Summer's End

"The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown,
Lest I should be old fashioned
I'll put a trinket on."

Emily Dickson

Wow! It's hard to believe that summer has come to an end and today is the first day of September. Schools will start next week and routines will get back to normal. This week the weather has been hot and humid, a reminder of the dog days of summer, as if this season wants to linger on and not move into autumn but the gardenscape shows a different story. Although with this type of weather I can imagine what it must be like to live in America's deep south or a tropical country like Panama or the Caribbean.

On the ground the gardens are starting to show decline but up in the air the colour show is just beginning. The leaves are shifting from green to yellow, orange and red, a branch here, a whole tree there. And with the recent lack of water for the past few weeks, brown leaves have already been falling from the trees.

Back on the ground, it is time to remove those tired and dying annuals and spent perennials and repplace them with some fall annuals like chrysanthemums in shades of dark pink, gold and burgundy, tall willowy millet and purple crinkly ornamental kale and cabbages. Taking a few minutes to clean up the garden will give your garden a renewed look to take it through fall, especially if we have a lovely Indian summer. Just remember to dispose of any diseased plant material in the garbage not the compost pile so you won't transfer disease throughout your landscape.

There is still a good month or more of time in which to go outside and enjoy days and evenings with wonderful friends in the pleasurable pastimes of dinners in the garden.