“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” ~L.M. Montgomery
Fall is a great time to get a good perspective of the entire space in the garden. As leaves fall and flowers fade, you can see the remnants of the garden… but look deeper. Look beyond the spent blooms, the bare bones of the shrubs. Beyond the foliage of perennials that lay themselves down now for a final slumber.
What do you see? When you stand in the garden, do you move to different areas and then turn in all four directions to get a panoramic view? Do you have the ability to look out over the space from above to see the overview of the entire area? Do you ever lay on the ground and look up and through the bed to see the garden from the toad’s viewpoint? All these perspectives allow you to see the relationship between the plants, the space…the whole effect.
And when you take time to look at the garden from a different perspective, you find many treasures you may have been missing. Like the 
sparkling silk of a spider’s web glistening in the early morning sun or the glowing foliage backlit by the fading rays. Have you climbed a tree and seen it from the inside out much like a bird viewing the world; feeling the wind rustle through the leaves skipping over your skin. It is exhilarating and oh the long views straight out to the horizon seeing fields and mountains….being that much closer to the clouds.
Why am I focusing on perspectives? I love what surprises I see in my garden when I make an effort to see it from many vistas. And I have decided to take on a big project in my garden next year. It will require I live in and with my garden so as to gain those perspectives as I take inventory. And then to consider making changes that are part of a detailed plan. More on that project in the new year.
And as I start to take inventory of my garden, I am also taking inventory of my life to gain a better perspective of my surrounds. To give gratitude for all I have, and to embrace changes that are coming. And to explore new skills and areas of interest. We are continually changing and it is important to not stand in one place, but to move about to discover a whole new world.
For Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day (GBBD), I decided to explore my garden blooms from different perspectives. The top photo is a close up of Swamp Milkweed seeds just bursting out on the wind. Enjoy the views of what’s bloomin’ in my October garden. I am linking in with Carol@May Dreams Gardens who hosts this meme. I am grateful for the glorious weather we have been having that has helped produce these amazing blooms.
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The warm days and cool nights have created rose bushes brimming with flowers.
Only a couple of dahlias bloomed. This is a favorite and I love the many views.
Anemones are non-stop in the shade.
Colchicum ‘ Waterlily’ adds special beauty to beds in the fall. And the bees are going crazy swarming all over this flower.
‘Endless Summer’ hydrangea are living up to their name and producing new flowers extending the summer into the fall.
New York asters show no signs of fading as they are growing all over the garden. And they are keeping the monarchs here in my garden. They practically live on these flowers all day with other butterflies and pollinators.
October is showing off some mighty fine foliage in my garden so I am joining with Pam@Digging for her Foliage Follow Up on the 16th, and Christina@Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for her Garden Bloggers Foliage Day on the 22nd.
Peony foliage is left standing in my garden even after the blooms have been long gone just so I can look at its wonderful foliage in fall.
Zebra grass is all aglow as autumn’s dawn light hangs low in the sky.
Oakleaf hydrangeas are on fire in fall. They certainly make my heart skip a beat.
And can you believe many of the lavenders are still growing and blooming in mid October. This beauty was a small starter that has tripled in size already this year.
As I end this glorious bloom day, enjoy the fall colors of Weigela My Monet ‘Sunset’.
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Next up on the blog: Monday I will be reviewing a great Garden Book about pollinators.
I wrote a guest post over at Vision and Verb. I hope you will visit this wonderful website of women writers.
I am linking in with Michelle@Rambling Woods for her Nature Notes meme. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Wednesday.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden. See my next post on the 15th.
As always, I’ll be joining Tootsie Time’s Fertilizer Friday.
Please remember, to comment click on the title of the post and the page will reload with the comments section.
Wow! what a colour that Oakleaf hydrangeas is!!!! I’m looking forward to reading of your plans for the garden. You are doing exactly the right thing in assessing it all very carefully before you decide on major changes unlike some blogs I read that seem to change plans almost every post. thanks for reminding me about bloomday too, it has crept up on me this month. Christina
I was pleasantly surprised by a few more shrubs that are showing gorgeous color that I will show in November. I have neglected my garden and haphazardly planted so know it has gotten away from me. Time to stop, look, listen and plan.
