The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch in November part 1

Perfectly mild autumn weather meant a walk around the area attractions. We started off our journey at the Coppell Farmer’s Market then headed over to Farmers Branch to take a look at the rose gardens. Our first stop was at Gussie Field Watterworth Park to view the National EarthKind Trial Rose Garden and Display Gardens. Roses here are left to their own devices: growing at will without any spraying, pruning or fertilizing. It is a perfect setting to view which varieties will grow and prosper with a minimum amount of tending in the landscape. Some of these like the Lady Banks series of roses can grow into monsters more than 8 ft tall and wide.

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November encore: Midnight Blue

Still blooming its head off is our Midnight Blue rose. Yes, the bloom heads seem to be smaller this season, but this high performer has still more flower power in store for the coming week. Count all those new buds!

11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (1) 11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (2) 11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (3) 11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (4) 11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (5)

Two hours later, the Midnight Blue bares it all!

11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (6) 11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (7) 11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (8) 11/7/2011 Midnight Blue November Encore (9)

Seed collecting and the indoor greenhouse

I brought indoors all of my potted tender plants Thursday night in advance of the cold front that hit us. The big potted ginger lilies didn’t join the others in converted bathroom greenhouse, since I had taken up all of the available counter space. For about next 4-5 months, these plants will be hanging out here in relative safety.

11/5/2011 Seeds and indoor garden (1) 11/5/2011 Seeds and indoor garden (2)

I really need to snip off that chili pepper bloom head. But then again, I think all the young pepper plants could use a trim to encourage more foliage. Not so with the new hostas leafing out.

11/5/2011 Thai chili pepper bloom head 11/5/2011 Thai chili pepper bloom head closeup 11/5/2011 Hosta Wide Brim emerging foliage

I took a cutting of the groundcover salvia sinaloensis, or more commonly known as bicolor or Sinaloa sage, when I trimmed them back earlier in the week. This salvia is unusual in that it hasn’t turned woody and that it spreads via runners. It competed against an aggressive yarrow and has managed to hold its own, with a little intervention. The electric blue blooms have been disappointingly sparse and sporadic in its current part-sun location. It’s better valued for its foliage though; it has distinctive purple-tipped leaves on new and fall growth.

11/5/2011 Sinaloa sage cutting

I do need to move some of the pots into the bathtub, to make room for seed starting flats. Saturday morning, I collected 3 sandwich baggies of seeds from the Cosmic Yellow Cosmos, Durango Marigold Red and Durango Marigold Bolero.

11/5/2011 Cosmos Cosmic Yellow seeds collected 11/5/2011 Durango Marigold Red seeds collected

The Durango Marigold Boleros tend to bloom on the smaller side compared to the standard marigold colors.

11/5/2011 Durango Bolero marigold among the Outback mix

Sadly, I didn’t collect any Cosmic Red cosmos seeds or Lady in Red salvia coccinea. The red cosmos was nowhere in sight, while I didn’t have much luck finding seeds of Lady in Red still on the plants.

11/5/2011 A new Lady in Red salvia coccinea from dropped seed