Sorbaria sorbifolia, False Spirea

Red and gold leaved Sorbaria sorbifolia, False Spirea, with Aster hybrida 'Peter III'.

Sorbaria sorbifolia, False Spirea, is a new plant in our garden this fall. Its foliage resembles the Rhus family (sumacs) and it is native to Asia. Other common names for this plants are False Goat's Beard, Appleberry and Ural False Spirea (see Wikipedia).

Photos of Kids, Leaves & a Hay Bale

We took a few photos the other day when we came home with a new bale of hay for our bunny. In addition to providing her with bedding and something to nibble in the winter months, it is an affordable photo prop at five dollars. And they loved playing with it too, which makes for an enjoyable photo shoot.

Fall Foliage in Pennsylvania

Yellow maple (acer) leaves and the red-edged oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) by our Shade Path gate.

The leaves are as brightly colored as the remaining flowers in our Pennsylvania garden (see GBBD Oct 2012). Here are a few photos from the post couple of weeks when we have been out enjoying the sunshine and few warmer days remaining in our zone 5 corner lot.

Autumn Colors

Maple leaves coordinating with the mums at the local park this October.

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ October GBBD 2012

Perennial mum Dendranthema 'Sheffield Pink' and double purple Aster hybrida 'Peter III'.

Welcome to October at Gilmore Gardens in Pennsylvania! 

Everywhere in our area we are seeing the colors of autumn. The trees are in the middle of their foliage change - the earlier ones having dropped most of their leaves and the later ones still holding on to their green. The asters are out in full force, the milkweeds pods are just about ripe and the first nips of frost have just come this past weekend. Some of the annual flowers did not take kindly to the cold, but others have survived to bloom a bit longer. Hope you enjoy your look around our tiny town garden!

Asters and pumpkins add color to the sunny Driveway Garden this fall.

The Shade Path Garden in Early October

The Shade Path Garden in the first week of October.

October is here and has brought some chilly temperatures in Pennsylvania. It seemed to come on us all at once this year. It was quite warm and rainy, but not truly cold until this week which makes it feel a bit shocking, though we all knew it was coming. We have missed a true frost twice in the last couple evenings. Some tender leaves are browned around their edges, but most of the plants are still standing tall. Very soon the annuals will greet the morning as a puddle of mush and will need to be removed post-haste.

Pink Dahlias in the Front Walk Garden

My unnamed, pink dahlias have not been staked very well this year (...what has that gardener been up to anyway!...), but they are still blooming away this fall. 

These are the moments to savor in the garden in Pennsylvania before the coming frost. It looks like it might be a near miss here on this coming Sunday night as they are predicting a low of 34 degrees F (1.1 C). But who can think of that when looking at these summer beauties?  Not me.

See more of the Front Walk garden in all seasons here.