"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

You're on your own.

That's what I'm telling my garden right now.  A combination of just being too busy to get out there and do much, combined with my usual end of summer tiring of watering means most of the garden has to fend for itself.  I wonder if I'm the only one that for as much as I love gardening, just gets a little burned out by the end of summer.  I'm telling the garden "We're on a break" and will water the few containers or anything else that's seriously wilting.  This phase comes every year and lasts for a couple of weeks, when I then start to miss my garden and wonder how I could've just ignored it.  Maybe it's because fall is by then showing up and I get excited to see the trees changing and other changes happening outside.
Luckily most of the yard is handling my "break" from it, and some looks just as good as it did before I went on a gardening holiday.

Abelia 'Edward Goucher' is looking beautiful, the leaves shiny and flowers covering it.

Campanula 'Summertime Blues' is very new and performing well with a little neglect.  I love watching the bees crawl up inside the bells.

Another new plant Rudbeckia 'Rustic Colors' could care less if I'm around.  It's blooming it's head off.

Lamb's Ear still covered in dew from this morning looks healthier than ever.

Cosmos 'Bright Lights' has lit up this corner of the garden and isn't showing signs of slowing down.

Zinnias say "Water is for wimps." 

They've been blooming better than ever the last couple of weeks.

Cupid's Dart (Catananche) was cut back a few weeks ago and has started it's second round of flowers.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' has done great, I just stuck it in this bed last year because I didn't know where else to put it.  I love how easy it is to divide and move around.  Hope I can find it a better spot this fall.

Aster 'Monch' probably doesn't get as much sun as it needs, it flops a bit.  Lack of sun doesn't seem to make a difference in the flowers, there are tons.

I'm getting behind in visiting everyone's blogs and seeing what you all have going on.  I promise I'm not on a break from all of you!

Today was Sweet Pea's first day of sixth grade, last year of elementary school.  I miss her being home during the day already and really can't believe how fast summer went by.  I always feel a little sad on the first day of school.  It means the girls are growing up, and sometimes I just wish they could stay little forever.  She of course was excited to see her friends, meet her new teacher and wear a new outfit to school.  
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36 comments:

  1. Couldn't have been phrased any better! My garden is on its own these days, too. It's that time of year :~)
    Cheers, Alice

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  2. I bet Sweet Pea had a great day at school. I wish elementary school went to the sixth grade here but the 5th is their last. They grow so fast and it is sometimes hard.

    I need a gardening break too. This time of year it is kind of forced on me since we usually don't get rain I can't dig or plant but I am still buying:)

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  3. Thats how I have been the past month! Too much to do, busy with wedding stuff. I am going to do a little this weekend. But next Spring EVERYTHING is getting re-done!

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  4. We never know what these plants going to say .... "Leave us alone!". If we hear this, it breaks our hearts.... Cheers, ~bangchik

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  5. I do burn out too...but I force myself to keep going...we only have a couple weeks left before it gets to where the killing frosts show up and my gardens get pulled and dumped. It breaks my heart.
    yours my dear is lovely

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  6. I've not touched my garden in two weeks due to an injury. Tomorrow, I'll finally be able to get out and see what the damage is. Most of the perennials haven't noticed my absence. I think that's a good thing.

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  7. Catherine I'm glad to hear that you do it too. I always feel guilty because this time of year things start getting ignored a bit - or more than a bit! ;-) I did water yesterday because things were dry.
    Don't ya just love Edward Goucher? I didn't know I loved it so much until this summer because I had started a little bush 2 years ago and planted it last fall on the side of the house to fill in. It's very hot there and that little plant was such a trooper during our triple digit heat. The leaves stayed shiny and it didn't burn like everything else was trying to do, it kept blooming and was just wonderful! I couldn't believe it for being so young.
    Bob moved it's Mama because if you remember it was taking over half of our big window. We had some cooler weather so he decided to get it done and so far it's doing ok. Hope it makes it.
    I don't know if I'd get so burned out if I had as many beautiful flowers blooming as you do right now - yah I probably would. ;-)
    Hopefully I'll be back soon and posting regular but have been spending as much time with my Dad as I can.

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  8. I especially love your asters and the lamb's ears. I think you are entitled to a break after some of the intense heat you had to water in earlier this summer.
    I can remember being excited about wearing new clothes the first day of school too!

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  9. I think a lot of gardener's get burned out around August. We've had wonderful weather and unusual low temperatures for the past week and I haven't taken advantage of it. I feel so guilty!

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  10. Catherine, I think all gardeners go through that tired phase now and then. I am sure your little girl is enjoying the new class.

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  11. I cannot believe your aster is already blooming!

    Everything looks wonderful - the babying all summer long makes it perfectly fine for you to take a break :)

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  12. I'm right there with you, Catherine. By the end of the summer, things are getting dry and dusty and dirty, then a few rains come and cooler temps, and things get perky again. I believe the gardens need a break as much as we do! To everything there is a season, and we're entering a new one. I do love the fall flowers - asters, rudbeckias, and even the mums. While I'm not ready for winter, I'm ready for that break from active gardening.

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  13. You always take such beautiful pictures of your flowers. I'm getting geared back up now. August is usually a difficult month here. It seems impossible not to go outside and not get soaked, due to the humidity. But we've had a couple of glorious days the last couple of days, a very welcome change!

