Last Mums

Our local weather forecast calls for overnight low temperatures to drop into the twenties.  We have had light scattered frost several recent mornings but this one could end the flowers.  Emperor of China is the last of our chrysanthemums  to bloom.  We now have more buds than flowers and will see what tomorrow brings.

Debutante has proven to be a genuine stunner.  We are located one zone outside of its comfort zone but this is the second year that it has been with us.  The setting sun brightens the colors in the red end of the spectrum so these flowers look their best now.

White daisy is both the name and a description of this flower.  Look alike flowers are common during the heat of summer.  These bring a connection with the glory that was summer.  The spent blossoms take on a purple hue.  This one is a clear keeper.

Helen Mae shows an unusual combination of pink and orange.  As the flower matures it will become a solid striking pink.  The plant remains rather small in its second year here.  We will excitedly look for signs of new growth when the snows leave.

A bright clear yellow is what we were looking for when we selected this mail order plant.  This Yellow Daisy is all of that.  Here for only one year, sited against a south facing stone wall should increase the chances that this plant will be back.

We have two goals with these plants.  Fall flowers means chrysanthemums and we want them in great number.   Permanent garden residents is what we are looking for.  Next will be a timely loose mulch of stems to help carry these plants to Spring.

Hardy Chrysanthemums

These Helen Mae chrysanthemums give a new dimension to the term hardy.  They were just beginning to open flowers when the first hard frost hit.  We trimmed off the blackened flowers but left the tight buds in place.  A pale pink oasis now remains in the garden.  Some new growth at the base of the plant suggests that this beauty plans to return next spring.

Another new arrival  here is Cambodian Queen.  Similar in habit to Emperor of China, a move to a larger open area will be necessary come spring.  Their underground shoots are real travelers.

Abundant new growth is spreading outward from the Daisy White mum.  This is what we wanted to see.  If these young plants survive, we could have more  mums than we have places to plant them.  Bluestone Perennials was our mail order source for the mums last spring.  Their young mums are not cheap but if they winter over for us they are worth the cost.  They certainly have a better chance than the pot bound plants sold most places.