The calendar may say autumn, but some garden flowers are still going strong. I am referring to the hardy Dahlias. I stopped by my local garden park this week to check them out and, sure enough, they’re still standing tall. Some varieties have seen their better days, but many are still abundant, such as the Collarette, Orchid, Cactus, and Ball.

Zinnias and Marigolds are still bursting with color as well. Here’s some lovely Marigolds in shades of yellow and orange.

Here are some bright, red Zinnias.

The one flower that I always look forward to viewing each fall is the Autumn Crocus. It is an early fall bloomer. You have to catch them just at the right time because they don’t last very long. Their long, tubular stalks tend to bend very easily, especially in the wind and rain. I lucked out and was able to view them just before many had already started wasting away.  Their flower color is a pale purple color, with their stems being a pale green. They are really very lovely to look at. The Autumn Crocuses belong to the Lily family, while the Spring Crocuses belong to the Iris family. Here are some recent images I took.

In direct sunlight these flowers exhibit a bit of pink to their purple color. The images above were taken in the shade, therefore exhibiting more contrast and deeper shade of purple.

Last but not least, I viewed some lovely Anemones in pink and white varieties still hanging in there.

I always feel a bit sad this time of year watching the summer flowers wither away. They are what help keep our spirits high. The nights are quickly becoming much colder and the traditional fall, foggy mornings are slowly returning. I’ve noticed that some of the maple leaves are turning, and soon my camera’s lens will be focusing on trees and leaves instead of flowers. The seasons march on.

All photos property of Peggy A Thompson

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