Still Enchanted

This week marked my six year anniversary writing this blog. This is amazing to me, considering I had never read a blog before I started this one and had no idea what I was doing! I hoped, in the beginning, to make it to one year. The first year led to another, and here I am, sharing yet another Alabama autumn with the world, still enchanted by a jewel-tinted landscape and the dance of swirling leaves, falling in love all over again with this magical season.These photos were taken on the same day of the same Japanese maple.

Last night we had a much-needed soaking rain, and this morning was crisp as a tart apple, bursting with juice and tangy flavors. I was out early, planting pansies and violas, a traditional rite of fall in my parts. These, along with snapdragons, salvias, and assorted left-over summer bloomers such as marigolds, pentas and gomphrena, give that magical second-spring look to parts of the garden.

Pink gomphrena

Sweet viola

Marigold and sweet potato vine are summer plants that look great for fall, too.

The peak of our fall season is still weeks away, but autumn colors are beginning to show in dogwoods, redbuds, crape myrtles and Japanese maples.

To celebrate my six years in the blogosphere, I am giving links to six old posts, all written at least three years ago. Are there some out there who have been with me from the beginning, and do you remember any of these posts? Both long-time and newer readers may enjoy these golden-oldies!

1. My most popular post of all time, hands down. I still get many hits every day on this post, thanks to its high Google ranking and no doubt to its catchy title: How Not to Kill a Dwarf Alberta Spruce, written in 2011.

2. A post I think everyone should read: Chemical Warfare and Other Ways Plants Defend Themselves, written in 2010.

3. A real look at my life as a gardener: Why It Takes So Long To Get Things Done In My Garden, written in 2010.

4. Another view of the gardening life: The Garden Experience, written in 2012.

5. A visually lovely post about a special area in my town: A Magic Morning in Helena, written in 2009.

6. How I created the woodland garden: Seven Steps to Making a Woodland Garden, written in 2010.

There are many other posts I could mention. It was hard to choose just six! It has been fun, and I am deeply grateful to my readers!  Thank you, and best wishes to you all, Deb

Early October 2015

I can feel the new season in the moist air and in the cool breeze. I inhale autumn smells as I putter in the garden: the moldy smell of damp soil, upturned to make way for new plants, and the aroma of freshly laid pine straw and wood chips. It is good to be in the garden now that the hot summer is over. Every day brings cooler temperatures and more leaves fluttering to the ground. We will soon be buried under mountains of them, and Lou has already started the raking, a chore that will not end completely till late winter.

Meanwhile, here are some images taken in early October:Sepia image of dried Snowflake Hydrangea blooms, which have turned brown in early October.

A neighbor's old shed borders our property.

Viola 'Pink Halo', Dinosaur Kale 'Lacinato', Lorapetalum 'Purple Pansy', Flowering Kale 'Peacock Red', Asian Jasmine and pink Dianthus grow together in a fall arrangement. An old gourd nestles amidst the plants.

Part of the profits from the sale of Salvia 'Wendy's Hope', shown in the two images below, go to fight breast cancer.

I have seen bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all partaking of the nectar of Salvia 'Wendy's Hope.'

Clockwise from top left: Pentas; Persicaria 'Red Dragon'; Purple Aster; Toad Lily (Trycrytis) 'White Towers'; Variegated Toad Lily; Salvia 'Amistad.'

'Coral' Drift Roses have bloomed all summer and continue to pump out the blooms.

This White-breasted Nuthatch posed for me as I took its photo.

A fallen redbud leaf

This Peacock Moss has found its way onto the moss path. It may be too pretty to walk on; but if it is happy, I will leave it alone.

A view into the woods with some early fall color changes

Solidago (Goldenrod) and purple and white asters grow on a wild hillside.

A volunteer tomato plant is still producing these tasty cherry tomatoes.

Last, but certainly not least, my little Fuyu Persimmon tree, in a large pot, is loaded with fruit this year. They are not ready to eat yet, but I could not pass up a picture:

Have a great week!   Deb