Dahlia bud

It’s GBBD again and I find myself in Spain today with pictures that I snapped before I left just to update you on my Maryland garden.  I found a number of plants that I expect to be flowering now were just coming into bloom (like the Dahlia above).  On the other hand besides all the fall annuals like the sunflowers, zinnias, mums, asters, and the like, there are also some particularly nice flowers worth singling out.

Particularly special was the discovery of a yellow toad lily that resulted from my trip to Plant Delights last spring.  A yellow toad lily is really unexpected and this one is indeed special.

Tricyrtis perfoliata

It’s quite different than all the other toad lilies that we have.

At the same time another surprise bloomer is the petite daphne that I brought back from Stonecrop’s alpine sale this spring.  It is not only a charming little colorful element at this time of year but the fragrance is wonderful.

Daphne 'Lawrence Crocker'

Also in the surprising category is a little double white camellia hybrid that sprung from a recommendation from Les at A Tidewater Gardener.  He suggested ‘Snow Flurry’ as a good white fall blooming camellia.  He did not tell me that it would bloom so early and so prolifically in it’s first year.

Camellia 'Snow Flurry'

A few other nice items growing this week include a nice late blooming allium that son jonathan gifted us with.

Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa'

and some other notables

Japanese anemone 'September Charm'

Japanese anemone double white

Fall Crocus

and finally one of the last flowers to surprise us…

Pineapple Sage