October in my garden is a magical fusion of tropical plants and New York's famous autumn weather. All the plants are still looking good after a nice summer of growth and this week we were treated to record temperatures in Islip, NY here on Long Island.
 |
Woody Aster is a native wildflower
|
 |
| Musa Siam Ruby, Musa sikkimensis, hibiscus tillaceus (Variegated Sea Hibiscus) |
 |
| Hardy hibiscus, perfect storm |
 |
| Tibouchina granulosa |
 |
| Double hibiscus |
 |
| Chinese evergreen houseplant with begonia and impatients |
Here are the high temperatures from my garden during the warm spell:
10/2: 80F
10/3: 85F
10/4: 85F
10/5: 81F
It was weird to plant pansies in 80F weather, but now is the perfect time. They'll establish their roots before the cold weather arrivers and go in the garage during significant cold spells. These will bloom from now until JUNE!
I love planting cyclamen too. They aren't as cold tolerant, but bloom exclusively in cooler weather and shorter days PLUS they're tropical perennials. They dieback in the summer time and as long as the tubers don't freeze, they'll pop up again next winter for indoor and outdoor displays. *There are hardy cyclamen also that will survive our winters, btw!