Just subscribed to your blog, and I am loving it. What beautiful shots! Oh, for a really good camera! You are one of my favorite writers at Beautiful wildlife Gardens which is how I knew to sign onto your blog. Keep up the good work!
Barb so sorry to take so long to thank you! I am happy to hear you are enjoying the blog. Most of my photos are still taken with a Canon point and shoot camera. I have a slightly better camera I use for certain shots but I have not had time to really get to know it.
I was so overwhelmed to hear you also are a big fan of my posts at BWG. Thank you Barb for all your support!!!
What a gorgeous bevy of high-quality images. Love the pictograms especially of the colchicum ‘Waterlily’, Think you will send others on a mission to figure out how to do the same.
Thanks so much Patrick. I have so much fun making collages with a simple free app. The ‘Waterlily’ is one of my favorite fall blooms. Just keeps going and going.
Lovely photos – especially that gorgeous autumn foliage! I look forward to hearing about/seeing the new project for next year. I also want to do some planning in the winter months – there’s never time once spring arrives!
No there is no time for planning once we finally get out in spring is there Cathy. I will blog about it once I have a better idea of the process.
So glad you are enjoying the foliage around here. It is leaving us quickly.
Loved seeing your plants through your perspective, Donna. I usually walk around my garden in the same way every day, but occasionally I’ll walk around it “backward” – it’s amazing how different it can look just from a different approach!
I agree Holley. I love the idea of looking at it backward. I will walk around it from outside the fence or from the meadow at the back. The things you never imagined you would see.
Beautiful photos and a very healthy perspective, my friend. This time of year is kind of sad for me because I don’t like to see my garden going into decline but I need to savor each moment, even the ones that aren’t my favorite. 🙂
Your PINK flowers and foliage warm my heart. Have a great week.
I knew you would love all the pink….it is sad when the garden fades, and I inevitably get a bit melancholy especially when it gets dark and cold. Hope you are well Grace!
Donna, I am very pleased to have fallin into your October garden, a sight for sore eyes. Whats all this! a major garden project coming up next year, I will keep a lookout. I really like the look of your New York asters
Thanks Alistair. Those asters are a favorite as they bloom a long time and the butterflies and bees depend on them. Not too major a project really. I am taking stock and will be working on the redesign of several areas in the future as needed.
You have some stunning fall color! I’m also kind of knocked out by the phrase “every green thing loves to die in bright colors.” I’ve not heard that before. Your dahlia is gorgeous–do you happen to know the name of that one? (Reminds me a little of the “Peace Rose in the way the yellow and the peach blend on the petal.) I also love your peony foliage–I wish mine looked as nice. We had a rain storm to end all rain storms (8” in two days) and many of those leaves turned brown. Can’t wait to hear about your big project next year–
Ouch that is quite a storm Susie. I do not know the name of the of the dahlia but I usually buy them from Breck’s or Swan Island.
Endless Sumer has lived up to its name in my garden, too. It has become one of my favorite hydrangeas. And your dahlias are gorgeous! I agree that it is important not to stand too long in one place, and a garden won’t let us, for it is ever changing, with or without us!
How well I know that Deborah. Mine has continued to grow, change and move on without any attention from me. But it is time I start to take a more direct hand in its design again.
It is unusual but Endless Summer here is also putting out new bloom. I used them in a flower arrangement alongside those blooms changing hue. It will be interesting to see what you have in store for your suburban property. It is already so different from your neighbors.
I am unsure if it will be anything major as I have not completely decided Donna, but the process will be a major project. My daffodils are also putting out new foliage as they are just peaking out of the ground.
Snow mixed with rain is expected this week with a freeze.
The autumnal palette is so beautiful and my favorite of the year. Wish we had colorful falls here like this. Enjoy your garden and gaining a new perspective on your life journey.
Thanks so much Gail. It is the benefit we get for our cold fall and winter.
