A Sensational Day in the Front Garden

The golden sun was so warm, even as a strong cool breeze was blowing summer away. In the background, the sound of thousands of katydids rose and fell like rhythmic Latin American maracas. I have heard the sound all my life and hardly notice it, but a stranger to the region could be overwhelmed by it. The songbirds were singing, the hawks were shrieking at each other, and the barred owls where hooting in their otherworldly language. The colors of the world were heightened with the sky an intense cerulean blue and the trees and shrubs edged with shades of yellow, pink, and purple. When I took a deep breath I could smell it all: the earth, the freshness of the breeze, the aromas of the foliage. In all, the day was a marvelous sensory experience.

Here are some photos I took around the front garden yesterday as I enjoyed a taste of early autumn. I hope you will receive a blessing, as I did.

A view through the Jasmine arch toward the front garden

a view of the front garden

A view from the front toward the edge of the woodland garden

I planted Deodar 'Feelin' Blue' about a decade ago, when it was only a few inches tall and about a foot wide. Now it is over six feet tall and ten feet wide.

Some views inside the front garden

A view into the front garden from the lower front lawn. I call this the backside of the front garden.Paths run throughout the front garden.

Wild ageratum is one weed I allow to roam, within limits.

An early beginning of the fall foliage show

Finally, here are some September flowers:

I hope that, wherever you are, you are surrounded by love and those things in life that are most beautiful. Have a great week!

Going, Gone: November Review

The end of November brings a sadness for fading glory and a resolve to love winter in spite of it. Fall colors peaked during November, then within days it is gone.

In the following grouping, the photos on the left were taken on November 18, the ones on the right were taken today, November 30:

Watch the Japanese maple, Orido Nishiki, on the right in the following photos as the month progresses. 

Nov. 5:
 Nov. 12:

 Nov. 17:

 Nov. 20:

And today, Nov. 30, most of the beautiful leaves are on the ground, covering the moss path. I will need to rake these leaves since moss won't thrive if it is covered. It gets most of its nutrients from the air, rather than the soil.

Not all leaves have fallen, and some of the ones that have are still quite interesting:Clockwise, from top left: Korean Spice Viburnum; Anthony Waterer Spirea; a shriveled hosta leaf; Variegated Hydrangea.

Recent frost shriviled and browned flowers that had persisted well into the month, but they were pretty while they lasted. Yes, I know the ornamental cabbage on the second row is not a flower, but it is pretty enough to be one. It also is the only one to be unfazed by the frost:

Some woodland trees, photos taken less than two weeks ago. Only the evergreen Feelin' Blue, a weeping deodar cedar, looks the same now:Left: dogwood, Cornus Florida; Top right: 'Waterfall' Japanese maple; Bottom right: Japanese maple 'Orido Nishiki' and 'Feelin' Blue' deodar cedar. The trunk in the middle belongs to a dogwood. 

Finally, here is my Tin Man, given to me years ago by a dear friend, and a few other garden ornaments. The large urn is a water reservoir in the woodland garden, which fortunately I have not needed to use at all this month:

Now it's time to look toward winter, to Christmas and family gatherings, to snuggling under the blankets, to fires upon the hearth, to homemade soup and warm comforting drinks, to good books and garden catalogues, and maybe, just maybe, to a little bit of snow!