Garden vignettes

The feel of fall is definitely here in Bay Village. 

The hydrangea are antiquing and some of the annuals are starting to look withered. (Could it be that I haven't fertilized in ages? :]) The dahlias are out in full force and fall anemones are blooming. I love the fall season and look forward to all that it brings us.

Check out this color combination!

Some of the dahlias (whose names I don't keep track of):

These blooms are about 8" across and such a rich rosey red.

Just as I was looking at the lantana topiary, the butterfly stopped by! It was my lucky day.

I decided to switch out the weeds under the deck stairs for baby ferns. Aren't they the cutest things?

If you want a fabulous purple trailer in your urns and containers, try the scaeveola flowers. They love the heat and humidity! 

 Garden tip #1:  When your lilies are done blooming, snap off the end portion (the seed pod) of the stem. Look closely at this plant. I snapped off all of the seed pods (end areas) on the right side of the plant. The left side still has the seed pods on the stems, some also with the stamen of the flower. Can you see it? That way, the plant will not put its focus on producing seeds, but rather into making a bigger bulb and more flowers for the next year.

The fall anemones...

My second garden tip is how to know when to harvest the hydrangeas so that the blooms don't wilt, but dry with good color. Look closely at the two center blooms of this blue hydrangea. The one on the right has 4 little lobes and has not bloomed yet. (That is the actual flower, not the blue petals.) The one on the left has a little flower that has just opened. This is NOT ready to be cut for drying yet and will wilt if you try to dry it.

Now look at the hydrangea bloom in the lower right of the next photo. Its flowers have already bloomed, especially in the hydrangea's lower section. The remnants of the center bloom are tiny and sometimes have dried to a brown dot. These ARE ready to cut. Place the flowers in a vase with their stems in about two inches of water. Let the water evaporate for a couple of weeks and they'll be dry and ready to use. You can make a wreath directly after cutting, but you may not have every bloom dry and they may wilt a bit, especially in this weather.

I am getting close to my 100th post. 

To celebrate, I am giving away a hydrangea wreath that I will make out of these hydrangeas. 

Stay tuned for further details!

Thank you, Cindy, at My Romantic Home, for Show & Tell Friday.

Thank you, Jessica, at A Few of My Favorite Things, for Favorite Things Friday.