What a spectacular autumn…

 

 

Until a few days ago, we hadn’t even had our first frost (usually around mid-September)!  Many trees are still loaded with green leaves.  Getting the garden ready for winter has been tricky…do we do it now or wait another week.  The annuals are still blooming; it’s not easy to relegate them to the compost bin.   I have been waxing and waning about when to cover the boxwood hedges with burlap and cut back the perennials that have been happily blooming away.

As you can see from this photo (above by Intex Imaging), taken in mid-October, the garden was still in summer mode.  Not even the cotoneaster hedge had started to turn from yellow to red, and the elm (on the back right side of the house was still green).  The willow in the front left is always the last to lose its leaves.

I did relent, knowing that freezing temperatures were looming, and before we knew it, the snow would be flying.  I have covered the boxwood, but the garden is still mostly green.

This year I’m determined to protect the roses, hoping they will survive come spring.

I have not cut the roses back as much as I have in the past.  Also, the roots should be well protected with rose collars and straw and leaves tucked around the base.  Fingers crossed…

Happy Halloween,

xox Judy