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| From In the Garden |
October's Plant of the Month has to be the asters. One note: I post the first Wednesday of each month my series "Plant of the Month" but that plant of the month is for the previous month's best performer in my garden. This performer also needs to make a big impact. The asters had it for October.
Asters are something I've always loved but found that after a few years the cultivars I grew would die out on me. Not so with a few new ones I've tried. Notably the above blue aster is a huge performer. It came from one of my client's gardens and has been a very reliable performer in her garden for many years. When I had to divide it to keep it from taking over I brought some starts home with me. This section that started from one or two starts has now grown to 3' x 5'! That is a lot of growing in just six months! Its hardiness and longevity in my client's garden makes me feel confident it will do well here at Tiger Gardens too. It seems that the best asters for my garden are the pass along asters-maybe the older cultivars are better adapted? I'm not sure but in the past the few new ones I've tried have died out after a few years. Some other pass along asters I grow are: tartarian asters (love em!), 'Honeysong' (a pink aster), and an unknown purple aster given to me by my friend Naomi. With the wide variety of asters on the market and in gardens everywhere there is an aster for everyone.
I like the asters not only for their lovely fall show but for their drought tolerance. These plants are very tough in the garden and have not received supplemental water from me this year. That says a lot because 2010 has been a bad year for gardening in my part of Tennessee. Asters do best in full sun but also manage quite nicely in part sun and even part shade. Their dainty flowers number in the millions and the butterflies, and bees simply adore the blooms. The asters were the best performers in my October garden and make a huge enough impact that they are my choice for October's Plant of the Month.....
in the garden....
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| From In the Garden |
in the garden...
What was your best performer in your October garden? Any mantids in your garden lately?
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,
In the Garden
I should get some asters...the Korean Sheffield Mums showed their stuff the best in Oct. cute photo of the Jimster.
ReplyDeleteDarla, Those Sheffield mums are awesome! In my garden here they are blooming but a bit slowly due to the drought I guess. Thanks on the Jimster. He sure is growing fast and I so treasure these little moments with him.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness girl! I can not believe the Jimster is 16... Wow, I wish The Saint and I could see him play that guitar now. I am sure he would blow our socks off since the last time we saw him plucking away :-)
ReplyDeleteOkay, I learned something this morning from your post. I spotted a Mantis this same color on our front porch a few weeks ago and wondered why it was not the bright green I normally see in the garden. Now I know there are different types of Preying Mantis. Gee, knowledge is wonderful.... I will pick up a granddaddy long legs, frogs, etc but have never picked up a Mantis! I was not sure if they would bite or not plus I dont trust the way in which they look me over when near them. They kind of remind me of an alien movie with their look. I rate them right up there with ostrich birds, I don’t trust their look either. hee hee…
I was finally able to walk around the garden and take a peek yesterday. I spotted missing Lily greens and Hosta. I reckon the deer enjoyed the snacks but that’s fine since they are on the way out anyway. My great bloomers for now are the Angelonia with profuse blooms! But they will go bye-bye after this coming cold weekend. They are actually calling for freezing temps here! So not time for that kind of weather in GA. Today I plan to remove the small Banana tree to winter it inside. I need to get out today for sure as time is running out….
Everyone have a great day!!!
Got to love the asters, they are everywhere up here.
ReplyDeleteEew, to the mantis, my kids aren't brave enough to pick something like that up, ha!
good pic of Jimmy.
Best performer in October - the grasses, particularly Miscanthus malepartus 'Malepartus'. And you are a major reason why I plan to plant an aster in my garden next year, and currently have a cheap and cheerful one in a pot on the patio... Love the mantis! And the son not too cool to hang out with his parents...
ReplyDeleteI love asters. They are tough and beautiful at the same time. The latest aster I have is 'Miss Bessie' -- it's in full bloom right now.
ReplyDeleteAsters kick a... I mean they are very tough rugged plants and grow like weeds around here.
ReplyDeleteLove your sons hair.
I like the asters! I haven't seen many mantises this year. A few small ones and not recently. My best bloomer is still the salvia!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, I have lots of mantids in my garden, and all kinds from the Chinese ones to some very dark brown ones that I don't know the name of. They're fun to watch and to photograph--since they don't move fast:)--but I've never tried to pick one up.
