09 November - Delphinium and Chimney Bell Flower

Here are three photographs I took earlier this month, as the chimney bell flower went into bloom soon after the pale purple and dark purple delphiniums had began their second spectacular bloom cycle.

Phil and I purchased this chimney bell flower from a florist in the Castro and had just planted it where the huge one was last year, when Phil spotted next to the new plant a seedling from the old one.

The new chimney bell flower has bloomed its first year and is about six feet tall. The seedling is now probably a foot tall and wide, and I suspect it will act like last year's plant, taking two years to mature, reaching twelve feet before blooming for months.

The flowers on the one now in bloom are a stunning purplish blue.

09 November - Tic

The cats always follow me around the gardens, interested in everything I do. One afternoon, while I was trying to photograph flowers, Tic decided it was time I pet him.

09 November - Hollyhocks

For the last month or so, the shortening days have been sunny and warm. I think this is why these two hollyhocks went into the bloom. The dark red one is where the echium used to be at the top, right of the staircase. It came up and bloomed as fast as it could. The lighter red one is one of the oldest plants in the gardens and has always bloomed in the spring and again in the fall.

091011 - Delphinium

The purple delphinium started blooming in the middle of October, its flower stocks nearly three feet long. This color of purple make this delphinium my favorite of the year.

The cosmos to the right of the delphinium was the first to bloom, putting on a spectacular show, and has now almost completely faded. I am going to gather its seeds for next summer.

09 Summer - Anemone

The perennial anemone went into bloom during late summer and continues to produce white, three-inch flowers on eighteen-inch stocks. The plant itself is about a foot tall and eighteen inches wide.

It has been difficult finding something that can live in the shadow of the hot tub fence at the bottom, left of the staircase. This anemone has thrived there, and Phil and I even think it began blooming this summer sooner than it did last year.