Indian Summer

Today feels like Fall. The air is crisp with temperatures in the high sixties or low seventies. I'm not sure I haven't watched the news today yet. There is a cool breeze and the sky is a beautiful blue with cottony white clouds. For the past three day we were having what seem like Indian Summer with temperatures in the high 80's and 90's and 88 percent humidity. Last night the temperatures dropped down into the 50's in the city and 40's in the suburbs. I woke early and of course this being my birthday weekend, what better way to spend it  but plant shopping. There are many things I can do with birthday presents. My favorite, making plant purchases for next Spring. I am waiting patiently for the first sighting of a tree dressed for Fall in all it's glory. It's early yet.

Carex (ornamental grass) , another type of grass that did not have a tag, and a shrub caryapteris x clandonensis (bluebeard longwood blue). I don't know anything about this shrub. I wanted something that would grow tall near my fence. I hope I didn't make a bad purchase. I should have read up on it before I bought it. It's supposed to grow to a height of 2-4 feet and bloom July-September. The web says it requires full sun and the tag says at least 6 hours of sun. I will have to pick a sunny spot in the yard not one of the shadier areas and see what happens.

The carex I bought for my yard. I don't know where I am going to plant it yet. I love ornamental grass and variegated foliage. It's supposedly good for shade so it should do fine in my shady yard.

Violas. I had to have them. It's almost October. I would have liked fall colors like reds and dark colors but for now I have these. The few orange ones are the ones I like but there were no flats of oranges available. I think I will pull the sweet potato vine from the planters out front and some other plants I didn't like this Summer and put them there.

My favorite pansies are the blues. I also bought a pumpkin as you can see. A large wider one would be more to my taste but I couldn't get a bigger one from the bin. This will go outside on my step when October arrives.

I bought more tulips and hyacinths. Last year I didn't plant bulbs until February not the recommended October and November. The ground was still soft. I wonder what it will be like this year? I usually also put bulbs in pots on the porch. I had read that they might not bloom if planted too late but I guess mine didn't know and did well and were beautiful. Let have a look at what's going on in the yard.

Seeds, seeds, and more seeds from the maple tree.

Tomato still bearing fruit. I don't want to pull it until frost if it's still bearing tomatoes.

Peppers. I wonder if they will get larger? These are the only 2 I had. 

Black-eyed Susan, phlox, and a type of chrysanthemum in need of water. I bought these 2 week ago. I will plant them soon.

Is it Fall yet?

My small butterfly bush still in bloom on the right. It's supposed to be dwarf. I ordered it from Proven Winners last Fall and it shipped in the Spring.

Coleus starting to realize it's almost Fall.

The fig cutting from Georgia is surviving.

It appears some plants need to be told Fall is almost here.