Some really beautiful colours there, and not just from the flowers – isn’t Autumn wonderful? I love the sound of your detailed review and re-planning process, I really look forward to reading more about it. Its good to take the time to really look, from different perspectives, before wading in. And so easy to get impatient and just do something. usually the wrong thing!
You described it perfectly Janet…impatience leading to doing the wrong thing. Now I must undo and redo. But I think it will be fun.
I adore fall here and this year we have had a spectacular one. The cold weather and the dreaded S word are expected this week.
You’ve got so many wonderful roses still in bloom. I’m amazed at your peony foliage, I cut all mine back when it got covered in powdery mildew.
Some years we get the powdery mildew but not this year so I was happy to see the foliage turn into those amazing fall colors.
The roses will probably stop when the cold freeze hits later this week.
October’s blossoms are my favorite, I think.
Well, I always say that until Spring comes along.
The asters here are amazing this year.
Such brave flowers:)
Thanks for sharing your October treasure,
Jennifer
Glad you enjoyed the fall garden Jennifer. They bring joy and those last memories of the garden until spring rolls around again.
All your flowers look so fresh and beautiful. I wanted to do a bloom day post but it got replaced with the one on David Culp’s garden. I have been wondering about planting Endless Summer. When does it start blooming and when does it usually stop?
They usually start to bloom in early June here due to late frost which can delay the blooms. They are continuing to bloom still Carolyn.
How I wish Endless Summer had performed better here, but few to no blooms because of winter die back.
You had to be laying on the ground to get that wonderful perspective of the waterlily colchicum, mine were terrific when in bloom too.
I’m hoping to get fall colour like yours on the new dwarf oak leaf hydrangea I planted this year.
Judith
I bet your oakleaf color will be great next fall. Last year my Endless Summer never bloomed because of late freezes in late April, but that was the only year so far.
I end up laying on the ground just to get that fun perspective.
You capture our gardeners hearts with your poetic musings, and beautiful photography.
Is that a milkweed seed pod? Gorgeous.
Jen
Yes Jen it is Swamp Milkweed. How wonderful that you think so highly of my pics and words. I am not sure I can live up to that compliment but I sure will try! 🙂
Hi Donna, you have a lot of colors there and i specially love the colors of that dahlia, amazing for a flower. I am touched with your narrative of viewing the whole garden and space to plan for the next garden style. I am guilty of procrastination, or maybe because i am not living with my garden. I have always wanted to do a lot but time and funds limit action.
Yes time and funds do limit what we can do. I think when I don’t live enough with my garden I lose perspective. Glad you liked the blooms.
Donna-your autumn gardens are looking wonderful with such a beautiful combination of blooms and autumn foliage. i enjoyed ‘fallin’ into fall with you! Happy GBBD and Foliage Follow-Up!
Lee I am so happy you enjoyed the fall garden here in central NY. The monarchs were here still yesterday but cold weather is headed here mid week. Most of the blooms will be gone soon.
You showcase fall in an amazing way. I love that picture of the milkweed seeds. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what it was. Looking forward to hearing about your new project next year.
Thanks Tina. Your new landscape and plans have inspired me!
Oh so very pretty!
I especially like the Dahlia.
Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day!
Lea
Lea I hope your Bloom Day was wonderful. Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for the reminder to change perspectives, Donna. Too often, I simply focus on what’s ahead of me on the ground and forget to look up, around, and backward. Of course, that helps me to maintain my balance. 😉 But, I need to stop, pause, and watch from different angles. Beautiful piece of writing, and your photos are lovely!
Beth your comment means a lot. This change in perspective is the first step for me in getting ready for big changes in my life this June, and to be ready for making changes needed in the garden.
Wow Donna, what a lovely view of what’s happening in your garden!
Thanks Karen…the garden has certainly been wowing me this fall!
Not sure what it is on the first picture but it was mesmerizing….happy gbbd!
Janie those are swamp milkweed seeds starting to come out. Glad you enjoyed them on Bloom Day!
You say so well with your pictures!
Love the details in the shots!