ReplyDeleteAsters are a definite winner for fall. I have no idea what kind I have, though. I bought one at a plant sale last year simply labelled 'Native Aster' and it has multiplied throughout the garden this year.
Tina, I never change upon mantids, but wish I did! Great photo of your son!I love asters and let the natives seed about~They are real stars of the fall garden. gail
ReplyDeleteAsters do keep on a giving so much. It has been cold here for a couple of weeks and last night we got a good frost. Nothing but turnip and cabbage left in my garden and a few marigolds. That is it. I took several pictures of my yellow rose, many california poppys, cosmos and many other things in full bloom on November 19 last year. They have all been gone for a couple of weeks here this year.
ReplyDeleteGREAT picture of my wonderful grandson!!!!!!!
Oh darn, I also meant to say that I have not seen many pyaring mantis for a few years now around here. I miss them as I always liked seeing them.
ReplyDeleteI love asters, but they just don't bloom very long. That beautiful purple color is so pretty in the fall. I planted 3 small plants this year hoping for more blooms next year.
ReplyDeleteBest plant in October - yellow mums!
Sounds like you've found the right asters for your garden. They are so reliable. Mine were mostly done by October but put on a nice show.
ReplyDeleteI love praying mantis. We have a lot in our garden which is good. I'm always surprised at the places they'll attach the egg cases--like on the frame of the front door. Why?
Handsome twosome, Tina! My toad lilies just keep on giving :)
ReplyDeleteAll ages seem to be intrigued by nature.
ReplyDeleteThe Asters were a top performer for me for October too. Some others included Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Lantana 'Miss Huff' (which are still going strong). Cool Praying Mantis shot, lol.
ReplyDeleteHello Tina, As I have a couple of those cool teenagers myself, I love how the garden can bring us all together. Great shot of your son with the mantis!
ReplyDeleteThe Batface Cuphea is still putting on the strongest show of all in the garden. Has got to be the best performer of the whole year thus far!
I love asters too. Ours are over now and were more white than purple this year. Yours are gorgeous. Awesome praying mantis and son! That should go in his yearbook.
ReplyDeleteAsters did really well here too this fall, but are done now. Hardy fuchsias and Black-eyed Susans did great in October.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get Praying mantises here, not sure I'd be brave enough to pick it up though.
Mums are still it for here.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have mantis here or I haven't seen one this yr. Love those asters. Must get some for next yr.
I still have Lantana performing like crazy.
ReplyDeleteI will have to look up Chinese praying mantis. Very cool.
It's heartwarming to see your son still connecting to the garden Tina. I haven't seen any praying mantis in my garden since the baby orioles picked my faithful two off! (we never have that many anyway)
ReplyDeleteIt must not have been cold enough to kill them there yet?
Oh, before I forget ~ Asters are a great choice for this month! (although mine are already over). Here I would have to go with 'Coral Canyon' Diascia ~ it's about the only perennial left blooming.
What a cool picture of Jimmy (and his praying friend)
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not I got a few eggplant flowers that are the same color as your asters - still, unbelievably, in bloom! The marigolds still look amazing, too.
Tina did you build the wheel barrow? I like that & have wanted one just like that.
ReplyDeleteHi Lola, Mr. Fix-it built the wheelbarrow a few years ago. I posted about it. Check the labels on the sidebar for a label 'wheelbarrow'. It was quite easy for him to do and did not take long. I painted it later. Glad you like it.
ReplyDeleteThinks Tina. Love the painting. I thought you had painted it. Great job.
ReplyDeleteTime sure is slipping away! You need to tell the Jimster to slow down and not grow up so fast. It's hard to believe it's been two years since we saw all of you. Right now, the Knockouts are bloomimg great, and the sweet tater blossoms are keeping the veggie garden pretty. At least I think they still are. Supposedly we got frost this past weekend, and we stayed in Tally for a change. I may be in for a surprise when we go home next weekend.
ReplyDeleteNothing grows in my October garden. Those Asters look like the same ones we have growing wild. I love the photo of your son. My son left home when he was 18 to go to school in Alberta. Now he lives in Vancouver. I rarely get to see him anymore...
ReplyDeleteyour son's photos with the praying mantis is cute. We have lots of them but to this day i haven't seen the female while eating the male. I wish i can see that one of these days. Ours here are mostly green and brown, but there are those which are big. Regards to Skeeter.
ReplyDelete