It’s 40F and rainy here. We had a very light frost on Sunday morning, which killed only the basil in the vegetable garden; it didn’t bother the begonias in the shade garden at all.

Looking ahead at the 10-day, I’m seeing low temps in the mid-20s by Wednesday. I’d better get that garlic in the ground tomorrow!

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Here’s what’s been blooming and attracting attention for the first two weeks of October in my yard.

I became enchanted by the jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) growing unbidden in several spots.

I’ve always been enchanted by Tricyrtis formosana. The ‘Samurai’ variety is blooming now:

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And suddenly there are small flocks of flickers everywhere, but they are skittish, so I took this shot from inside; even so, he looks suspicious.

Goldfinches are abundant, too, especially in the echinacea seedheads.

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The asters are the stars of the flower show, both purple/blue, which are Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’, and pink, which I planted but don’t know their variety; I think they are also an Aster laevis. Before they left us this past week, the butterflies  — monarchs and a painted lady, in these photos — enjoyed them, and a few honeybees and bumblebees still linger.

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Foliage is the other big draw this time of year.

Here’s the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), on  4 Oct, 8 Oct, and 14 Oct:

The ‘Johnson’s Blue’ geranium is ablaze in tiny red leaves:

Bluebird aster flowers and rainbow leucothoe, ‘Loyalist’ hosta, & rhododendon foliage:

Hydrangea blooms and leaves:

PeeGee hydrangea and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracilimus’ grass:

Back border, with the miscanthus grass, spent Joe Pye weed blooms, lilac bushes, veronicastrum, and a few trees turning:

Shade garden, with hostas, heucheras, lamiums, Rodgersia, astilbes, (small) begonias:

The trees beyond the shed:

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The weeping ‘Red Jade’ crabapple is full of fruits; this was taken today, through a rain-washed window:

Aren’t the baptisia (false indigo) pods compelling?

 

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Finally, a few flowers, perennials and annuals, still giving it their all despite the change in their weather fortunes.

And the annuals:

 

This will probably be my last GBBD until next April or May, when we once again have blooms.

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Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.