Choice Morsels

Today's Garden Pictures: Pretty fall colors in a front bed where I have Pink Vi ncas and Large gold Marigolds decorating the space around a cable box and an electric pole!  Red Salvia and Golden Creeping Jenny in the container.  Just took this photo a few minutes before posting. The sun angle starts getting really pretty around 3pm here. My Cardinal Basil out by the mailbox: It's huge now. And top heavy. Beautiful. Loved by bees. I had to stick the metal stand I hang my plastic owl on out in front of it to tie it to, so it wouldn't fall over!

I went out late this afternoon to miracle-gro water my veggies, daylilies, blackberries, blueberries and hyrdrangeas near the house. The tomato I planted back in spring sprouted new growth from all stems and is laden with blossom right now as well as some tomatoes I have sweet peas beginning to bloom. The beets. lettuce and spinach are still babies. The bell pepper is large and bushy and beginning a fresh round fruit-making. This is such a nice time of year veggies. No pests. Today's pics are two morning sun shots today captured back in early October: My Chocolate Elephant Ears: Actually, I read they are more related to Caladiums then Elephant Ears. They have roots rather then a bulb. But unlike common Caladiums, these are faithfully perennial. I moved a bunch of the roots to this container a couple years ago because they weren't thriving in the ground where they are. Now that they have a pot to themselves, they're doing better. They come up green with purplish veins, then ...

Today's Garden Pic's are more late day Autumn sunlight shots: Golden glow on this Cardinal Basil just coming into bloom on my patio! A Mexican Heather also highlighted by late date sun! What I love about Mexican Heather is it blooms until frost, so it's great food for all types of bees & butterflies late into fall!   

Today's task was trimming up the Pink Pampas grass beside my parking spot. Just on that side. I trimmed out about 15 bloom fronds and all the grass heaping along the parking spot. The Pampas blooms were thick around my Skypencil tree, so needed thinning out.  Today's Garden Pic is a side by side picture comparison between the single flower blooms common to most Basil contrasted against the heavy full heads of Cardinal Basil.  Bees love both.  

Back in spring, I ordered Cardinal Basil seeds to plant because the flower was noted as being particularly showy. So I've watched the plants grow all these months, eagerly awaiting blooms! Finally, the time has come! Today's Garden Pics are of my Cardinal Basil Just Staring to Bloom: This is the top. The top leaves are turning red ahead of the flowers opening. I can see this will greatly add to the showy effect!   Here's a side shot: This basil also has stunning cherry red stems as well. It's modestly tall: about 25 inches. When there's actual flowers I'll post again!