Harbinger

I was surprised to see such bright color already beginning to appear in this garden. 

Poinsettias

So when did poinsettias become a "thing" at Christmas? I looked it up on National Geographic's website. Here's what I found:

"Franciscan missionaries arrived in Mexico in the 16th century and eventually began setting up elaborate manger scenes at Christmastime. Holly, Europe’s holiday flora of choice, was nowhere to be found for the dioramas, but when the missionaries saw the red and green colors of this local plant—that happened to burst into color every December—they knew they had the perfect stand-in."

Fall Garden

 

 

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Funny name for a plant that blooms in 90+ degrees, I think. Still, we know autumn has to be just around the corner, right???

Sunflower

 

Closeups

 

 

 

Rose of Sharon

Smooth Oxeye

Late Summer

 

There are some definite signs here that summer is beginning to wind down. There are no less than four low pressure systems off in the Atlantic somewhere, something anyone with any modicum of sense living near the coast pays attention to. Also, schools are ramping up. And, hey, we're smack dab in the middle of the NFL's preseason, and the Washington Commanders actually won their first game! Of course, it IS only the pre-season and we all know, I think, what that means--or doesn't. 

Anyway, I'm still enjoying some our late summer blooms. Here are a couple I came across just in the past few days.

Canna Indica

 

"Canna indica, commonly known as Indian shot, African arrowroot, edible canna, purple arrowroot, Sierra Leone arrowroot, is a plant species in the family Cannaceae. It is native to much of South America, Central America, the West Indies, and Mexico. It is also naturalized in the southeastern United States (Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina), and much of Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania." -- Wikipedia

Yellow

Late Summer

 

 

 

Late summer here. To no one's surprise, it's sunny, hot, and humid most afternoons (this is southeastern Virginia, after all), perfect conditions for many of my favorite things.

 

Favorite Garden

 

Welcome again to one of my favorite Colonial Williamsburg gardens. As often is the case here during the growing season, there are a few surprises to go along with my old friends.

In this case, the surprise came in the form of these "bunching" peppers.

Summer

 

 

Chaste Tree

The chaste tree  "is a plant native of the Mediterranean region. It is one of the few temperate-zone species of Vitex, which is on the whole a genus of tropical and subtropical flowering plants.Theophrastus mentioned the shrub several times, as agnos (άγνος) in Enquiry into Plants. It has been long believed to be an anaphrodisiac – leading to its name as 'chaste tree' – but its effectiveness for such action remains unproven." - Wikipedia

Слава Україні!

 

This sunflower immediately makes me think of events reportedly taking place in Ukraine and Russia this morning. I doubt the world will be any better place as the result of the armed "rebellion" now supposedly taking place in Russia led by members of the extreme right. On the other hand, if it will divert any of Russia's attention and resources away from Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive, then maybe, in strange way, it can ultimately serve to bring peace to that troubled region. We shall see. Слава Україні!

N. Boundary St.

 

Southern Magnolia

 

Powell House

 

"Benjamin Powell was a carpenter who became a contractor, built a couple of Williamsburg landmarks, and enjoyed the company and counsel of some of 18th-century Williamsburg's leading gentlemen. He acquired his property at the east end of the city in 1763, and for nearly 20 years pursued from there the career of an 'undertaker' – as contractors were called in those days." -- Colonial Williamsburg

Garden Gems

 

 

 

Now here are some other gems I discovered recently.

 

Daylilies

 

The daylilies are just now beginning to bloom here.

Master Gardner