How the Front Curb Area is Faring

I think I've already mentioned that I'm glad that not all plants succumb to the first freezing temperatures.  That makes it easier to deal with the first losses.  There are still some blooms to cheer us up and provide nectar for the bees and butterflies that have also survived.

I will go around from the west side, facing north, showing some close ups and some wider views.  I figured out the photos that aren't centered are ones I cut and pasted to rearrange their order.  I will leave them that way, since they almost look like I did it on purpose, and I don't want to fiddle with them.

The sedges I planted look like they will make it.  I've never grown them before this year.  Now, I wonder if I have a tag around to remind me what kind they are.



I would like to learn how to make new rose plants from stems.  This mystery rose that I got from the sale table at a local garden center a number of years ago blooms off and on from spring to fall.  I use no fertilizers, but always think I should do some organic feeding of some kind.  Still, it does not complain.

The persicaria clumps I planted a year or two ago from a friend are looking good.  I was going to take the liatris plants that I think are 'Kobold' down so they couldn't produce more plants, but didn't get it done.  I suppose I still could.

I think this sedum is 'Indian Summer'. I don't remember what kind of agastache  or salvia that is behind it, but it was not newly planted this year.  I'm glad for its color this time of year.

The grape hyacinths are coming up like they frequently do in the fall. They will still bloom this summer, unless something else causes a problem.



Continuing east, the perennial geraniums are nice and green.   The goldenrod is about finished blooming.  The red is the second clump of persicaria.

Here's one of the grasses I planted this summer.  It may be sideoats gamma, which is one that I know I planted.  I got a few nice sized clumps, and split them in half to increase the number of plants I got in.



Several of the lavender plants have a second flush of blooms.  I didn't get much dried, but did cut back the spent blooms.  The asters are performing well.

The lantanas took awhile to bush out and bloom, and would like to go on awhile, but the weather will soon stop them.



I am having trouble deciding what I think of the reblooming iris.  It seems to me that they are too springy looking for me to like as much in the fall.  Still, they are adding color to the fall garden.

There are still some rose moss blooms.



There is more room on the sidewalk than it looks from here.

This is next to the sidewalk, showing the knautia is still blooming. That looks to be another side oats gamma near by.



I don't try to totally mirror what's in each bed, but there are a lot of the same plants on each side.

This sedum, also shown above, is from several stems I took from one in another part of the yard a few years ago.



There are still a few blooms on the geraniums.

The blue salvias reseed each year.   In front of them are some cool looking seed pods on a butterfly milkweed.

The daylilies had lots of brown leaves this summer, and I got most of them pulled out.  They have put on enough new growth that they no longer look stressed.

We've turned the corner, and are heading back west, facing south.

The goldenrod, 'Fireworks' is one of the last to bloom.  It could be because I cut them back in the summer to keep them compact.  That does delay bloom time some.

I'm glad I didn't pull the New England asters out when their lower leaves and stems were turning brown.  I try to keep them trimmed back in the summer so that they are more compact, and that seems to help keep the stems relatively healthy.   I sure like the bloom color.

I'm thinking I should probably cut back the milkweed plants.  Someone told me there are no more monarch eggs this time of year, if I am remembering correctly.

There are some holes in this area where I planted some seeds, maybe native larkspur.  I was thinking about taking out the stressed daylilies, but these are also looking much better.

I didn't plan on letting any verbena bonariensis grow in this area, but there seems to be room here for these.  I've pulled some coneflowers out here and there that have aster yellows.  These seem to be OK.

Here's the view looking back to the east.  The leaves from neighboring trees are starting to collect to provide some winter protection for the plants. 

We have a good chance for some rain this weekend.  I hope we get a good soaking.  I am not ready for winter, so I am thankful we still have some color.  What do you have blooming?