GardenOpus
@gardenopus.bsky.social
🌱Gardening & Botanical insights from Award-Winning Horticulturist, Hybridist, Author, Designer & Consultant Robert F. Gabella.
🌱This was very nice.😎
November 23, 2025 at 5:33 PM
🌱This was very nice.😎
🌱🍅 AFTER THE FREEZE. Rescue Tomatoes picked green continue to ripen. True, flavor won't be the same as when ripened on the plants during warm sunny days, but can keep me away from store-bought past Christmas, occasionally into the New Year. Solanum lycopersicum - Solanaceae.
November 22, 2025 at 3:30 PM
🌱🍅 AFTER THE FREEZE. Rescue Tomatoes picked green continue to ripen. True, flavor won't be the same as when ripened on the plants during warm sunny days, but can keep me away from store-bought past Christmas, occasionally into the New Year. Solanum lycopersicum - Solanaceae.
🌱💜🐝 Even after last week's snow & 24°F/-4.4°C, found some late native Symphyotrichum (Aster) - from the highly variable cordifolium group - on the Illinois Prairie Path, a short walk from my home. Here with non-native & invasive Apis mellifera (European Honeybee). Asteraceae & Apidae
November 18, 2025 at 7:09 PM
🌱💜🐝 Even after last week's snow & 24°F/-4.4°C, found some late native Symphyotrichum (Aster) - from the highly variable cordifolium group - on the Illinois Prairie Path, a short walk from my home. Here with non-native & invasive Apis mellifera (European Honeybee). Asteraceae & Apidae
🌱❤️💛 Abutilon 'Voodoo' revealing #SundayYellow from within. Malvaceae
And not for lack of trying as it's now Monday in much of the world - finally got tired of BlueSky crashing when uploading pix so this evening uninstalled & reinstalled.
And not for lack of trying as it's now Monday in much of the world - finally got tired of BlueSky crashing when uploading pix so this evening uninstalled & reinstalled.
November 17, 2025 at 4:15 AM
🌱❤️💛 Abutilon 'Voodoo' revealing #SundayYellow from within. Malvaceae
And not for lack of trying as it's now Monday in much of the world - finally got tired of BlueSky crashing when uploading pix so this evening uninstalled & reinstalled.
And not for lack of trying as it's now Monday in much of the world - finally got tired of BlueSky crashing when uploading pix so this evening uninstalled & reinstalled.
🌱🎶🎙"Despite all my rage I am still just a..."
OK OK I know, used that one already!😅 BUT...
🎶🥬 "...Kale in a cage!"🙊
Brassica oleracea v. acephala 'Redbor' & 'Blue Curled Scotch'. Brassicaceae
OK OK I know, used that one already!😅 BUT...
🎶🥬 "...Kale in a cage!"🙊
Brassica oleracea v. acephala 'Redbor' & 'Blue Curled Scotch'. Brassicaceae
November 13, 2025 at 6:57 PM
🌱🎶🎙"Despite all my rage I am still just a..."
OK OK I know, used that one already!😅 BUT...
🎶🥬 "...Kale in a cage!"🙊
Brassica oleracea v. acephala 'Redbor' & 'Blue Curled Scotch'. Brassicaceae
OK OK I know, used that one already!😅 BUT...
