The harvest continues with Pears to dry, Jalapeños to smoke, Tomatoes to bottle, and Capsicums to roast and freeze. There are lots of Jerusalem Artichokes and Anemones, and they are all taller than normal and covered with blooms, and don’t seem overly popular with bees, so I didn’t feel too bad taking a few away.
The clumps of Jerusalem Artichokes on the drive are about 4 meters tall, taller than normal like the corn this year, which is taller than the greenhouse roof. For scale, the plant with the large leaves in the centre of the photo below is a Sunflower which is well taller than me. Jerusalem Artichokes are sunflowers too.
We don’t eat many of the tubers although they taste delicious roasted, but it’s easy to eat too many and get wicked gas. I think the pheasants like them, and weirdly my dog likes eating the leaves. I dig quite a few up when they are in the wrong place, but there are always more, flowering beautifully against blue Autmn skies and providing seed for birds in Winter.
Knowing it might be dark by the time I arranged them I took a quick photo before bringing the flowers back this morning, adding a discarded too-large zucchini which happened to match the colours. Along with the Anemones, there are two types of South African Restios, some wild carrot seed heads, Blue Wood Asters (Symphyotrichum cordifolium), and Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’.
While I celebrate Autumn and plant bulbs, others are celebrating Spring with vases full of Daffodils and Tulips. Share your own flowers and enjoy other vases at Rambling in the Garden.
Absent Gardener 
4 metres! Wow, that is an amazing sight in your garden and beautiful in your vases too.They are a real sign of autumn here so it makes me aware of the passing of your seasons by seeing them. I love your Anemones too; there’s a species with so many beautiful plants.
The anemones have taken off this year with the rain. They look quite good year round, filling in a low area next to the greenhouse. Inspired by seeing them in Monday vases I tried to buy ‘the Bride’ to plant for Spring but I am a little late and suppliers are sold out. I seem to have ordered quite a lot different types of tulips though.
Beautiful!
How interesting that the Jerusalem Artichokes are not popular with your bees. Here where they are a native, the bees flock to them and swoon. They do look wonderful in a vase, and I will see them in fall again. Have fun working in your veg garden. It sounds delicious Cath!
I could be wrong, right now the bees are fixated on the single Dahlias, there is just about a lineup in front of each one. Perhaps they will regain interest in the Jerusalemm Artichokes later.
The Jersusalem artichoke flowers are amazing aren’t they? And intriguing what you and Donna say about the bees… The courgette was a great prop for your vase too 🙂
Those Jerusalem artichokes are impressive! I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in bloom here but perhaps I need to look more carefully. I’m very envious of the Japanese anemones. Since our drought took hold, I haven’t seen any of these flowers in my garden – the plants just shrivel in the late summer heat.
I love visiting your blog, Cath – your photos and arrangements are always beautiful and I often get a jolt of the upside-down feeling when I embrace the idea that we are on opposite sides of the very same earth. It is so life-affirming for me. 🙂
Your down-under flowers take me back to the past fall season then forward to the next one, Cath. They help me visualize what I should be planning and planting now, I want to grow a lot of sunflowers. I’m looking forward to the fall flowers but want to experience the spring flowers just coming along fully. I like your vase of sunflowers, Anemones, and Asters, such a picture of fall.
This is so pretty! You know, I could almost wish it was autumn here….. almost! Autumn is my favourite season, but I am looking forward to May and June too! 😉
Thank you 🙂 I love Autumn too. We go off daylight savings next week though so the start of dark evenings.