The Garden In Autumn

Even though the daytime temperatures may still be in the 80's, we know it will soon be fall.  The light in those October days has that lovely clear golden look, so evocative of turning leaves and ripening fruit.  Our dogwoods will begin to change color, although it is still early.  Unfortunately, the many years of drought have taken their toll on our lovely trees.  These trees are very old and are getting frail.

Some of our summer annuals show the spent look that comes at season's end, but other flowers still bloom vigorously.

Take a stroll some afternoon to see what's blooming now....... Black-eyed susans...

Dogwood leaves...........

Because we enjoy a long and sunny autumn, many of our perennials will continue to bloom well into November, even into December if the weather is mild.  One showy plant is Lantana.  It comes in a variety of colors, from a pale yellow to school-bus yellow to a Mexican mix of pink and yellow petals on the same blossom.  It gets enormously bushy by late summer.  They are slow to green up in the spring, and I am always concerned that we have lost them, but eventually they return.  Patience is one of a gardener's best tools!

  Lantana

Our raised beds are home to a few garden mums and other autumn perennials, such as the sedum "Autumn Joy".  They are close to blooming in late September but are somewhat overwhelmed by the last of the cosmos and zinnias.  I like to grow these bright annuals for cut arrangements in the house all summer, but may have to be ruthless in my cutting if we are to enjoy the perennials!  Zinnias, like the phlox, are doing well in the dry weather.

One other pleasure for us in the autumn garden is our pecan tree.  It's a large specimen that bears a wonderful nut crop about every two or three years.  Pecan trees are a love 'em or hate 'em tree.  They are the last to leaf out in spring, making you think they are dead; they have messy blossoms and pollen; the limbs break off for no good reason and they hold their leaves in fall until long after all the other leaves have been raked up and the yard tidied for the winter.  But..... they do have pecans!

  A pecan just bursting its husk.

They begin to fall about Thanksgiving and continue for several weeks.  In 2008 we harvested over 279 pounds of nuts which resulted in 143 pounds of nutmeats back from the sheller.  What a load for the freezer.

Continue to the Garden in Winter

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