Friday, October 15, 2010

A Blustery Blue Aster Bloom Day

The wind kind of howled all day long. Thank goodness I was busy inside a nice warm cabin. I managed to get outside for some Bloom Day pictures while I was waiting for mortar to dry. I have watched paint dry too. That was fun.

I have blue asters for Bloom Day. I bet I have more blue asters than anyone who posts their link at May Dreams Bloom Day headquarters. I have so many blue asters I think it might actually be bad if I make the garden to be and thin their numbers. But I am a gardener and will not be able to stop myself from gardening. The blue asters will just have to cope.



I also have a Sheffie Mum annex along the drive. I got a free mum at the Haywood County Master Gardener's garden tour a while back and it just happened to be the same as the Sheffie Mum from Fairegarden Tennessee. Some Tennessee mums were plugged into the Haywood County mums for a bigger patch. Now the patch is spreading in all directions.



I was inside all day putting the white field tile on the rough edge of the glass block wall. Maybe a little more thought could have avoided this, maybe not. The thinline series of glass block has fewer block choices and the glass block wall had to be so long to go with a shower door that was so long. It looks just fine. Just two more processes to go. The thin joints in the white field tile need to be grouted and all the grout lines will get sealed.



While I was tiling, man and machine were outside digging up rocks for me. You know I like rocks. I was running low on rocks close at hand. Now I have a good start of another planned, short dry stack stone wall in the garden.

Today the trench was dug and the pipe laid for the electric and phone lines to be run to the cozy cabin underground. It makes sense to make a mess before the finish grading gets done. That will start early next week he says. I have waited this long. What's another weekend of waiting? I'll put my new rocks in a safe place over the weekend.

Nice rocks, eh?



The Main Mum from Fairegarden Tennessee is just stunning this year. I think it wants to take over. I think I either adjusted to its salmon colored pink, or I swear it looks like a different color this year. It's less salmony and more just pink.



Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' is in full bloom in the front roadside bed. This grass will stand all winter. I may have to use it to cheat on the Bloom Days ahead.



The Blue Wood Aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium is by far the most numerous aster on the mountain right now. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is a close second. Here it mingles with Northern Sea Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium in its coppery fall foliage.



Oops, one of those white Frost Asters, Symphyotrichum pilosum snuck in to the Bloom Day picture.



And you can't have an October Bloom Day without a hint of Fall color.



It has been a long day and tomorrow I am going to plant 271 bulbs, one peony and a bucket full of Japanese Anemone transplants for Client #7's Bloom Days to come. Everyone should be able to have their own Bloom Day.

10 comments:

Larry said...

The first aster photo is wonderful... I enjoy following your posts... L

Gail said...

Gardening in the mountains like you do you have me beat with numbers of blue asters, but I have to come in second! My entire front garden is almost blue with them. I love them and appreciate their loveliness each fall. I have the same sheffies from fairegarden. They are still salmon. Your soil is magic! it's coming along very nicely and the garden looks wonderful. gail

Darla said...

Very nice. I have the Sheffies from my mom's garden, great plant!

Anonymous said...

Chris, I have Sheffie's too. We have not had any rain for 6 weeks. Can you believe it??? Anyway, the Sheffie's are blooming big time with just a little hand watering. 2 Monarchs were on them this morning. That makes it all worth it.
Sallysmom

RBell said...

Your blue asters certainly are something - what a nice swath of color to have.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous photos as usual. I love asters and you have them in spades. Love the huge drifts.

Queer by Choice said...

I love that first shot. You must save an area of massed blue asters!

Lola said...

Love those asters. Blue in the garden is so nice. Maybe next yr I will have some in mine.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

You do appear to be sitting in a sea of blue. Your cozy cabin is coming right along. Happy GBBD.

scottweberpdx said...

All those asters are just fabulous, and your stand of miscanthus is gorgeous!