Excellent germination from teeny purple seedlings that require zoom to see against the well-draining soil. Labeled Cosmos ‘Fandango’.

Excellent germination from teeny purple seedlings that require zoom to see against the well-draining soil. Labeled Cosmos ‘Cranberries’.

Excellent germination from teeny green Papaver seedlings in four small square jugs.

Common annuals I use to keep blooms for #pollinators #February2Frost & while new plantings fill in also usually early to pop up in winter sowing jugs. Cosmos ‘Fandango’ & ‘Cranberries’ plus 2 each Papaver somniferum ‘Black Beauty’ & ‘Drama Queen’ so I can share with neighbors. (2/2) #gardening 🌱

#February2Frost bloom so important especially in urban environments with so much concrete & lawn. I also have 5 Trillium species, Twinleaf, Wild Ginger, Hepatica, Bluebells, Goldenseal, Dutchman’s Breeches, Uvularia, Blue Cohosh, etc. but still supplement with noninvasive bloomers to fill gaps. 🌱💚

Last grouping of seeds and large wooden labels that need the least or no cold.

Another group of assorted sown containers ready to go out in my favorite nopales grocery produce stacking basket I scored in the alley.

Started back at the beginning of January filling the front of these raised beds with assorted containers. Digitalis in the back row that will bloom this year and the right beds have asparagus and strawberries that will come up early.

Just managed to fit the later loads of winter sowing containers in the largest raised bed with a few overflow rectangles.

Finally finished last group of winter sowing. A few short cold stratification #NativePlants but mostly annuals to help keep our #UrbsInHorto #Chicago garden blooming for #pollinators #February2Frost. Final total=109 different species, with doubles of a few to share. No more room in raised beds! 🌱

Deep pink blooms tinged here and there with red and burgundy show off against fallen leaves and surprisingly green little Aquilegia seedlings for next year tucked in the lower left corner.

And still more fresh Snapdragons in the garden today for #MagentaMonday. Not sure how much longer they can hold out but the #pollinators were out enjoying them yesterday.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #February2Frost #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Beautiful blue-purple rays surrounding faded mustard colored composite blooms.

Aster ‘Jindai’ still looking beautiful for #February2Frost. I love this shade of blurple! 🙃

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport 🌱

A white flower with a puffy green backside and more buds on fresh dark green foliage soaked with rain.

A bold little Silene has popped up fresh as can be in the November rain.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #February2Frost 🌱

View from above of a tall obelisk mostly hidden by a tangle of healthy green vines dotted with bright lemon yellow tubular blooms.

Not that anyone asked, but yes my #NativePlants Lonicera sempervirens is still producing beautiful yellow blooms on November 12th after a few hard frosts and our first snow. 🥰 💪

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #February2Frost 🌱

Forgot #February2Frost which I am most proud of as November creeps on.

Neon green tubular blooms with wide flared faces and equally neon buds.

Glowing green Nicotiana still blooming!

#Gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #FlowersOnFriday #February2Frost #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Dramatic purple and white spotted bloom.

Dramatic purple and white spotted bloom and slightly fuzzy deep burgundy bud.

Toad Lilies are great for late blooms if you aspire to color from #February2Frost. Fresh buds still opening!

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #FlowersOnFriday #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Soft white blooms with brick colored bracts. Deep glossy green foliage.

After the blooms fade, the large clusters of brick colored bracts provide the illusion of persistent blooms for continuing seasonal interest.

Our Abelia is still working hard for #February2Frost too.

#Gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #FallColor 🌱

Deep pink layers surrounding a yellow center with golden rays of light.

Japanese Anemone are perfect for #February2Frost planting. Still a beacon of #FallColor today.

#Gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #MagentaMonday 🌱

A loose and wandering delight of small yellow blooms on long stems that was weaving through our Itoh Peony that usually fills the gap in the corner of this bed until I recently cut it down for end of season mildew control.

Final #SundayYellow plant is #NativePlants of very limited range in Alabama & Georgia. Threatened in wild, we tried it in our rain garden & it’s gorgeous. Planted in more beds this year. Meet Jamesianthus alabamensis.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #February2Frost 🌱

Soft light yellow surrounding brown centers and sweet pale yellow buds dance in the breeze on tall stems giving a transparent effect to the whole plant.

