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Garden Bliss & Blunder, Issue #004 October 07, 2021 |
Hello there,OCTOBER in the GARDEN“And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and Autumn was awakened.” Raquel Franco
Lots to do...When the fall days begin to shorten, we get a little panicky thinking there are so many things on our “to-do” lists….
But, here is one task to put on top of the list -
Pick a fine day (or hour), pull out your chair and just sit in your garden. And take a really good look at what your hard work has accomplished….don’t judge, just make a few mental notes and then close your eyes for a wee nap… ... or take a wee nip (or both)
“…I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house. So I have spent almost all the daylight hours in the open air.” Nathaniel Hawthorne.
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” Oscar Wilde Planting Bulbs...There is still time for all those tasks....
like masses of sunshine yellow daffodils...
Or Digging Dahlias... and Acidanthera
Look here
for everything you need to know digging-dahlias.html
Leave your garden standing...Of course, there is still much to do... like clean out birdhouses, clean pots and tools
There are perennials to divide
Hosta and Day lilies to cut back.. . or any plants with slimy leaves that invite slugs to overwinter.
Leave your garden standing - seed heads for sweet little hungry birds... and places for them to shelter from stormy weather. This also protects bare soil from eroding... much like a 'cover crop".
Add Compost to bare soil so rain and snow will soak it in.
Pull ends of all veggies from the garden
Now, here are some links to help you do that....
fall-october-garden-tasks.html Still Taking Notes?And photos too.... you haven't forgotten have you? When you look at your garden, you may notice something you would like to change, or a task to add - or even a new plant for some colour or texture here and there... Add it to your list and take a photo of that spot, or plant that you love ...or don't. I added Heuchera and some ground covering sedum for colour and here's what happened.... lovely, isn't it?
Remember the Roses...THE LAST ROSE OF SUMMER....
is always a sad time for me....
....but, WAIT... this is NOT the time to prune your roses....
PLEASE wait till spring
Later.... perhaps even NOVEMBER, when the frost is on the roses, then start overwintering roses once
you get an early hard frost.
LEAVE those last blooms for rose-hips.
.. they contain the seeds for new roses and food for birds....
Cimicifuga (Snake Root ) gorgeous leaves and blooms in October
BOOKS to READ ... now or later“ A Garden of Marvels” How we discovered that flowers have sex, leaves eat air, and other secrets of plants Ruth Kassinger (author of Paradise Under Glass) William Morrow - 2014 ISBN 978-0-06-204901-8
“MASTER GARDENER”: - a novel by Claire Sullivan
The story of Mary, who chooses plants for her herb garden by their growth habits and folklore, believing what happens in the herb plot mirrors life.
When Mary eradicates the’ thug’, Lily-of-the-Valley from the farm, her mother-in-law takes to her bed and shortly, is dead. Available at Amazon.ca - $20.89 Free delivery in Peterborough Ontario, Canada - $17. Contact: CLAIRE SULLIVAN clarified2000@yahoo.com
And... by Carol Michel - “SEEDED and SODDED” - thoughts from a gardening life
“DIGGING and DELIGHTED” - Live your best gardening life
“CREATURES and CRITTERS” - Who’s in my Garden
“THE CHRISTMAS COTTONTAIL” - a Story for gardeners of all ages
Available from the author at: https://caroljmichel.com
Bye for now....Lucy and I are off to to find a patch of sun and a shawl... And thanks again for subscribing to my newsletter... I hope you find something thought provoking you can use for the garden of bliss you deserve .... and don't be afraid of some blunders.... they too, have their lessons. Until next month, stay well and happy - oh, and feel free to pass this on to a friend. Please go and enjoy your garden, and if it's a rainy day, come back to my site www.lush-gardens.com ...and see what else I have to share with you. Till next time, Cauleen and Lucy |
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