🎶🥬 "...Kale in a cage!"🙊
Brassica oleracea v. acephala 'Redbor' & 'Blue Curled Scotch'. Brassicaceae
🌱🍂🍁 Nice work! After a pelting of snow knocked leaves from trees & shellacked them to everything, sun came out, breezes blew, & seems they all landed on my driveway!😅 In-progress pics & please pardon the rough asphalt - holding off on replacement until the village finishes our new street next year.🤞
November 12, 2025 at 5:28 PM
🌱🍂🍁 Nice work! After a pelting of snow knocked leaves from trees & shellacked them to everything, sun came out, breezes blew, & seems they all landed on my driveway!😅 In-progress pics & please pardon the rough asphalt - holding off on replacement until the village finishes our new street next year.🤞
🌱Decided to give the 📷 Canon EOS a short workout after PAINFULLY re-linking to their updated Camera Connect App. Encryption Key ✔️ IP Address ✔️ MAC Address ✔️ WiFi Network & PW ✔️ - and FINALLY 🌺 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Glamour Gal™'. Malvaceae
November 12, 2025 at 5:29 AM
🌱Decided to give the 📷 Canon EOS a short workout after PAINFULLY re-linking to their updated Camera Connect App. Encryption Key ✔️ IP Address ✔️ MAC Address ✔️ WiFi Network & PW ✔️ - and FINALLY 🌺 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Glamour Gal™'. Malvaceae
🌱I have to agree - it was difficult to commit but I told myself I would, so after bartering with my various internal voices telling me to do anything but - I did.😃 For now will stick to quick pickle recipes and maybe some sauces and preserves.
November 12, 2025 at 2:28 AM
🌱I have to agree - it was difficult to commit but I told myself I would, so after bartering with my various internal voices telling me to do anything but - I did.😃 For now will stick to quick pickle recipes and maybe some sauces and preserves.
🌱🍁🍂 So about all those Autumn leaves still on the trees...seems like they got a little help with the "Fall" part of the equation.😅 Plastered everywhere! Good news is we may tickle 70°F/21°C by Saturday, if not windy enough to blow them off the roof, you may catch me up on a ladder with the blower.😎
November 10, 2025 at 7:44 PM
🌱🍁🍂 So about all those Autumn leaves still on the trees...seems like they got a little help with the "Fall" part of the equation.😅 Plastered everywhere! Good news is we may tickle 70°F/21°C by Saturday, if not windy enough to blow them off the roof, you may catch me up on a ladder with the blower.😎
🌱🌶🥕🍅🥒 Did I just do this???😅 Apparently! With end of season crop rescues comes the "What Now?" part. A modest total of pickled pints compared to what some may do over a season. Use a mandolin to assembly-line the slicing, but pace yourself as Heroes get their fingers cut off.😱😄
November 10, 2025 at 10:14 AM
🌱🌶🥕🍅🥒 Did I just do this???😅 Apparently! With end of season crop rescues comes the "What Now?" part. A modest total of pickled pints compared to what some may do over a season. Use a mandolin to assembly-line the slicing, but pace yourself as Heroes get their fingers cut off.😱😄
🌱☃️Thus effectively ending the growing season for all but the toughest plants, a #SevenOnSunday curtain drop! Fall cleanups will continue for weeks.🍁🍂 WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY, locally 2"-6" and a WINTER STORM WARNING for 1-4 FEET 😱 🌨 along the near Chicagoland Lakeshore! Be safe wherever you are!
November 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
🌱☃️Thus effectively ending the growing season for all but the toughest plants, a #SevenOnSunday curtain drop! Fall cleanups will continue for weeks.🍁🍂 WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY, locally 2"-6" and a WINTER STORM WARNING for 1-4 FEET 😱 🌨 along the near Chicagoland Lakeshore! Be safe wherever you are!
