Gorgeous October

“The link between things grows weaker now.

The twig can no longer support the leaf,

the branch is ready to release its fruit

and the ground turns cold against the root.

Instinctively we resist these separations,

reaching for each other’s hand as we walk

across the frost-strung grass,

then turning quickly back toward home

before night drops.”

unknown

Whether your trees lose their leaves

like my darling grandson Lachlan’s tree does,

or one at a time,

Fall is here

and we are on our way

to the most glorious time of year.

Garden Tours

I was flattered when asked to show my garden to a group of gardeners

from the nearby town of Sterling, Ontario.

Flattered because I love my garden

and hoped maybe they would too.

Alas, I was visiting my family a day's drive away

and could not be here,

but my gardener-friend Claire

generously offered to be here in my place.

I am sorry I missed them

because they were passionate and friendly

(and complimentary).

Sadly, due to a few computer glitches,

I am unable to post all their photos,

but here is Claire.

With my sincerest thanks....

A GARDEN TOUR - is a chance to learn, share and “grow” Consider offering your garden for a tour

…. no perfection needed;

it's a great opportunity to share what works for you, or doesn’t

Perhaps you've dealt with a wet corner, very dry soil,

mature trees (like a Black Walnut)

or windy open areas that might be a problem

for another gardener.

…. we all deal with challenges

and being on a garden tour

is about sharing what you did - or wish you had and hadn’t done.

Whether unique, interesting, or quirky

- they all have the ability to teach us,

learning from someone else’s problems and solutions.

Gardeners love to share

- they are kind, passionate and generous

and love to talk gardening to all who will listen.

Time to Plant Bulbs

TRUE BULBS: Tulip, Hyacinth, Allium, Daffodil

CORM: Crocosmia, Acidanthera, Gladiola, Crocus

RHIZOME: Iris

Buy the best you can afford,

but even the less expensive ones

still want to do their best for you..

.. so buy lots- plant lots

TULIPS: late fall…. plant deeply ( 8 inches or more)

DAFFODILS, HYACINTH, ETC…. mid October

WHAT ABOUT SQUIRRELS?

If you plant them in layers as I describe on my page on BULBS

( link below)

you should be able to outwit even the most determined diggers.

bulbs.html

Plant Seeds

FLOWER seeds:

- mix them up with a handful of compost and spread…

If you are applying mulch this fall,

leave some bare soil, spread your seeds

and then put a very thin layer over it.

… find a way to mark where you planted….

popsicle sticks with indelible marker work

You can use the sam method for bare GRASS patches

and overseed with CLOVER

Be careful with some seeds though,

because you could end up with this...

(I did not plant these

- but the birds love them and

they are so darned cheerful.

Other Fall Colour...

I realized my good fortune when the Fall revealed all this colour from these glorious Heuchera (Coral Bells) and Coleus in my shade garden, usually full of ferns and Hosta.

Heuchera comes in many shades of burgundy, brown, orange, red, and lime green. They love the shade but they tolerate a fair bit of sun too.

The Coleus, although an annual, puts on a fabulous show, especially in the fall.

And the Sedum.. wow,

the low, ground covers

are a tapestry of colour

Last Roses....

Although I love this photo,

my last roses do not look like this.

.. sadly, brown and dried

but now that they look like this below.....

it's time to leave them be and let them form hips.

This will signal the rose to stop putting energy into blooms

and instead,

put its energy into the roots to strengthen them for dormancy

(winter in my case)

The centre turns red

and becomes the hip.

We will talk more about overwintering roses

in November's newsletter

but if you wish,

here is more on my overwintering roses page.

overwintering-roses.html

Hostas and Viruses

If you have a lot of Hosta, you may already know

about Hosta Virus

I am not an expert and am not sure I would recognize it...

However, you can prevent spreading it unknowingly

by cleaning your clippers or knife after cutting each one back.

Best? leave them till frost makes them slimy

and then pull leaves off

for advice

contact Dawn at

Gardens Plus... she is an expert.

Gardens Plus

Allergies? Goldenrod vs. Ragweed

I like my friend Steven Leak's image of Goldenrod

Some say they are allergic to Goldenrod

and even though it cannot entirely be ruled out,

it is more likely to be Ragweed

that causes runny noses and sniffles.

Goldenrod flowers contain nectar

and are pollinated by butterflies and bees

so those large pollen bits

stay pretty much on the plant

and don’t get a chance to be airborne …

On the other hand,

Ragweed does not have nectar

in those insignificant flowers which

can produce over a billion pollen grains

that are so light

they can blow several miles overland.

Many of us have always preferred a tidy,

cut-back garden in the fall...

... but consider this:

If we cut it all back, the soil is bare,

erodes easily, dries out, cracks

and becomes an uncrossable barrier

for worms and microbes....

And.... if we don't leave flower and plant stems standing,

where will the little birds and wee beasties hide

when it storms?

and where will their seeds be if we cut them down... ?

Please leave as much of your garden standing as possible...

and if you need some more on fall gardening

... check out this page...

Fall-gardening.html

Lately, when I sell a copy of my book for a child who attends a school,

I donate one to their school library.

If you wish to purchase one with another for a school,

please send a note to:

birdieboxpress@gmail.com

They are in schools in Labrador, New Brunswick,

Alberta, Nova Scotia, Quebec, BC,

Arizona, California, Florida, the UK,

Tennessee, Missouri,

France,

and Massachusetts.

Remember there are still warm days to sit

and revel in the joy you have created.

The tasks will wait.

You have done well.

Until next time, stay warm and safe.

Take care of each other and stay well.

Lucy is not happy

that our decking days

are fewer

but loves cozy shawls.

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