Garden Photo of the Day

Scenes of October and November in Nancy’s Oregon Garden

The white Abyssinian gladiolus bloomed. Some years our summers are not long and warm enough for that to happen.

Today's photos are from Nancy Sarpola's garden out in Oregon. We've visited Nancy's garden several times over the last couple of years–you'll find the most recdent post and links to previous posts HERE.) She says, "Our 1/4 acre garden is on a hillside in the Willamette Valley. October began warm and sunny…" **The rest of the descriptions are in the captions, in order.** Nancy, such lovely scenes. Thanks so much! Keep sending in updates, please.

SEND ME PICS OF YOUR GARDEN, OR A GARDEN YOU'VE VISITED! Email me at [email protected]. Thanks! –Michelle

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There were a lot of dahlias, including this red and yellow one called 'Pooh'.

In November, we dropped to 23 degrees and most of the flowers froze, but the Cyclamen hederifolium was still blooming at the very end of November.

Our coralbark maple turns a lovely yellow in late October. 

The stellar's jays come down from the woods in fall. This one is giving me a worried look and soon flew away. 

The hummingbirds are so drawn to this tender salvia that they are fairly easy to photograph! The salvia is also gone since the big freeze.  

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Comments

  1. Nurserynotnordstroms 12/01/2014

    Beautiful pictures to start a new week,your yard is the quintessential Pacific Northwest garden,green and lush.i just got my first digital camera so I am excited to start taking photos and yours are inspirational. The Stellar jays have been enjoying our gardens this Fall also. This morning we had some very cold weather and the hummingbird juice was frozen,they patiently waited for me to replenish the feeders. Do your Hummingbirds stay around all winter?Do you feed them? We get to enjoy ours all year long. I love bird watching and now I will be able to photograph them

    1. GrannyMay 12/01/2014

      When the weather gets cold enough to freeze the hummingbird sugar-water I put out ordinary floodlights to keep the feeders working properly. I try to keep the distance just close enough to prevent freezing, but far enough that the liquid doesn't get hot. Hope you can see how that works in the photo.

      Enjoy your new camera - send photos!

      1. Nurserynotnordstroms 12/01/2014

        Thank you for the photo May,I might give that a try,usually I just bring them in at night and get up early and put the feeders back out in the morning but I was caught off guard last night I'm in denial that the weather is changing ,we even had a dusting of snow. Your way seems a lot easier and I think it would be fairly easy to set up where my feeders are,I'm glad you sent a photo it makes it easier to tell exactly how you did it. I to will have happy hummers.

        1. GrannyMay 12/01/2014

          Do try it if you have the right spot to attach the floodlights. It makes life so much easier, no going out in the cold first thing, also I used to forget to check them during the day, as they would often freeze then too. It is not even light out right now and the hummers are already having breakfast.

    2. OregonGardenGal 12/01/2014

      Thanks! I love your 'handle'! I don't feed the hummingbirds but my neighbor does. This discussion is inspiring me to try! Most of the hummingbirds are around all winter though I understand some migrate. Enjoy your camera. I look forward to seeing your birds here!

  2. GrannyMay 12/01/2014

    Nancy it is great to see photos from your beautiful garden again and have the opportunity to go back and revisit your previous posts. Each time there are more views to enjoy - your coralbark maple is gorgeous!

    We have obviously been sharing the same weather this fall and get the same garden visitors too. This year our Stellar's Jays have been hanging around for a couple of months, sometimes they don't stay long at all, so I wonder what is keeping them here this time. Do yours leave before winter sets in?

    1. OregonGardenGal 12/01/2014

      Hi GrannyMay. I loved your photo of the Stellar's Jays a month or two ago. Ours are still here. I see them sporadically all year but much more so in the Fall. The scrub jays are our regular inhabitants. They nest in the garden and produce a squawking brood! Thanks for your kind comments!

      1. GrannyMay 12/02/2014

        We don't get any scrub jays here at all, I believe we're too far north, only the Stellar's jays in the Fall.

  3. perenniallycrazy 12/01/2014

    Happy to see you have returned Nancy. Your garden and wildlife photos are simply divine!

