October Blooms...

One of the gardens I volunteer at as a Master Gardener is the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden....  I helped with the "fall clean-up" earlier this week and couldn't believe how many flowers were still in bloom.--Despite the fact that it's October and we've had little rain and record high temps this summer.

The whole concept of this garden is interesting--it demonstrates the efficient use of water in landscaping. The garden is divided into different zones, each with varying water requirements. The beds that receive no watering at all are still bursting with color due to careful plant selection--tough, drought tolerant varieties...

Since my gardens aren't much to look at this month, I thought I'd share the blooms from the Xeriscape. The fall perennials are exploding with blooms (asters and mums), but there are also annuals still performing, perennials displaying a second bloom and some flowering shrubs and plants that have never stopped blooming!

Annuals...

Dahlia 'Mystic Enchantment'

Dahlia 'Mystic Illusion'

 Verbena bonariensis--Annual, but reseeds...

 Black-eyed Susan Vine--a great annual climber.

 Nicotinana

'Annual Flowering Tobacco' This tall annual reseeds throughout the garden...

Buddleias...

 Buddleia x weyeriina--Butterfly Bush 'Honeycomb'

 Migrating Monarch!

Asters and Mums...

Yarrows--a second boom this season!

For more photos of October blooms, visit the sites:

May Dreams Gardens,, Weekend Flowers and Tootsie Time...