When I talked to Ed about expanding the flower fields, he asked -- who's going to maintain them?
I responded -- oh, once they're established, they wont need much care.
Of course, that's only partly true. You can neglect perennials once the season draws to a close, but you'll be a happier garden gawker if you do a thorough trimming right about now. Some plants will reward you with a light rebloom, but really, that's not the point. Your goal is to have a deliberate slide into autumn, rather than the mess of a spent flower bed.
Typically, this is a miserable job here, at the farmette, because we do get the mosquitoes and they don't go away until the first hard frost, but this year, we have had a very insignificant bug population and so I put on my gardening gloves today and set to work.
All day long.
From before breakfast (when setting the cheepers free)...
(a commenter asked about goldenrod -- it's here, growing somewhat wildly beside clumps of lilies.
(to the north of the farmette)
... and breakfast is on the porch today!
... through late afternoon. I'm not done, but I made great inroads! If I neglect the rest, the garden will still look presentable.
You may not notice the difference, but I sure do!
Much later in the day, Ed and I have a lovely game of tennis and, too, we visit our local farmers market. These evening rides on the motorcycle along rural roads, when the breeze is just right and there's a faint dryness in the air are heavenly! And the produce at the market? We're the tail end of the fantastic corn season. Supper is going to be very local: tomatoes and cucumbers from our garden, corn from up the road. Okay, the fish is from distant waters.
In the evening, we have a very special visitor!
We play indoors mostly, but we don't neglect the porch!
And yes, this girl changes with the wind. Yes, even her face shape looks somehow transformed. I left a baby, I returned to a near toddler...
... though like before, she still is drawn toward that bearded guy!
... and she still adores her jumparoo.
Though she is not only all giggles and grins. There is a more serious side to her.
... as if first day of school is around the corner and she is taking in her last minutes of play.
I responded -- oh, once they're established, they wont need much care.
Of course, that's only partly true. You can neglect perennials once the season draws to a close, but you'll be a happier garden gawker if you do a thorough trimming right about now. Some plants will reward you with a light rebloom, but really, that's not the point. Your goal is to have a deliberate slide into autumn, rather than the mess of a spent flower bed.
Typically, this is a miserable job here, at the farmette, because we do get the mosquitoes and they don't go away until the first hard frost, but this year, we have had a very insignificant bug population and so I put on my gardening gloves today and set to work.
All day long.
From before breakfast (when setting the cheepers free)...
(a commenter asked about goldenrod -- it's here, growing somewhat wildly beside clumps of lilies.
(to the north of the farmette)
... and breakfast is on the porch today!
... through late afternoon. I'm not done, but I made great inroads! If I neglect the rest, the garden will still look presentable.
You may not notice the difference, but I sure do!
Much later in the day, Ed and I have a lovely game of tennis and, too, we visit our local farmers market. These evening rides on the motorcycle along rural roads, when the breeze is just right and there's a faint dryness in the air are heavenly! And the produce at the market? We're the tail end of the fantastic corn season. Supper is going to be very local: tomatoes and cucumbers from our garden, corn from up the road. Okay, the fish is from distant waters.
In the evening, we have a very special visitor!
We play indoors mostly, but we don't neglect the porch!
And yes, this girl changes with the wind. Yes, even her face shape looks somehow transformed. I left a baby, I returned to a near toddler...
... though like before, she still is drawn toward that bearded guy!
... and she still adores her jumparoo.
Though she is not only all giggles and grins. There is a more serious side to her.
... as if first day of school is around the corner and she is taking in her last minutes of play.
Glad to see you have goldenrod! Just had a little fun reading Wikipedia's piece on goldenrod... who knew it was considered good luck by some people and is even a state flower in Kentucky and Nebraska! I did know it was a popular garden plant in England.
ReplyDeleteCool to see Snowdrop is getting into late summer mode sitting on the porch sling chair!