🌱Not sure your location, but here in Chicagoland, Zones 5-6, most garden Chrysanthemums are perennial with a caveat - if planted late from retail in bloom may not have enough time to root in well & survive Winter. A few sources offer young specimens for Spring planting which establish strong roots.😎
November 9, 2025 at 9:36 AM
🌱Not sure your location, but here in Chicagoland, Zones 5-6, most garden Chrysanthemums are perennial with a caveat - if planted late from retail in bloom may not have enough time to root in well & survive Winter. A few sources offer young specimens for Spring planting which establish strong roots.😎
🌱For #SixOnSaturday, some of the 18 exhibition Chrysanthemums I did NOT grow to perfection!😅 In this phase of trial, chose earliest blooming from King's Mums - in Chicagoland must be mindful of hard freeze date.🥶 Then grew unpinched w/no disbudding to observe. In 2026 will train & display.😎
November 8, 2025 at 10:58 PM
🌱For #SixOnSaturday, some of the 18 exhibition Chrysanthemums I did NOT grow to perfection!😅 In this phase of trial, chose earliest blooming from King's Mums - in Chicagoland must be mindful of hard freeze date.🥶 Then grew unpinched w/no disbudding to observe. In 2026 will train & display.😎
🌱🌶 Some end of season garden rescue. After yesterday's light frost had two mild afternoons, but the Autumn days of mercy are coming to a close - snow showers or flurries this weekend. Phaseolus vulgaris (Bean) 'Jade', & Capsicum annuum (Chile Pepper) 'Jalapeño M' & 'Tropic' F1. Fabaceae & Solanaceae
November 8, 2025 at 2:34 AM
🌱🌶 Some end of season garden rescue. After yesterday's light frost had two mild afternoons, but the Autumn days of mercy are coming to a close - snow showers or flurries this weekend. Phaseolus vulgaris (Bean) 'Jade', & Capsicum annuum (Chile Pepper) 'Jalapeño M' & 'Tropic' F1. Fabaceae & Solanaceae
🌱🔥❤️ Has been slow to catch on, but Tagetes patula (Spreading Marigold, Cempaxúchitl) 'Fireball' (PanAmerican Seed, 2017; RHS 🏅AGM, 2017) deserves a wider audience. Opening rich ruby red rather than mahogany, underlying yellow pigments surface as flowers mature. Asteraceae
November 4, 2025 at 2:10 AM
🌱🔥❤️ Has been slow to catch on, but Tagetes patula (Spreading Marigold, Cempaxúchitl) 'Fireball' (PanAmerican Seed, 2017; RHS 🏅AGM, 2017) deserves a wider audience. Opening rich ruby red rather than mahogany, underlying yellow pigments surface as flowers mature. Asteraceae
🌱Mixed sun & clouds may have given these Crocus speciosus (Autumn Crocus) confusing signals - should they stay open? Should they close? But it definitely brought out depth of color - almost a stonewashed look. These bloom late October into November here in Chicagoland. Iridaceae
November 2, 2025 at 12:31 AM
🌱Mixed sun & clouds may have given these Crocus speciosus (Autumn Crocus) confusing signals - should they stay open? Should they close? But it definitely brought out depth of color - almost a stonewashed look. These bloom late October into November here in Chicagoland. Iridaceae
🌱🎃 More Halloween Shenanigans - funnier than me singing "Werewolves of London" is tryin' to get the fake hair outta my mouth - it got into EVERYTHING!
🍕🍺😅
🍕🍺😅
October 31, 2025 at 2:53 PM
🌱🎃 More Halloween Shenanigans - funnier than me singing "Werewolves of London" is tryin' to get the fake hair outta my mouth - it got into EVERYTHING!
