As the Sun Sets

As the sun slides behind the ridge just before sunset, I went out on the deck to see the last of the 

fall colors for today. Each day this week, the display will get more rich with oranges and reds and yellows as autumn progresses along Bear Swamp Road.

Looking down from the deck, I could see the bare bones of the garden again. We had taken out 5 or 6 wheelbarrows full of garden material on Thursday, a sunny day with temperatures in the sixties.  It was perfect weather for the job. In the sunshine, the bees and butterflies still visited the last of the the blooms on the cat mint and the butterfly bush. I spotted my first Monarch butterfly of the season--and maybe the last.  But alas, I did not have my camera handy!  I left many blooms on the butterfly bush (upper right) should the Monarchs return.

We put away the garden bench and the cement stepping stones cast from giant hosta leaves.  So many of them have broken over the years, but four are still in one piece. I layered them in a box between newspapers to preserve them for one more year?  We moved the lavender in two round pots to an area that gets sun all morning--but not under the deck as I did last year.  They didn't get enough precipitation and were spindly in the spring. It's only now that they look full and healthy.  The  cast bronze bird bath will stay out for the birds through the winter.  The hose (lower right) is still out for watering since we are still under the average precipitation amounts--and I have pots to water!

A few blooms are left in the front border off the deck.  The lamb's ear is furry and the bell flower has some white blooms yet.  The hanging basket has some pink blooms still protected from frosts under the deck structure.  The licorice plant and the coleus (bottom right) are in a planter under the deck.  I cut the peonies down (center) even though the leaves were a beautiful copper color.  You can see from the color and texture of the mulch how dry it is even though we have had some good rains this past week.

On the far side of the deck looking down, you can see the fairy garden. I haven't cut back the limelight hydrangea. It curves over the upper part of the fairy garden like an umbrella.  The Lamium and the lady's mantle are still hardy-looking even though we have had two frosts. You can see the small round plants that will bloom with blue forget-me-not blossoms in the spring. The cinnamon fern is turning quickly even though it is under the deck.  I need to pack away the fairy furniture and take the fairy statue in for the winter sometime this coming week.  I do not like the thought of doing that for a variety of reasons, most related to the end of the growing season and the magic of the summer garden.

Alas!