On the Cusp of Autumn
I’ve spent the day photographing in four Kelowna, BC gardens. It’s definitely a transition time — not quite autumn but yet it doesn’t look like summer any more. The weather played a role, but more significant is what’s happening with the plants. Foliage is just beginning to turn in a few places, but Kelowna is still probably a couple of weeks away from the best color in the trees and shrubs.
These grasses were photographed late this morning at Elysium Gardens on the south side of Kelowna. In the foreground is Calimagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ and on the right is Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurascens.’ The gardens at Elysium had several other grasses artfully placed and generally towering over other foliage in the perennial beds. With sunlight alternating with clouds the grasses made a striking sight.
Several Hydrangea paniculata were showing a nice pink in their aging flowers, contrasting with variegated summer phlox and ‘Diablo’ Ninebark. Joe Pye Weed rose above Goldenrod that was just finishing blooming and Frikart’s Asters were scattered about with their large pale purple blossoms.
You only have another week to catch the display at Elysium, as it closes for the season at the end of September. If you haven’t visited, you should make plans to, whether next week or next season.
The other gardens I photographed today were also repeat visits from the summer. Rob Bruce, who had glorious roses in June, had a more subdued garden today. The unique plant was an annual vine in the pea family with large purple pods, but Rob couldn’t recall the name of it this morning. Nick and Teresa Manduca had a very nice clump of Autumn Crocus in the rock wall along the path in their side yard and an Autumn Clematis in full bloom along the yew hedge by the driveway. John Noble’s collection of Japanese Maples haven’t started to turn yet so the garden was quite subdued, particularly as it started to rain while I was working.