There is a time in late September when the leaves are still green, and the days are still warm, but somehow you know that is all about to end. – Sharyn McCrumb, American writer
September usually means the first of two months of our Bay Area Indian Summer. We’ve had such a strange flower season this year, which is in keeping with all the tragedies and oddities of 2020. Our dahlias caught powdery mildew quite early in the season and succumbed. In a last-ditch effort, we put nematodes in the soil and started watering more, which seemed to perk many of the flowers in the garden. Now instead of waiting for the dahlia stalks to brown and harden so we can dig them up and separate the tubers, we are waiting to see if any buds appear on the leafy green stalks!
The flowers that are really flourishing right now are the various varieties of scabiosa that I planted in June. I’m hoping that next year they bloom earlier. Additional watering produced a longer flowering season for the alstroemeria, although it looks like most of the green stalks will not produce flowers. Alas, the bachelor’s buttons, gerbera daisies, and chocolate cosmos are telling me it’s time to wind down. The zinnias are having a growth spurt, but I fear I may give up trying to coax these fickle flowers to bloom in my garden next year.
Strangely, a lot of my plants on my wish list at Annie’s Annuals are now available, include the sweet peas. I still have a small bag of sweet pea seeds. But I couldn’t resist, and I bought more plants. I’ll be planting them soon, and we’ll see if I continue to get flowers late into fall. Part of me is ready to hang up the clippers and gardening gloves, though I do love looking out the family room windows and seeing my beloved garden. Without further ado, here are the bouquets of September.
This bouquet is anchored by one of the last dahlias of the season.
The other side of this bouquet. Another cream-colored dahlia.
I love closeups of the Florist Blue scabiosa atropurpurea and their delicate needles.
A petite bouquet.
The alstroemeria saved this month’s bouquets, giving nice foilage and bulk, as well as vibrant pink and orange colors.
I love the rudbeckias on the right – the yellow spiked flower is rudbeckia subtomentosa “Henry Eilers” and rudbeckia “Sahara.”
Ah, a perfect salmon-colored zinnia on the right, with a lime-colored zinnia to its left.
Rudbeckia hirta “Cherry Brandy” on the left and right are one of my favorite rudbeckia, although I have difficulty getting more blooms out of my one plant. Here with zinnias, rudbeckia Sahara, scabiosa atropurpurea “Snowmaiden,” the delicate cream-colored scabiosa ochroleuca, and the vibrant purple trachelium caeruleum “Hamer Pandora.”
Another view of the same bouquet, but with one orlaya grandiflora “Minoan Lace” to the left, one of my favorite flowers.
A closeup of the the orlaya grandiflora “Minoan Lace.”
Red and pink gerbera daisie, two kinds of zinnias, two kinds of rudbeckia, and scabiosas.
A closeup.
Another closeup.
I love this sunny, full bouquet.
A closeup of the yellow rudbechia, different varieties of scabiosa, and pink alstroemeria.
Another view of the bouquet, but with more scabiosa atropurpurea “Snowmaidens.”
Another “stuffed” bouquet.
A closeup.
Another closeup, with white daisies and red straw flowers.
A creamy yellow miniature rose with scabiosa atropurpurea “Snowmaiden” and the purple lacy trachelium caeruleum “Hamer Pandora.”
Another sunny, bright bouquet.
A closeup. I love the scabiosa caucasica “Fama Blue.” More rudbeckia subtomentosa “Henry Eilers” would have made this bouquet sunnier.
I love how the scabiosas grow on wavy stems because I don’t stake them very well. When you put them in bouquets, they give a Dr. Seuss kind of vibe to them.
Here I only had two blooming alstroemeria, so this is mostly a scabiosa bouquet. But is that a bad thing? 🙂
Another view of the same bouquet.
Six different kinds of scabiosas.
Relying on alstroemeria stalks to give this bouquet some interest.
The other side of this bouquet.
Last closeup, with a delicate miniature rose to the bottom left.
And the last bouquet of September, I used the last of the bachelor’s buttons (vibrant cornflower blue) and used some greenery from our shaded corner of the backyard. It gives such great texture and shape.
