Sunday, October 08, 2006

IT'S CLOSING TIME: THE UN-COMPLETE GARDENERS DIARY

You know the summer is really over when you hear the squawks of flying Canada geese making their annual trek south (smart geese!). There is something majestic about the way they fly en masse in "V" formation, changing positions to conserve their strength. Sad and yet comforting at the same time. (http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=35&cid=7)

Even though the temperature will reach the mid '50's today, the time has come as it always does, to pull the annuals and shut down the garden for the season. How I dread this every year but particularly this season since the annuals are still quite perky and colorful. The perennials in the back garden including the Brown-eyed Susans are somewhat dull and moving into that shrivelled-up phase and the gigantic hosta leaves have turned
soggy and yellow-ish in color as a result of evening frost, so it's time. Although the rock garden perennials have long since lost their flowers, the leaves are still fresh and crisp. I always wait until the last moment to cut these back and cover them with earth. Makes me feel like an undertaker! A few hollyhock plants (http://www.silkartist.co.uk/hollyhocks.jpg) on the sunny side of the house are still growing and producing flowers. This year I swear, some of the plants reached the 7 foot level. The problem with hollyhocks is that it is impossible to stake them especially since they're growing up against the wall of the house. I found some old hockey sticks under the sun deck and used them for support. They also made some visual statement for onlookers and locals walking by.

"Oh look! Hockey sticks growing in the earth! How original! Real Canadian spirit those Tylbor's have!"

I mean, I just can't...lop off their heads if they're making an effort to produce more flowers! Be that as it may - a gardener has'ta do what a gardener has'ta do... To quote the Queen in Alice in Wonderland: "off with their heads!"


"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature— the assurancethat dawn comes after night, and spring after winter."
- Rachel Carson