If you read my October Bloom Day post you might remember that I described the Dwarf Burning Bush as never being a spectacular red.
Click here to see just how unspectacular it was on October 15th.
Click here to see just how unspectacular it was on October 15th.
But....I'm happy to report that just a few days later it proved me wrong and began turning a brighter shade of red.
And it became brighter
and brighter 
with each passing day,
Until it was a truly spectacular red!
It positively glowed!
We were so proud of that beautiful little bush.
I'll have to watch what I say about it in the future.
The other lovely surprise in our autumn garden is this pretty passalong Hellebore (Helleborus niger/Christmas Rose), shared with me by a gardening friend from her late mother's garden.
On October 25th I noticed a couple of buds on the plant. At closer inspection I counted 25 buds, some still tiny. The above photo is how it looked on 10/29.
And here it is on November 2nd - yesterday, after a very hard frost, still looking beautiful. This plant is tough!
We've had pouring rain all day today so it's been an indoor day with no garden pictures taken, but more buds are opening each day.
I was disappointed in the spring when the plant didn't bloom, but it's certainly making up for that now.
An autumn surprise indeed!
I hope to see it blooming again next spring, after our very long, cold winter.
Now that's something to look forward to!
21 comments:
Is that what these bushes are called - dwarf burning bush? What a fabulous name and so happy to learn it here on your lovely blog! And yes... it is fabulous; do be careful of what you say about it in the future! :)
have a great weekend!
Ann
I think burning bush works best when a solitary plant surrounding by other interesting textures and dark colors. Yours is stunning.
The bush did burn this year. That hellebore is gorgeous. I will have to go out to see if any of my hellebores have buds yet. I doubt it. What a gorgeous surprise for you. I also like that bright orange leaf at the top of your header photo.;)
You must be careful what you say about plants Mum! They can hear you and they are perverse little things that love to prove you wrong. Luckily for you this worked out for us.
I guess you offended it, huh, Kerri? It's a beautiful red and looks so pretty in your garden.
Maybe those plants just wanted to prove you wrong.
That red is truly glowing. What a spectacular bush it has turned into!
The Christmas Rose must be very hardy to have survived and performed so well at this time of the year. It, too, is gorgeous.
Wow, that burning bush is really burning! And I had no idea that hellebores could bloom in the fall. I noticed your Malva Zebrini in one photo, it looks exactly like mine. I had no idea it would get so big and bush-like! Tonight we are going down into the low
20's, so I think I'll be saying a final goodbye to rest of my flowers. Boohoo!
Lovely fall colors. My garden is in the California desert. Please visit---lots of photos
www.mysisterdalesgarden.com
Now that is a gorgeous true red. I love the backlit shot. Your garden and the surrounding countryside are beautiful as always.
The Christmas Rose looks wonderful, and completely untouched by the cold.
hi kerri, that is some red! i keep thinking of getting one of those, but maybe my garden is too small for such a red! we still have not had a frost here, so i guess we are lucky. i hear this is not supposed to be a snowy winter... one can dream. i do hope you are all doing well... i'm already dreaming about what to plant next year!
kerri, i forgot to answer your question about the beets - hubs roasted them with the parsnip in a pan with olive oil. yum. the parsnip was pretty good!
It's amazing...but I seem to see this plant everywhere I look now!!
Thanks Kerri!
Have a great week!
Ann
@Msrobin Robin, isn't the Malva (Mallow) lovely? This is the biggest it's ever grown for me. It's self-sown and a slow grower. The severe frosts lately have affected it, and it's beginning to look worse for wear, but I'm amazed at how well it's continued blooming through the cold temps and nasty weather thrown at us lately.
It's hard to say goodbye to the flowers, isn't it? Glad your frost held off a few more weeks than ours did.
Red and white really stand out in a sea of brown trees that we are having right now. I have a burning bush too, just a little one, I may move it later on to a different spot. The color on yours is so gorgeous that it gives me hope for mine! I have not grown hellebore, but I might just try it soon. Great photos!
Kerri, those burning bushes fool us every year. Some just take longer to turn than others. I love your hellebore. I just planted one this spring, but it didn't bloom this fall. We have not had snow yet, here on the shore of Lake Ontario, but I know it's coming!
Great autumn colors...your burning bush sure is a keeper.
Hi Kerri, it is beautiful how the leaves turn this brilliant colour. It might need just the right temperature to change to this intense red. Your autumnal farm looks in autumn as beautiful as in spring and summer. The hellebore is gorgeous, don't they usually flower at Christmas? If so you have got an early bird but I am sure you do not mind a bit.
Hey, this is not the post that is showing on Google Reader, but I see that I haven't commented on this one, so here goes.
I like burning bush, but find that shade of red hard to capture with my camera. My shots always come out too purple, or at least not anywhere near the right shade of red. Does anyone else have that problem?
Does the Christmas Rose goes indoors for the winter? It is pretty and reminds me of something else, but I can't think of the name.
We had one of those at our old house and I loved it every fall. This fall all our oaks, maples, etc. are brilliant shades of red!
Hi Kerri,
I am reading down my sidebar this evening. What's weird, is that it showed that you posted very recently. I'll have to refresh the page and see if your newer post shows up.
I enjoyed seeing the photos of your yard and the burning bush. You sure have lovely fall colors there!
That hellebore is awesome! I didn't know there were some that bloomed this time of year.
Dear Kerri, this outstanding and glowing red bush has got the right and perfect name...it looks as if the whole plant was burning! Absolutely stunning, a real eyecatcher in your autumnal garden! There is almost a little envy coming up when seeing your white hellebores already blooming. I do hope for you that they keep on blooming until Christmas (here it's got the name "Christmas rose"!).
May winter not be too cold in your place! Stay safe and warm!
Barbara
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