Autumn arrived at RDR this morning with a kiss from icy lips. A cold front with rain barreled through the center of the state making the roses shudder and wave their petals about in the swirling winds. This morning is chilly, and the Queens of May like it not. Poor, distressed damsels, they suffered in the hot summers of 2011 and 2012, and they want you to know the level of their discontent. Rosa 'Cramoisi Superieur' Like all mid-life beauties, they want more time. These salvia still look pretty good because they are in a protected place, but even they are beginning to show signs of a decline. The tropical plants curled in upon themselves, their foliage black as though burned. Frost spells a chilly death for them. They will soon be dust. Did you know crapemyrtles turn beautiful colors in the fall? Oaks, maples, crapemyrtles and other hardwoods sing...

Rebecca Sweet, co-author of the bestselling, Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces that I reviewed a couple of years ago, wrote another wonderful book this year. So, seven of us decided to throw Rebecca a blog party celebrating her latest horticultural achievement, Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Texture and Form. Rebecca is a blogger, writer and garden designer living in California, and I was lucky enough to visit her garden when the Garden Bloggers Fling went there last summer. She's been featured in many magazines and writes a regular column for Horticulture. She also writes the very popular blog, Gossip in the Garden. You can read more about her work on her company webpage, Harmony in the Garden. 'Rococo' tulips with pansies in my garden My post is an invitation to check out Rebecca's new book and see how she can help you transform your...

Forced paperwhites in a gold container from 2012 Yes, I know, it's mid-fall, and here I am talking about forcing bulbs indoors. Well, now is the time. All bulbs except the Narcissus tazetta class and Hippeastrum (amaryllis) must be chilled for approximately twelve weeks, give or take, before you can force them on vase or in bowls--or any other container you'd like. Forced amaryllis from a couple of seasons ago. You can tell because Bear is small. Last year, I placed mine on water in the fridge, but the garage refrigerator gets opened and closed by many people in this house all winter long. Plus, it got so cold out there the bulb water froze. Frozen water didn't hurt the bulbs or the vases, but I panicked and brought them inside too soon. Some didn't chill long enough. I'm still placing bulbs in the fridge this year, but I'll chill...

Mid-Autumn wears her lofty crown for this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. October is a month of changes in my Oklahoma garden. We still have warm days and cool nights, but change was definitely in the air last night as the first, large cold front came through bringing rain and heavy wind.