Fall temperatures bring an end to many flowers in the garden. Zinnias, dahlias and mums however, are still going strong. Moreover, monkshood, a fall blooming perennial, usually starts it's bloom in October, lasting into November here in zone 6. The week's arrangement features the colorful tall State Fair zinnias, garden mums, dinner plate dahlias, and monkshood. The tall purple spikes of monkshood grow as tall as 5 feet, and are a welcome sight in the fall with their 'hooded' flowers. All parts of this plant are poisonous, and are best in the back of the bed not only for this reason, but also because of its height. I always handle them with gloves, and have never had a problem in the many years I've grown them. They make lovely bouquets, having a long vase life, especially if cut in the bud stage. FYI: Several plants commonly grown in gardens are poisonous. They can cause nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate or diarrhea if ingested, or cause adverse effects on the skin, such as rashes, itchiness, or even blisters. I grow all but 2 of these perennials and have never had any sort of problem with any of them. However it is wise not to ingest any of them, and I work with gloves at all times. Wisteria, foxglove, hydrangea, hyacinths, lily of the valley, chrysanthemum, rhododendron, azalea and narcissus are all toxic, but if handled correctly you should have no problems.
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