Hallson Gardens

saying bye bye to fall color-day before Hurricane Sandy

last garden photo of the season-red climax mums and Helianthus Table Mountain false sunflowers



Joanette mums

I really like Joanette It was a great year for mums here too. I've had a few people stop by and ask what those pink daisies are at our entrance and they are surprised to learn they are mums. I'll try to get a picture today.

Yes Joanette is one of my favorites and very easily rooted by cuttings. going to start a few more plants for next year. Quill mums are the best for a fall show as their flowers are much larger than the cushion type. I must remember, however (forgot this year) to pinch them down in June so they are bushier and don't need support. Your mum collection is beautiful, however, I don't have much more room in my full sun gardens for any new plants

Here is the Mum Samba that greets people at the driveway. This spot is always very hot and dry, and kind of sandy soil, so I don't need to pinch them. Out in the growing areas, though, they do get top heavy and pinching would really help.

And you are right, these really can take up a lot of room. I put in ONE Bolero several years ago and it is now about a 6 foot wide clump and we are thinning it all the time.

Those are beautiful-ut oh-I planted 3 Bolero mums at my daughters house, I didn't know they got that big. She's gonna have some show there in her front yard in a couple of years. they bloomed this fall and I just planted them a month ago. I planted them about 3 feet apart. They get a lot of sun but not a full 6 hours. Wish I had room for the Samba. I am rooting several Joanettes and the red climax and an orange one (finished blooming-not in photo) and will be putting some at the other end of that planting area to even out the colors. Thanks for the beautiful pics.

Well, this clump was 3 Samba, and I put them about a foot apart, so I think you are fine with the Bolero at 3 feet apart. They'll grow together and are really easy to thin as they creep just under the soil. But then again, if the soil is kind of compact they don't spread that much. That one that moved so much for me is in a raised bed with the best soil I have, so kind of crazy to waste such a good spot on something as vigorous as Bolero

I use these at the edges of the hosta gardens and they do fine with just some morning or evening sunlight.

So how is that storm shaping up for you? Hope you are getting ready for it?

I may try some at the edges of my hosta gardens for some nice fall color, I tried some Montauk Daisies but there just wasn't enough sun for them to flower. So I'll put some rooted stems around now for next fall.
The wind is kicking up now, not bad yet, no rain yet either. I live inland at least 5 miles from the Long Island Sound, so not too worried about the rain or storm surges. Just the wind blowing down trees. Our utility wires are underground, so thats not a worry either as to falling power lines. They have placed a state of emergency on all low lying areas. I am not in one. Just crossing fingers we don't lose power from the main power grid. I'm about as ready as I can be-have the normal supplies for a storm.
Thanks for asking! Hope anyone else in the storms path stays safe and dry.

That's great that you are in an area with power underground, but still, that seems too close for comfort to me!

During most storms we lose power here and it takes a little while to get to us because we are the only house on this stretch of electric lines but luckily we drop down right off one of the main high tension runs, so that always gets power restored pretty quickly. They've issued a wind advisory here through Tuesday, but I think that is for the winter storm that is coming by to merge with Sandy.

Best of luck and hope you stay safe!

Chris

Thanks Chris-ditto.
Some folks in PA and the surrounding area are supposed to get snow from this storm too.
Take care!