Every year it seems I despair of the lack of fall color. And every year it comes…just later than I expected. We were in Baltimore twice this week as I had cataract surgery on my left eye and the next day a return trip for the post-op exam. The trip to Baltimore involves highways with lots of trees and in the two weeks from the first surgery we now saw lovely fall colors. And the really great news is that I could see the brilliant colors without glasses.
My two beds at the St. Michaels Community Garden have been cleaned out and black plastic stapled over the raised bed frames to keep the weeds from germinating. I didn’t get any fall greens planted this year and it’s too late for seed germination now. I’ll start planting in March if weather permits.
My own garden is winding down. Leaves are falling and the grass is going dormant. But there are things to see.
- Berries on the Major Wheeler honeysuckle.
2. An azalea bush in the foreground is beginning to show color. The Sheffield mums are in full bloom; their color is perfect with the fading rust of the sedum Autumn Joy. On the to-do list is wrapping the Jan Kirsch avocado for the winter.
3. A crepe myrtle in the front yard is blazing.
4. The white flowers have fallen but the Abelia shrubs are fading into autumn colors.
5. The New England asters were pummeled by last week’s rain, but the garden in general has perked up with the moisture.
6. A photo from this time last year. Even hosta leaves provide fall color. They are not as pretty this year because of the drought. In this photo it looks like I spread fireplace ashes in the garden and I couldn’t figure out where they came from. Not our fireplace. Then I remembered my neighbor was moving and had a large metal pail of ashes and I snagged it. They really seem to help to deter slugs.
That’s my Six on Saturday, photos of my garden once a week, a meme started by The Propogator, a UK gardener. This is the link to the rules if you’d like to join in. #lovemygarden
I just photographed my crepe myrtle and my hostas this afternoon so the colors were beautiful. ( with snail holes though…)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fred, it was you who suggested I use ashes from the fireplace around my hostas. The slugs got the message.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂 happy for you! …but mine seem to have bypassed the circle and found a new path. Naughty critters
LikeLike
My hostas are shrivelling up with the exception of the blue halycon that is holding out a bit longer. The front garden will start looking a bit bare.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Crepe Myrtle colour is stunning. My Hostas seem to have bypassed autumn and the leaves have been reduced to a slimy mess with all of the rain we’ve had.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That hosta photo was from last year. This year’s drought has meant that mine are struggling. But they will be back in the spring.
LikeLike
I must check my honeysuckle for berries. Love that avocado – is it a birdbath? Last year’s hosta was gorgeous & this year’s crepe myrtle, just wow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The avocado is a birdbath. Things are winding down in the garden. Not much color any more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was not aware that ‘Major Wheeler’ honeysuckle produced berries. I suppose there is no reason why it shouldn’t. Japanese honeysuckle does not make enough to get noticed. The native honeysuckle does, but they are nothing to brag about. The crape myrtle is coming along nicely. I was supposed to write about foliar color for the gardening column (a week ahead of time), but it is slow this year, so the topic will be delayed.
LikeLike
I hadn’t seen berries before on the Major Wheeler. I have the invasive Japanese honeysuckle in the back of the property and it has berries, but I’ve been told the birds don’t like them. I think they must because seedlings appear all over the property.
LikeLike