The cold is here, 10 days late. My partner and I used to argue every fall about the first real frost date (an important turning point in the country year). He said it was the beginning of October, and I said no, in our little nook in the woods, it was always around the 15th. I knew because I keep track of when the lettuce freezes. Before leaving for New York on October 12th, I brought all the plants in off the porch, arranged to rebuild the driveway so the oil truck could get close enough to run a hose to the basement, harrassed my friends about promised loads of wood, changed the screen door for the glass storm door, and assumed the rest of the plants would be zapped by the time I got back in town. I returned to blooming impatiens, nusturtiums, calendulas, and a garden full of greens. Until last night, October 27th.
Today, the flowers are gone. The furnace came on this morning just as I got up. And I locked myself out going out to get an extra load of wood, which I then had to leave on the picnic table, until my friend came with a key to let me back into my house. Oh yes, and for the first time since April, we will have to buy lettuce. Although the arugula and Japanese greens and kale and all just fine. Except for leaf raking, which seems endless, I never mind this season so much when it actually comes. It is the end of summer that I mourn more and having to remember the fire again and remember to buy lettuce.
For some reason, I was struck by the beautiful fall foliage on my peonies. Two tremendous shows per year! Is this new or had I just never noticed before?
I have also been very busy relocating some currant and gooseberry bushes whose locations had gotten too shady over the years and I think will be much happier where they are now.
As usual, I'm always up for a good garden chat!
Karen
Posted by: Karen Reimann | October 30, 2011 at 09:42 AM