The October Garden

Our garden has really given its all this year. I think that the fact that it was a really warm and wet September has something to do with it still doing well at this point. As I've mentioned before, my front yard is mostly perennials and such, and it definitely looks like fall in those parts. But my backyard has quite a few annuals, and they are looking as bright and beautiful as they did two months ago. We've definitely gotten our money's worth out of those lovelies.

Since some of the trees are starting to lose their leaves, but the flowers are still growing gorgeously, we have a real mix of looks going on here...

My pumpkin vines grew in and around everything else that was in the garden. I loved doing it that way, and the look it gave the garden as the vines rambled along wherever they chose to go.

The sweet potato vines and the alyssum also did pretty darn good this year. They both seem to love the soil in our new planting area, so I'll have to remember that next year. I think I'll try saving the sweet potato tubers this year, and see if I can get them to grow next year. Definitely worth a shot.

The rose hips are starting to form, also, in and among the buds and flowers that are still going strong on the rose bushes. I like to leave the rose hips on and let the birds snack on them if they get hungry over the winter.

I love this pumpkin that found a spot to grow in a nice bed of perennial geranium. A perfect, soft spot!

Many of the pumpkin vines are dying back, which means it's pumpkin harvest time.

I also managed to let my tomato plant grow a bit wild. It outgrew its cage, toppled it over, and started working its way up one of my apple-pear trees. I may or may not have had to "go pick tomatoes from the pear tree". The plant is uber healthy, and from just one tiny start that my mom got for me (free from the greenhouses we go to), I have many, many tomatoes. Many. 

The zinnias are amazing this year! Both the ones I planted from seed and also the ones I bought in pony packs. They are so cheerful, and you don't have to deadhead them. Can I repeat that? You DON'T have to deadhead them. 

And I love this variety of blanket flower. It is a yellow orange, and the seed heads still look good on the plant, so I don't worry about deadheading them, either. Can you tell I'm looking for easier, low maintenance things in my garden? Many of the things I tried this year made the cut, and will be used in next year's garden for sure!