In the Northern Hemisphere, we are officially embarking on the autumn season; however, for those of you who live south of the equator, your Spring is just beginning.
September is often called the second spring, even for us in the north. I’ve often thought that September should be the first month on the calendar. It’s the new season for so many events…school, the kick-off for the social calendars (theatre, sports etc.) and fashion and makeup brands unveiling their most elaborate launches. For me, it’s just a breath of fresh air!
I know many of you spent the summer in your gardens, and yes, it was heavenly. This was a productive time for my garden, and although there wasn’t much time to sit and relax, enjoying the beauty in front of me, I’m happy with the progress.
With ample rain and sun, all was well (ideal, in fact) until the hail wreaked havoc, especially on the newly planted perennial garden. Many stems of the spiky liatris, lilies and obedient plants were bent or broken, and the salvia splayed out over the walkways. Leaves of the smaller mounded plants were shredded. It’s disheartening, and the garden hasn’t really rebounded since. I’ve started cutting back many perennials, which seems early.
The elm tree has started dropping its leaves, adding a golden layer of beauty over the back garden. I know there are many hours of gardening yet to do… it’s the start of my favourite season…fall.
xox Judy❤️
Love your photo
Hi Jillian, Thank you❤️
What a wonderful surprise to see your post Judy!!! It’s soooo lovely to hear from you again! I’m so sorry to hear that your garden suffered so badly with that hail storm. I was really lucky that most of my flowers and shrubs (especially my hydrangea) were spared…although I don’t know how! I haven’t been that lucky in the past and I know how disheartening it is when something like that happens after you’ve put all that time, care and energy, not to mention money, into your garden. I know it may seem like a small consolation right now but the one thing I’ve personally experienced with perennials is that as long as the root system is intact they usually come back just fine the following spring. I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer, apart from the disruption that the hail caused, and I hope we have a nice warm fall to make up for it. Hugs, Karen xo🥰
Hi Karen, I agree with what you are saying about perennials rebounding. Nature is amazing, and although, many of the plants are looking raggedy and bruised, they are also showing promise. The campanulas have even starting to rebloom! The rest of my garden looked pretty shabby after the storm as well and most disappointingly, the fern fronds were broken and the some of the exposed hosta leaves were also shredded. I know that there were parts of the city that didn’t even get hail that evening and I’m happy to hear your garden was largely spared. xox Judy❤️
So good to see you back Judy! We got some of the hail as well, and some of my Hostas and Canna Lilies were damaged. It was kind of spotty here. The worse damage was to my Hydrangeas when the rain weighed the huge blossoms down. I haven’t cut them back for the last three or four years, and I think they have grown too tall. Do you cut yours down to the ground, or trim them back in the Fall?
I have to admit that Fall is not my favorite time of year in the garden, as I hate to see the flowers come to their end. However, I do get excited that Christmas is just around the corner, my favorite time of year.
Hi Karen, My hydrangea took a hit from the hail as well. The stems that were broken, I’ve cut back as the flower heads turned brown immediately. If you like the look of the flowers in the winter, I wouldn’t cut back until the spring. It also depends on the variety of hydrangea that you grow, as some bloom on old wood. The last few years, I have cut my hydrangea flowers off and cut back the shrub by at least a third in the fall. It seems that there is always so much to do in the spring that I have done this in order to spend my time elsewhere. With these warm days, maybe you will change your mind about autumn. xox Judy❤️