🍕🍺😅
🍕🍺😅
🌱🎃 Not that you were warned ahead LOL!😅 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
October 31, 2025 at 2:45 AM
🌱🎃 Not that you were warned ahead LOL!😅 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
🌱🧡💜THE FUTURE: Scattering collected seed of beloved Chicagoland natives Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Mikweed) & Liatris spicata (Spiked Gayfeather) into cleared & roughed up ground. Both will germinate readily in April - Asclepias flower first year, Liatris will the next.😎 Apocynaceae & Asteraceae
October 28, 2025 at 10:15 AM
🌱🧡💜THE FUTURE: Scattering collected seed of beloved Chicagoland natives Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Mikweed) & Liatris spicata (Spiked Gayfeather) into cleared & roughed up ground. Both will germinate readily in April - Asclepias flower first year, Liatris will the next.😎 Apocynaceae & Asteraceae
🌱If you want THAT, you may need to do THIS, if not in a frost-free area. Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Night-Blooming Cereus, Gooseneck Cactus), in the Autumn part of a 2x yearly ritual, in May back outdoors for fragrant blooms Summer to Fall. Corner of living room starting to look a bit woodsy.😅 Cactaceae
October 25, 2025 at 10:46 PM
🌱If you want THAT, you may need to do THIS, if not in a frost-free area. Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Night-Blooming Cereus, Gooseneck Cactus), in the Autumn part of a 2x yearly ritual, in May back outdoors for fragrant blooms Summer to Fall. Corner of living room starting to look a bit woodsy.😅 Cactaceae
🌱It's all about 'Vera Seyfang' - I'm just the 🐵 monkey for scale. Had trouble even wrapping my arms around for a decent pic. Had mentioned before this AA (10"+) Formal Decorative (FD) Dahlia is a bit wonky - but once fully open rays synchronize nicely, and the SIZE! Asteraceae
#FlowersOnFriday
#FlowersOnFriday
October 24, 2025 at 5:46 PM
🌱It's all about 'Vera Seyfang' - I'm just the 🐵 monkey for scale. Had trouble even wrapping my arms around for a decent pic. Had mentioned before this AA (10"+) Formal Decorative (FD) Dahlia is a bit wonky - but once fully open rays synchronize nicely, and the SIZE! Asteraceae
#FlowersOnFriday
#FlowersOnFriday
🌱Breathing a sigh of relief, Streptocarpus 'Bristol's Cool Breeze' & 'Bristol's Tropical Sunrise' are now safe from Autumn's wrath outdoors - under lights in basement with other Gesneriaceae friends. As they are understandably modest, I cropped out their ⛈️ hail damaged foliage.
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
🌱Breathing a sigh of relief, Streptocarpus 'Bristol's Cool Breeze' & 'Bristol's Tropical Sunrise' are now safe from Autumn's wrath outdoors - under lights in basement with other Gesneriaceae friends. As they are understandably modest, I cropped out their ⛈️ hail damaged foliage.
🌱Though a July 25th sowing of Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) 'Carmine Splendor' appreciated warm to hot Autumn days, it balked at cooling nights.🥶 Yet the small harvest made for a delicious mixed vegetable fried rice.😋 Next year an early start for a season-long crop.🤞Malvaceae
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
🌱Though a July 25th sowing of Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) 'Carmine Splendor' appreciated warm to hot Autumn days, it balked at cooling nights.🥶 Yet the small harvest made for a delicious mixed vegetable fried rice.😋 Next year an early start for a season-long crop.🤞Malvaceae
🌱💡ZINNIAS BY GARAGE LIGHT - which if taken in today's wet, raw & howling wind would have been anything but a still life!😄 These Z. violacea (Z. elegans) 'Señorita' were sown July 25, seedling pic is August 5. Asteraceae
October 22, 2025 at 3:01 AM
🌱💡ZINNIAS BY GARAGE LIGHT - which if taken in today's wet, raw & howling wind would have been anything but a still life!😄 These Z. violacea (Z. elegans) 'Señorita' were sown July 25, seedling pic is August 5. Asteraceae
🌱ALL THAT AND MORE: AA (10"+) Formal Decorative (FD) Dahlia 'Vera Seyfang' (Baynes, 1958) is a classic Dinnerplate giant. Though kinda floofy & irregular 😅 for an FD, what she lacks in precision she makes up for in Largest in Show awards - with care & disbudding can push to 14" across. Asteraceae
October 21, 2025 at 1:47 AM
🌱ALL THAT AND MORE: AA (10"+) Formal Decorative (FD) Dahlia 'Vera Seyfang' (Baynes, 1958) is a classic Dinnerplate giant. Though kinda floofy & irregular 😅 for an FD, what she lacks in precision she makes up for in Largest in Show awards - with care & disbudding can push to 14" across. Asteraceae