Blanket Weather

Still fresh after all these months, Blanketflower. Gaillardia aristata ‘Sunburst Scarlet Halo’
(Click picture to enlarge)

"There ought to be gardens for all months in the year, in which, severally, things of beauty may be then in season." ~ Sir Francis Bacon

Slowly, slowly the temperature falls. Finally, lows in the 40's and highs in the 60's. The leaves are turning yellow and red and, unfortunately, brown. Still, it is blanket weather. Yes, I swapped out the summer cotton knit blanket on the bed for the winter microfiber electric blanket, though the house temperature is no where near cold enough at night to use the heat as yet. But, the blanket weather I am talking about is that associated with a resurgence of our blanketflowers. I bought these plants at Walmart at the end of April and they were already blooming. For the rest of spring and through the long, hot and sometimes dry summer, they flourished. These beauties have NEVER stopped blooming. All I needed to do was pluck and snip the spent blooms and suddenly more scarlet and bright yellow flowers would appear. And now when the black-eyed susan and sunflower are shriveled and grey and the butterfly bush and caryopteris are wilting, the blanketflowers are giving the mums and lantana a run for their money. They are big and bright and beautiful, sunshine even on a cloudy day. I wonder now, how long will they last? We will have to just wait and see and enjoy while we can.

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Ruby Tuesday