It's National Wildflower Week~Get Your Wildflower On

Bluestar~Amsonia tabernaemontana is a late Spring bloomer in my garden*  and a wonderful flower to share for  the National Wildflower Week!

There was a time when the pale blue flowers seemed underwhelming; that all changed, when I noticed their marvelous fall color. (Amsonia, After the Fall) Needing more fall color in the garden,  I bought all the different species/cultivars that were available locally, planting at least three of them together for a great fall color effect.

The following spring I saw the blue flowers in a new light.

I am no longer underwhelmed! In fact,  the garden could use a few more stars!

xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

The leaves are stunning in the garden!

In my part of the gardening world we have a smattering of burgundies and reds, but a whole lot of gorgeous gold and, my friends,  I love it!

Here's a peek at what's been happening this fall~I hope you love it, too.

The sunny Susans Border has seed heads and Physocarpus opulifolius ' Little Devil' hiding in the shadow. The still green Amsonia tabernaemontana will be changing colors, soon, but, the Cotinis 'Grace' is a lovely burgundy and Cercis candensis' yellow leaves are almost hiden among the golden yellow of Carya ovata

Amsonia hubrichtii has taken on its beautiful fall golden hues.

Lindera benzoin lights up the shade garden and just for a few hours the morning sun lights it up too. Also shining are a Japanese Maple and a Hamamelis, both nice understory trees.

Hope you fall is colorful and filling your heart with gladness.
xoxogail

PS I am taking the rest of the week off to recuperate from a minor medical procedure, but, will be back posting next week!

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Amsonia After The Fall

It's the end of October and the Amsonias are winding down.

 Amsonia hubrichtii

Gone are the wispy clouds of gold

A'Seaford Skies' (A. hubrectii x A. tabernaemontana)

Gone are the amber leaves with hints of burgundy.

 A. tabernaemontana cross

Gone are the rich autumn colors.

In their place are beige curls. Wonderful beige curls that are too easily over looked in a garden filled with ex-asters, the last 'Lovely Fairy' rose and trees still holding onto their golden leaves.

Do yourself a favor, head out into your garden and take a close look at the fading Amsonias, you might be surprised to find~

Golden curls.

Ribbons curls.

Curlicues.

Camouflage curls.

More curls than you can possibly imagine!

They make this gardener smile and I'm pretty sure they'll make you smile, too.

xxoogail


Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.