A Fall Day

It is the first day of autumn.  I have an incredible array of plants in bloom.  The bees of all shapes and sizes are loving it.

Ironweed, Sheffield Pink Mum, Late Blooming Daylilies

I am still amazed by the quality of pictures I can take with my iPhone.  Sitting on my deck, I noticed this butterfly making a meal of the ironweed in the Long Border.  As much as I can creep up on anything these days, which is not so much; I was still able to take these nice shots of this nice butterfly.

Ironweed blooms for just 2-3 weeks for me here in central Wisconsin.  The pollinators love it, but because of its short bloom time and tall lanky growth habit, it will never be more than a back of the border filler for me.

This chrysanthemum is about 2 feet wide and tall and I've let it fill a 4 foot space.  It shows up much pinker in the garden.  Pink is something I struggle to find this time of year (unless I buy a fall potted mum).  It was a pass-along plant, given to me with the name Sheffield pink mum.  I has a bit looser habit both in growth and flower form then the mum I see sold with that name.  This is one of the dangers of pass-alongs.  It blooms 4-6 weeks and has nice, darker green foliage on which I have never seen any mildew.  It has not flopped with our heavy, late summer rains, so it holds an important front of the border role covering potential dirty knees of asters.  

Until the gift of "Happy Days Are Here Again" daylily  from its breeder, Darrel Apps, this 'Joan Senior' was probably the longest blooming daylily in my garden.

Yes, I Have the Biggest Sunflower in My Village

Not really sure why I have the biggest sunflower, but there you go.  It'll be like chopping down an oak tree next spring!  It's easily 12 feet tall.

Right now, the bees as HAP-PY!

Soon the birds will be, too.