Can't believe it's October

The weather is clear.  The garden still pretty.  And, my sister-in-law is cooking the turkey on Sunday (I'm doing the garlic mashed potatoes), so life is indeed good.

A fair number of photos today (from September and October) to give you a catch up on what the garden is looking like.  Find it remarkable considering Bart's thunderous charges through the garden that it's holding up as well as it is.   I think one of the keys to my success this year is having enough large tropicals and woodies in pots.  Throughout the summer I moved them into positions of importance when parts of the garden pooped out.  Just like moving furniture around inside, it changes the focus in the garden and keeps it looking new and fresh.

From September the lovely tropical I trialed from Loblaw.  I didn't replant it, just dumped it in a ceramic pot.  Even Mr. Nutkin seems to enjoy it.

Amazing the growth between the shots - about two weeks.

Below my old Brugmansia.  It is time to take cuttings and start again.  The wood is getting very corky - and the plant a wee bit too big to winter in the basement.

The vine on the trellis is an Akebia chocolate vine.  The 'hood racoons have decided it's really comfy for sleeping.  Directly below is an Aralia cordata I've come to dislike.  I bought it in my dinosaur period - sadly by the end of the summer, which is generally very dry here, it becomes a big dead and dying plant.  In a good year, it sets lots of golf-ball sorts of flowers and seeds EVERYWHERE.  Just to the right you can see a little Acer 'Butterfly' that I'm hoping will eventually fill in that hole nicely.  The hydrangea to the right is one I got from Loblaw and planted up in a pot.  It lives in the garage over the winter - I'd have more pots stored there if it wasn't for Kevin's silly car.  Not sure of the variety, as it was sold without a tag at the end of the season.

Slugs and snails were fierce this year.  Fortunately my new favourite Hosta 'Wheee!' managed to come away looking pretty good.  Like the way it mixes with Heuchera.

And, what's the point of looking at a Canadian blog if you're not given a bit of leaf colour as an enticement - voila:  Gleditsia looking golden:

And another morning walk Anemone just because.

Young trees often colour ahead of the older plants.  In a couple of weeks, all the colours of the leaves will be revealed.

The reason Gleditsia is used so frequently as a city tree is because of the tiny little leaves that powder-out.  Here I am in a Gleditsia powder puddle.

After that brief break, it's back to the garden.  Sadly there was nothing much to report on my seedlings from Gardens North until now - perhaps next year.  Found one sprout a couple of weeks ago - has been joined by a family of Chaerophyllum seedlings.  (I know only something a seed-mother could love)

 The Brunnera 'Silver Heart' is new.  Excellent leaf form and colour.

For those of you who like variegated leaves.  This is Tricyrtis 'Lightning strike'.

The leaves really vary. This looks more lightning-struck than the first set of leaves don't you think?

My all time vote for Best Grass for the Shade - Carex 'Ice Dance'.

Brunnera 'Jack Frost' - will be interested to see next year how the newbee 'Silver Heart' compares.  I know it's late in the season, but this is not so lovely.

Went to Taylor Nursery and this Anemone 'Prince Henry' grabbed me by the throat and threatened serious harm unless I took it home.  Had to pull it off my throat and stuff it in the cart - behaved beautifully once it new I was following instructions.

Another new Brunnera 'Sea Heart'.  Pretty and delicious.  Notice how the colour extends to the edge of the leaf.  Again, will have to see how it comes through the winter next year.  This is the first Brunnera I've ever had eaten.

Who put all those leaves in my garden?

Another shot of 'Wheee!'

And one more of the garden with the offending Aralia cordata cut down, showing how much better it will look once it's dispatched next spring.