Moonflowers

The moonflowers are blooming nightly as we move on into fall. The blossoms are 8 inches or more across and glow in the moonlight. A relative of morning glories, their blossoms slowly spiral open as evening approaches. I love to watch them.

Like morning glories the blossoms are only open for a few hours. By mid-morning they are closed and a fresh group will open the next evening. I grow them on a trellis or on the deck and let their vines twine around the lattice.

Most of the flowers at Shady Hollow are nearing their demise. I pulled up most of my trusty balsam Sunday afternoon. The impatiens and begonias are losing some foliage. The cannas are still blooming, but their flowers are few.

The vegetable patch is a memory. I had picked the last beans when a small rabbit found the vines. I watched from the window for three days as she returned to feast on the vines. I told my husband that while I had been going to pull the vines, this worked out better.

Two artichoke plants survived being flooded and then crowded by squash plants. I bought the packet of seeds as an experiment. Jim loves artichokes, so I thought I would try growing them. A perennial, they won't actually produce until next year. Soon I'll mulch them, and wait to see if they survive the winter.

It has been a good year in the garden and there are still things to be done. But for now, I'm enjoying spending my evenings with the moonflowers.