This year, I haven't written much about my garden. The reason being that I haven't been able to work much in it, and frankly, it is overwhelming me. I cannot physically take care of all the beds I have in my .80 acre lot. I look out and curse the fact that I was so gonzo when I put in the gardens here.....WHAT WAS I thinking....I was reveling in the fact that I had .80 acres instead of .28 acres like I had in Connecticut.
I am sure that my neighbors are cringing. My garden style is more naturalistic and tends to be stuffed full of things...not like the neat, carefully manicured, and regular items that most of my neighbors have. One visitor which I don't like much....although I do like the color is goldenrod, the bright yellow flowers which you see next to the fence in this picture. (Solidago canadiensis).
Goldenrod is a weed here....a perennial weed which reproduces madly through runners and the rather plentiful seed heads. It is a glorious plant...and while I work madly at trying to eradicate it, the British and Germans are planting it in their gardens and making cultivars. At this time of year, I remember one of th poems my second grade teacher Mrs. Zimmer had us memorize and recite..."The Goldenrod is yellow, the leaves are turning brown...the trees in apple orchard with fruit are bending down." ("September", by Helen Hunt Jackson). I know I have written about it before...but at this time of year, it always comes to mind.
I usually don't let this many days pass without posting....but I'm whacking away at the goldenrod and the foxtail grass, and any other weed I can lay my hands on. I've been giving away iris rhizomes by the carload through freecycle, and have more to replant, and move.
In addition, darling daughter is coming home this weekend with some friends to go to a conference....so I am getting the house ready, and on top of that, we are re-flooring the living room and dining room with bamboo.
The sad part is that all I want to do is quilt. :( Soon. Soon I shall be gloriously covered in thread. At least that's what I promise myself. I laugh....most people think that spring is when you have lots to do in the garden and fall is when everything comes to a halt...but fall is also when you put things to bed, try to prepare for that ellusive time in the spring when you THINK that you have time, but in Ohio, it slips from Winter into Summer with just a blink of the eye. Cutting back, moving and dividing the spring bloomers, and for me, trying to get done the things which should have been done in the summer, but it was just too hot to do.
2 comments:
I know what you mean about fall in the garden. I have been cutting back for 5 years and have almost nothing left but a few perennials and I still feel like there is too much to do! Busy time of year for sure.
I often think of all the gardener's out there putting the beds to sleep...so now I'll add you to my thoughts of those of us trying to cut things back, put pots away, and tidyup before it gets miserable to do it!
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