Autumn's Golden Gown

Fall color is quickly becoming a dim memory for gardeners in colder climes but here on my corner of Katy, it's just coming into its own. The Copper Canyon Daisies which started blooming on November 1st sport masses of yellow-gold blossoms and they're not yet at their peak. Tagetes lemonii is the botanical name of this awesome perennial. I raved about it on November's Bloom Day and you'll probably hear me rave about it again before winter is done with us!



This river birch is the only plant left here on my corner of Katy that was planted by my mother. My parents bought this house in 1990 ... it's just blocks away from our first home in the neighborhood. My dad passed away in 1995 after a long illness and until 1997, my mom rattled around here by herself. When EM and I decided that our family had outgrown our small one story house, we offered to buy this one from my mother. Bless her heart, she's watched me systematically dig up everything she ever planted ... except this tree!


One of my favorite small trees is Mexican Buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa). It has both fall and spring color: before the leaves emerge in the spring, the branches will be covered with small pink blossoms. I also love it for the architectural growth habit: the branches bend and curve very gracefully.


Looking at these pictures, I was reminded of a phrase from the Moody Blues song, "Forever Autumn", so I chose that as the title of this post. Long ago, far away, I was introduced to the Moody Blues, and many other wonderful musicians, by my first love. The romance didn't last, but the memories and the music have stayed with me.

Comments

Your mother is a woman of great forbearance. I don't think I'd be able to sit by & watch my daughter dig everything up. There's definitely a golden glow over your corner of Katy.
Carol Michel said…
Looks like a beautiful day on your corner of Katy. I like the golds in the fall.

Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Gail said…
I love gold gowns and yours is lovely...The Copper canyon Daisies are splendid.

My mother never knew what was growing in her yard! Has your mother ever said anything to you? Moms...they are incredible!

gail
MA said…
What a treat to see green and yellow in the garden! We have moved onto the brown/gray phase for the season.
Anonymous said…
Everyone, say ahhhh . . . .~~Dee
It does look lovely there in your corner of Katy...you've done a nice job so your mom must be proud of what you've created even if most of her plants are gone!
Kathy said…
Happy birthday to your first love. So those Copper Canyon daisies are related to marigolds? Hard to believe what November looks like in your neck of the country.
I have got to get some of those daisies! They are truly beautiful! Isn't it funny how we get our fall so late in Texas? I remember Decembers in the past that look like Octobers from the east! Yea Texas!! :)
Anonymous said…
It's one of the best years for fall color in Austin that I can remember ever seeing. Houston is looking good too. I inherited a lovely Mexican buckeye with the new house, and I'm watching it turn golden yellow right now. Looking forward to the pink flowers in spring!
Cindy, MCOK said…
MMD, I think my mother has bit her tongue quite often since I started gardening here! In my defense, though, please note that she had a bad habit of buying 1 gallon shrubs for $1 at the nursery down the street. So very little of what I pulled out was worth keeping, unless you're possessed of an inordinate fondness for pittosporums, nandinas, ligustrums, privets and cleyeras.

Carol, it was indeed a beautiful day here. Remind me of this next summer when you have such days and I'm sweltering.

Gail, the Copper Canyon Daisy is my fall version of your Practically Perfect Pink Phlox!

MA, I shall endeavor to provide you with as much color as possible throughout the winter.

Dee, I can frequently be seen just standing in the garden and sighing happily.

Leslie, my mom does enjoy seeing what I've done here. We redid the inside of the house, too!

Kathy, I hope it was a happy birthday for my old friend. He's had a rough time the last few years. The Copper Canyon Daisies are indeed related to marigolds.

MT, from now until April, living in Texas seems like a pretty great deal, doesn't it? If you're ever down my way, I'll happily share the CCD with you.

Pam, the Mexican Buckeyes are such delightful little trees. I love the way their branches grow. I'm glad Austin's having a colorful fall. That's a little surprising after the hellatious summer y'all endured!
Annie in Austin said…
It's fun to have peeks into the history of the garden, Cindy - and agree your mom must be extra special! Most of us can take the occasional drive past a former garden and stay calm, but seeing it up close and personal can't be so easy, even when the results are so lovely.

I like the color and form of Copper Canyon Daisies but can no longer safely come in contact with the foliage - somehow became sensitized to them when they were a mainstay of our previous deer-garden landscape. Thank heavens for the other fall blooming perennial marigold - Mexican mint marigold - need that color!

You can grow river birch in Houston? That's very interesting.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Anonymous said…
how can you write a so cool blog,i am watting your new post in the future!
Anonymous said…
I thought I was a relatively smart people who read your work I know that I am not!
yiwu said…
Is this right? China wholesale from the world's largest wholesale market of small commodities, China Yiwu international trade mart.