GBBD Mid-October 2017

Autumn is rainy and windy, some days are sunny but cold. I had needed to put on more warm clothes working in the garden and greenhouse. Yesterday I prepared tubs of dry soil and packets of special cloth to cover tender plants. What is flowering in mid-October?
The huge hydrangea grandiflora blooms as mad but soon it'll be pruned and all gorgeous heads will be used to make a dry bouquet and a wreath. Sedum is succulent I think to cut its flowers to dry them as well.

Ligularia przewalskii leaves turn to dark red, its blossoms faded earlier in September. Near Ligularia some nasturtium and hostas grow till snow. 

In the shady corner Helenium autumnale blooms. It's a tall plant that flowers in late autumn, under rain and cloudy sky. Despite the weather Helenium autumnale is so colorful.

Actinidia kolomikta is a liana that grows on the trellis and produces soft and sweet tiny 'kiwi'.

I always pick up Actinidia berries when they are solid, later they mature at home and get soft. I've found some raspberries near the garden shed, probably I forgot to pick them up. It's a pleasure to eat some sweet berries in October. 

The plum tree harvest isn't abundant this cold summer and autumn. I do hope to freeze 3-4 containers of plums.

I've left some redcurrant berries for birds and as a rezult birdies have eaten many of them. I like that redcurrant berries don't crumble and hang on a bush a long time.
The Canadian roses bloom in early summer and there are a lot of their hips in autumn.

I don't know if the birds eat rose hips. It's said vitamin C is in there. This cool summer the apple trees "had a rest" so an apple crop is quite a little.

Only some apples are seen on the branches. I tasted one - it's sweet and juicy.  Parthenocissus quinquefolia leaves are of nice red color, its berries are green, they are not edible for people and maybe for birds too.

Some veggies are still growing on my raised beds despite on cold nights and please me with bright greenness.

The juicy salad leaves and coriander goes well to tomatoes. Surprisingly coriander plants bloom white flowers in October.
Crocus Colchicum sprout leaves only in spring and then disappear till autumn. In October Colchicum is in bloom with pink and purple flowers, butterflies enjoy this autumnal crocus.

 

Well, geese fly away to south places. Happy October!