More #SundayYellow beauty as #NativePlants Coreopsis tripteris continues to bloom.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #February2Frost 🌱

A golden yellow Tithonia flower with deep lengthwise ridges and a matching yellow center.

Two layers of skinny golden beauty surrounding a burgundy center on this Calendula.

A surprise late Rudbeckia with golden yellow surrounding a chocolate brown cone center.

Fluffy layers of forked golden yellow surrounding a wide golden center on a different Calendula.

Our garden is celebrating #SundayYellow more than ever even though November has arrived.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #February2Frost 🌱

The weather has held out long enough for Aster ‘Jindai’ to bloom this year and it is absolutely delightful with its exaggerated golden centers and dimensional purple dancing in the light.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #February2Frost 🌱

Ridged green buds with bright pink-purple tips.

A second plant with slightly more open buds showing a more true medium purple and prominent yellow center as the aster blooms unfurl.

In our quest for #February2Frost blooms, we still have plants that haven’t bloomed yet. These don’t flower every year depending on when first frost comes but when it stays mild later & later like this year, #pollinators that are still around are exceedingly grateful. #gardening #bloomscrolling 🌱

Fine white blooms of Eupatorium hyssopifolium.

Fluffy purple flowers of Liatris aspera.

Clusters of purple blooms on arching stems of Symphyotrichum oblongifolium.

Fluffy larger white blooms in clusters of Ageratina altissima.

Superstars of #February2Frost still blooming today on our dry urban Parkway: Eupatorium hyssopifolium, Liatris aspera, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, & Ageratina altissima.

#gardening #NativePlants #FlowerReport #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Three quilled yellow blooms float in dappled shade above dark green matte foliage with other flowers opening behind them in the distance.

Three quilled yellow blooms shine in the sunlight against a background of deep green matte leaves and ferns.

Rudbeckia ‘Henry Eilers’ is just magical in sun or shade. 🥰

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #FlowersOnFriday #February2Frost 🌱

Hundreds of stems of green foliage dotted with clusters of tiny yellow blooms all along each one.

Just an absolute forest of Solidago caesia on the Parkway right now and I couldn’t be prouder!

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #NativePlants #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #February2Frost 🌱

A wide shot of two clusters of medium and dark purple blooms with exaggerated hook shapes.

Closeup of a cluster of medium and dark purple blooms with exaggerated hook shapes.

I 💚 #NativePlants but also need #February2Frost blooms for #pollinators in my weird urban microclimates. Enter non-invasive non-natives that fill tough gaps like late season part shade with blooms like this Salvia glabrescens ‘Autumn Equinox’. How beautiful is this? 🥰

#gardening #bloomscrolling 🌱

Tall airy yellow Coreopsis, pale pink and bright pink Strawflowers, purple Salvia yangii and more.

It might almost be October but our flowers aren’t fading because we planted to maximize blooms from #February2Frost to keep our #pollinators fed as climate change makes our weather less predictable.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #NoSpray #organic-gardening 🌱

Same rose fully open for #RoseWednesday!

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #February2Frost 🌱

A bold red-orange and gold rose bloom unfurling.

Fiery color for #RoseWednesday!

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #February2Frost 🌱

Sprays of #NativePlants yellow Solidago & blue and white Agastaches are joined by purple Salvia yangii, yellow Tithonia, and more.

We still have so much in bloom in our tiny #UrbsInHorto #Chicago garden and the #pollinators are so appreciative.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #February2Frost 🌱

Fire red Lobelia waiting for hummingbird stragglers.

Soft white and pink elongated heart-shaped blooms, coming in much lighter now than earlier in the season, with ferny #FantasticFoliage.

Bright pink pouty duck face turtlehead blooms and still green buds to come.

Sometimes seems like late summer/fall #NativePlants are heavy on yellow but there is a beautiful rainbow of red Lobelia cardinalis, appleblossom Dicentra eximia & bright pink Chelone (from a bit SE of here), all shining in our garden today.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #February2Frost 🌱

Today’s #AlwaysBePlanting report, clearance #NativePlants edition: 4x Monarda fistulosa; 6x Sporobolus heterolepis; 6x Parthenium auriculatum; 6x Phlox ‘Rose Bouquet’; & 1x Physostegia virginiana ‘Vivid’. As always, focus on #biodiversity & #February2Frost blooms.

#gardening #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