    1. OregonGardenGal 12/01/2014

      Thanks perennially crazy!

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    meander_michaele 12/01/2014

    Hi, Nancy, well, like GrannyMay, I not only enjoyed your photo offerings from today but also appreciated having the opportunity to revisit your pictorial tours from times past. I know you probably take it for granted but to see a Cyclamen hederifolium just growing away like a ordinary garden inhabitant just strikes me as so exotic since I only see them offered as seasonal indoor plants. And that gorgeous beauty Abyssinian gladiolus that you started us out with...oh, yes, Pacific Northwest garden envy is growing within me!

    1. OregonGardenGal 12/01/2014

      Thanks meander1! I love both cyclamen hederifolium and cyclamen coum. Cyclamen coum blooms in January and February! I think they are both Mediterranean natives.

  5. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 12/01/2014

    So beautiful, Nancy. I don't think I've ever seen a mature coral bark maple before. That is an amazing specimen! Love the cyclamen, too. I used to have a nice group under an old white pine, but the pine is gone and I haven't been able to find another spot where they'll thrive.

    1. OregonGardenGal 12/01/2014

      I think cyclamen like being at the base of trees where they are a little drier and protected! Hope you find a good spot for some.

  6. NCYarden 12/01/2014

    Hi Nancy.Good to see your garden again. Amazing what you've done in such a "tight" area. Totally loving your Coral bark maple...that's the biggest one I've ever seen. Shows me I got a long way to go with mine. Curious - what is the maple with the Stellar's jay? I'm excited for you with the Abyssinan gladilous. I certainly understand. I have a gladiolus 'halloweenie' that I have yet to see bloom. The last two years have been so close - it has put up the flower stalk only to just fail before opening. It starts it bloom time so late in our summers. Maybe one day. Thanks for sharing yours.

    1. OregonGardenGal 12/01/2014

      Hi NC! It was exciting to see the gladiolus! I had forgotten exactly what they were as it had been a couple of years since they bloomed. The jay is under a 'Trompenberg' maple.

  7. greengenes 12/01/2014

    What a way to start the day! Thanks Nancy for sending these in! I enjoyed going back as well to refresh" my want list"!. Your color combinations are great and has given me some ideas for this next year! Your close up photos are very nice to see. Our jays around here in Washington state seem to only come around for a couple of days and then move on. They enjoy teasing our dog which makes them fun to watch. We also have humming birds year round here. Infact I just made a new batch of "nectar" for them and they were hungry! I think its about 22 degrees outside! Well have a wonderful rest and holidays and I so look forward to seeing more next year!

  8. GrannyCC 12/01/2014

    Lovely photos Nancy. Love the Blue Jay and the Hummingbird. I put out suet for the birds and of course the Jays are the thugs keeping away the other birds until later in the morning. They are fun to watch trying to hang upside down. So far they are too quick for me to take a picture. Your Coral Bark Maple is a real standout.

  9. schatzi 12/01/2014

    Nancy, your photos are exquisite. I have a 4' coral bark maple in a pot on my deck. Yours is the most gorgeous specimen I have ever seen. I probably should put mine in the ground but having had trouble with verticillium with some other trees, I worry about it. I too love cyclamen of all types. They are so exotic and lovely. And tough little guys. May, your hummer feeder solution is a gem. And I too can identify with your "handle", Nancy. As far as shopping goes, if it isn't a plant. it's safe from me. The Abyssinian gladiolus is lovely. A friend of mine once grew some as house plants! I am trying them in my greenhouse but probably started them at the wrong time of year. You have a lovely garden. Thanks for the peek.

  10. Meelianthus 12/01/2014

    Hello Nancy ~ I did go back to look at past photos of your gardens. That is always fun to remember past pics and enjoy your gardens once again. Your photos are just wonderful and I can tell you enjoy the camera. Thanks for sharing your garden beauty again.

  11. thevioletfern 12/06/2014

    Oh my, I love that Paperbark Maple - and how you have shown it off. Love the birds - I haven't seen a Stellar Jay since leaving Colorado. Miss those hummingbirds the minute they migrate!

  12. user-6536305 12/05/2017

    You have great photo skill as well as your garden skill Nancy.

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