorite Hydrangeas

"Change is the only constant." Old Proverb

I thought I might share with you, the changing faces of two of my favorite hydrangeas. In the half-sun of the back garden, white buds first appear on my Oakleaf hydrangea (hydrangea quercifolia) in sultry days of late July.  

Gradually a mix of large white flowers and tiny white stars open on the conical panicles.

When the weather shifts and cools, the small stars shut their eyes and pink seeps into the flowers.

In the sunny front garden, chartreuse flower buds appear on the Pee Gee Hydrangea (paniculata 'P.G. compacta) in late July.

Here the buds shine in the early morning light. 

In the first days of August, the hydrangea flowers are milky white in color.

In mid-August, the mornings are crisp. The white flowers and buds are tinted with the softest blush of pink.

By late October, crusted with frost crystals, the flowers have turned a soft rose color.