October Fashion Show

Ahhhh, October!...Here at last! It is why we endure the harshness of winter, welcome the bursting busy-ness of gardening in spring and wait patiently through the dog days of summer...So we can drink in the golden days of autumn and, in particular, the bounty of October when the first blush of crimson paints itself throughout the backdrop of trees.  The past few days of autumn bliss have me thinking of a poem by the19th Century English poet Ernest Downs and it goes like this..."Pale amber sunlight falls across the reddening October trees, That hardly sway before a breeze, As soft as summer: summer's loss seems little, dear, On days like these. 

Here in the Blooming Hill gardens, the last days of the growing season shorten all to quickly yet the plants seem almost blissful, sighing with relief, covered in morning dew that slowly disappears as the day progresses.  Petals crinkle slightly and leaves begin to curl and fall from stems and vines.  However, late blooming beauties refuse to go quietly into the winter and line themselves up for a few more curtain calls before they take their final bow.  Finally the hyacinth bean, lazily draped over the trellis, decided to open her sleepy eyes and release her violet colored blossoms while roses still flaunt their frailty and compliment the "Indian Summer" black-eyed susans.

Although lavender reigned supreme throughout the summer, they are taking their backstage places.  However, there are still a few holdouts waving good-by as the the Miscanthus grasses now proudly display their ginger-topped supremacy, bowing to no one in the haze of the early morning October sun.

There is so much more to this delightful fall fashion show, so I'll just add a few of it's highlights, sit back and enjoy the parade down Blooming Hill's runway with the rest of you...

I hope you enjoyed some of the flower fashions of the season.  See you next week here at my blog or, stop by and see us during the Loudoun County Fall Color Farm Tour, 10am until 4pm Saturday and Sunday. There are still openings on Sunday especially for the 1pm "Tea in the Autumn Garden" and the sun always shines here at Blooming Hill!