Thank you so much Indrani. I enjoy looking for those special pictures that speak to me.
loving the different perspectives – as idea and practice.
It was fun capturing these blooms from so many views! Glad you liked them.
You have make beautiful photos!
Greetings, RW & SK
Thank you so much RW and SK!
What a beautiful and thoughtful post. The flowers and foliage are gorgeous. I like the quote from Lucy Maude Montgomery. (Probably one of Anne’s?) I, too, am grateful for all the beauty in this month!
Thanks Dorothy! Yes It is one of Anne’s quotes. She had it right…October is to be savored.
I can’t imagine living in a place without the depth of color October brings. Beautiful series!
I agree Laura. Fall would not be special without the gorgeous colors of the foliage mixed with the blooms.
Donna, I love your cheerful, bright blooms and I love your commentary too! Each bloom is precious in October, and you have real gems!
Tatyana those blooms just bring out the words in me!! Those gems are still blooming. I am savoring every minute with them.
What an interesting post on perspective, seeing things from a different angle … and you still have so much color and lovely blooms in your garden … wow 🙂
Loredana the blooms will be leaving soon with the cold snap coming mid week. Glad you liked the post and perspective.
Your photos are so rich and colorful. I’m hoping Endless Summer will perform well for me, cold snaps killed all my Hydrangeas that were not as hardy. I agree, fall is a time of introspection and also planning for the next year. I hate to see everything dying away, but hope for some bright changes next year.
Hannah my hydrangeas don’t bloom because of our late freezes in spring. The only ones that do bloom are Endless Summer. I have replaced many of them.
Here’s to some spring changes.
Wow…I love your garden and your philosophy. Thanks to you I have 3 different kinds of aster and new goldenrod planted. I am wondering if there is some kind of soil amendment.. is that the right word? that I could add this fall…Thank you for linking into this week’s Nature Notes…Michelle
Michelle you are most welcome and thank you.
If your soil is too clayish or you feel it needs amendment, you can use compost to amend the soil although the asters and goldenrod seem to enjoy my clay.
I’m so glad you chose the perspective of getting up close in your garden, Donna–these photos are stunning! What gorgeous blooms you have in October! Love the poem by Beecher; I don’t think I’ve ever read that one before, but so true about “Every green things likes to die in bright colors.” Nature certainly does end the year with style.
She does end her show with some great fireworks Rose. Glad you really enjoyed the post.
What a great variety of colors! I especially like the macro of the cactus dahlia. Lovely shots.
They are my favorite and they make my fall even sweeter. Glad you enjoyed them too!
Donna, Your garden is looking glorious! I love the oak leaf hydrangea and oh, my, those anemones! My anemones are spring bloomers and I’d love to have some fall bloomers in my garden.
Thanks Beth. There is only one patch of late anemones that has grown in the garden. They seem to prefer moist shade and I don’t have much of that left. I might be able to move a few around to spread the wealth.
I am glad I live in a world where there are Octobers…and Gardens Eye View!
Oh Amy how very sweet of you to say so. Octobers are such a great month here in NY.
I enjoyed your glowing yellow and red foliage this month. October does indeed give us much to enjoy.
Thanks for visiting my fall foliage this month Pam!!
Lovley photos and really nice perspectives…..
and do not miss…
SATURDAY SHOW OFF
it is FUN 🙂
WELCOME
Håkan ( The Roseman)
Thanks for visiting and I will have to check out your blog!
Graphically stunning. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed your visit Lydia!!
Beautiful! The Dahlias are my fave though…just gorgeous.
Thanks Bridget! I was happy to finally see one of my dahlias bloom.
As my lawn is a bog right now, I wont try your idea to lie on the ground and view from a different perspective. Perhaps I shall try it on a warm, summer’s day, though that seems so far away. Looking forward to reading about your new project. I’m betting that you’re going to build a tree-house.
Oh I would love to build a treehouse, but nothing so fun…besides I have to cut down most of my trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer….and I don’t blame you for not lying down in your wet grass…mine has also turned into a bog.