Hi GPODers!

Today and tomorrow we’re back in the garden of frequent garden contributor, Maxine Brisport in Rotterdam, New York. Check out some of her previous submissions: Celebrating End-of-Summer Beauty with Maxine, Small Garden Guests in Maxine’s Garden, Blooms in Maxine’s Garden, and Rabbits and Their Leftovers in Maxine’s Garden. Today she’s sharing some end-of-season blooms as she says goodbye to the growing season.

It may sound odd or appear peculiar to a non-gardener that it truly saddens me to say goodbye to my garden for the winter. Before I bid farewell for its long winter sleep, I thanked my garden for the peace, happiness and tranquility that it gave me during a very harsh summer. Over the past few weeks, I have watched the plants slow their growth as they respond to the shorter days and cooler nights. Now it is time for me to carefully perform the required duties that will ensure a healthy growing season in the spring. At the same time, I hope that as the plants go dormant, they will converse and shift their energy from above the ground to their roots. Farewell my vibrant friends, until you bud again.

One lone white rose glows above of sea of shady green. Always a sad sight when the last blooms of summer fade in the early days of fall.

Thank you, Maxine, for also sharing this stunning rose close up! Seeing garden photos is always fun, but it’s extra special when we get a taste of viewing the garden in person: Stepping back to view the bigger picture as well as leaning in close to admire the delicate details.

I’m surprised I haven’t noticed before, or maybe I’m catching on to a new trend here at GPOD, because ‘Honorine Jobert’ anemone (Anemone × hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, Zones 4–8) has proven to be a fall favorite. I know it’s not a new plant by any means, but I feel like I’ve seen the straight Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis var. japonica, Zones 5–7) more often in the past. Was I being plant blind or are you also noticing this white variety pop up more often in the past couple years?

Maxine’s garden might be winding down, but it is giving her a fabulous final show. ‘Brunette’ baneberry (Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’, Zones 3–8) provides a beautiful spire of blooms with dramatic foliage that pairs wonderfully with classic black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta, Zones 3–8). A fading rose is still giving a pop of bright pink.

A different white bloomer that I’ve admired for a while is sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora, Zones 5–11). Maxine’s is giving her a stand-out display.

Again, Maxine’s photo tour allows us to really take her space in. A few steps back, and we can see this clematis adds to the beauty and privacy of an intimate seating area.

A wider vantage point gives us the full scene, and the hardy mound of turtlehead (Chelone obliqua, Zones 5–9) comes into view.

Lastly, another hardy flower with interesting form. Monkshood (Aconitum napellus, Zones 3–7) adds a surprising pop of purple to fall gardens, but plant with caution. Monkshood is extremely poisonous, especially the roots and seeds, so you should wear gloves when working with the plant. However, its toxins also make it resistant to deer and rabbits.

See you tomorrow for part 2 in Maxine’s garden!

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