shiny bows
I am grateful for the rain after the mini-drought in September, one can almost feel how relieved the plants are to have their flowers and leaves washed clean and replenish their exhausted water reserves. The zinnia blossoms shine with a renewed vigor that makes their petals shimmer like metal in the cloud filtered light.
Between the dry weather and the colder than normal temperatures, plant life decided to call in early this year, wrapping up the season with less than average mess.
Though somewhat disconcerted, I’ll take this opportunity to remove the tomato chaossooner and trim the almost dormant perennials to a more visually appealing countenancefor the cold months.
Hard as I try every year, mine is not a pretty fall garden, there is always too much bulk, too many spent plants and, despite the heroic efforts of the stone crops, never enough flowers. A couple of reluctant garden mums are just now trying to put out some blossoms, and since I haven’t pinched them they are tall and not covered in flowers end to end, like they are when they come from the nursery. I kind of like their wilder look, it feels more natural, especially in a garden of assertive perennials like mine.
Woe, the dark times of fall clean-up are upon me, ’cause it’s getting really cold, really fast! Even the sedums sped up their turning from chartreuse to deep brown this year, it feels like everything is in a rush to close up shop for winter, which makes me wonder how close the latter really is. Needless to say, I’m not a big fan!
Even more of a reason to tidy up early this year, raking leaves in the snow is not a feature.
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