When I checked the date of my last post, I was a bit disappointed in myself. It's been almost two months and I haven't thought of a great subject to approach another autumn season of, sigh, raking leaves. Though it seems a bit late in the year, I did get the better half to build a platform for the two rain barrels so that I can get a bucket under the spigot of each. But as far as gardening plans have been, I've just retained the status quo, weeding here and there, and deadheading where necessary. The morning glories are still blooming beautifully, but I did cut them back since they went rogue over the past couple of weeks. Other flowers still looking good are the marigolds, pansies, and, surprisingly, California poppies. Of course, all those plants are annuals, but I am hoping they will seed for next year.
The perennials I have are just about done for. Some chrysanthemums are still sitting pretty. One of the tricks to getting chrysanthemum to winter over (most people treat them like annuals) is to cut them back once they have died back and throw a little mulch on top to help protect them. If they do survive the winter, they may be inclined to bloom mid-summer. Just pinch the tops as they grow. You will delay the bloom and make your plants fuller and showier.
This time of year is also good for finding flowers that may dry well for winter decorations. Hydrangea are usually reliable for a good dried flower. The color may vary based upon the time you pick the flower, from green to white to pink, and it's nice to bring some of the outdoors in for the winter. This year, however, I didn't have any real blooms on my hydrangea since I waited too long to prune it. Poor shrub didn't recover, so I am hopeful next year will be better. But I am consoled by the fancy grasses in the yard. Just to see how they would dry, I picked a few and brought them inside. They dried beautifully. While they don't share the same colors as the hydrangea, they have a unique texture that sets them apart from other dried flowers. Look for other flowers that have dried well on the stem at this time of year to see if it would make a good indoor decoration, you might be amazed at what you find.