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  14. No offense Catherine but I don't think your garden is missing you too much. It looks wonderful as always.

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  15. Everything grinds to a halt right now in this part of the world. Those in Australia are going in to summer.

    My garden is tried too as much as I am. Time to get going on the projects to do inside.

    Your flowers look happy without you---course they have been babied all summer.

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  16. Catherine, I'm feeling the same about taking a bit of a break right now. I love the ease of many perennials! Things are looking good at your place - kudos! Doesn't your new rudbekia look like a gaillardia daisy?? I love the campanula, too.

    Loving my camera, but my getting used to it may take a little while. :-)

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  17. Yes, like you are feeling, I was feeling a little burnt. I took a break and when I went back into the gardens, I was completely taken unawares of all the changes that told me summer was winding down and fall was gearing up! I posted about it. My daughter went into 5th grade. Hard to believe yours will be a teen soon!

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  18. I'm doing the opposite. Trying to forget that fall is getting closer, still doing as much as I can in the garden until the's nothing more to be done. Then I suffer during the winter, longing for spring to arrive so that I (finaly) can start over again. I'd love to live in a part of the world where there aren'r such things as fall (even if it's beautiful) and vinter. But I'm glad that we still got a couplr of months before Mr.Frost arrives. That still makes it possible to get a lot done in the garden / gittan

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  19. I dont have another way to say this so I'll repeat. I JUST LOVE YOUR BLOG, Catherine!!!!!
    You are doing such a good job..

    You are an amazing photographer...
    the zinnia shot is brilliant...

    Are you going to allow me to link your posts on my blog? PLEASE!

    http://www.theurbanbalcony.blogspot.com/

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  20. Urban Green - Well, thank you for the compliment :) I don't mind if you link my blog to yours. I really like your blog a lot too! I've found many interesting posts on it as well. It's fun finding other blogs from around the world and getting to learn from them. Thanks again!

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  21. I take garden breaks all the time. For me it's too easy for gardening to become a chore on par with making the bed and doing the laundry if I spend too much time or expect perfection. A lot of my fellow master gardeners are slaves to their garden (albeit willing ones!) but I burn out easily.

    Having said that, as always your photos are lovely and your garden looks great, so I have a feeling we have vastly different definitions for the word neglect!

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  22. Gorgeous photos Catherine - my theory is that plants need to be kept worried to thrive, so a bit of neglect is good for them!

    I've not been in the garden for a couple of days - it's been too wet, windy and cold! A precursor for winter maybe? :(

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  23. Oh middle school...will keep her in my prayers........tough age for peer pressure. Your flowers are beautiful and no you are not alone with gardening chores burn out. I am finding that my flowers are looking a little better with some 'neglect'.

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  24. Everything looks beautiful. My garden hasn't been tended to for a month! (Don't tell anyone!) What with rain and hurricanes and students moving in for the next year and now a cold ----- well, perhaps this weekend!

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  25. Ah! Sweet Pea's exciting time of the year! It's difficult to accept that kids grow and aren't the cuddly little balls anymore, but just as it's satisfying to see the plants flower, it's refreshing to see the kids grow into sagacious ones!
    I see the departure of summer has not put your plants down. They seem more and more beautiful!

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  26. It's been so nice here this past week so I know the heat of summer is slowly fading...bring on the beautiful fall foliage! Your garden still has tons of blooms, Catherine..enjoy them! My house feels very strange with the oldest in college :( but ;) at the same time!

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  27. It's good to be able to ease off a bit and just enjoy the fruits of our labour.

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  28. I'm with you Catherine. By the end of summer, I've had it with dragging the hose all over the yard. I still water the pots, and the new veggie seedlings though. Oh yeah, and the newly planted tree. And the new perennials. I guess I'm not quite done! LOL

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  29. I definitely agree with your sentiment about feeling tired of tending the garden about now. I feel that every day when I go out to water in the heat. But I go out every day. Blind love or madness? Probably both.

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  30. Love the zinnias and the entire garden is pretty spectacular for being on it's own :)

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  31. I'm thinkin that it is a good thing I got my shots for FF early today...the wind has ripped my trellis's out of the ground and tossed my gardens to the wind!

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  32. Smiling! Looks like you have a garden that has adapted to your late-summer pause! Beautiful!

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  33. lol. I've been on a break too as you can tell. Your flowers are looking better than mine tho. I love the Abelia blooms! I bought a vine this year now I hope it survives and grows big enough to flower. Right now it's just sitting....

    I always get sad when it's time for school to start too. It comes around way too quickly then seems like another year is gone (just as you said). I hope your daughter had a great first day!

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  34. No harm done Catherine - absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say. No dangers of getting tired of watering in this part of the world :) Hope that the little one enjoyed her first day in her new class.

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  35. I am sure your garden forgives you for taking a very short break.
    You can tell that you pamper it every day by the awesome varieties and outcome it produces. I don't know HOW you do all you do in it!!

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  36. Hi Catherine! :-D

    I, too, am 'taking a break' watering only potted plants. I can't believe it's into September! I'm in burn-out mode right now and taking a breather. I think I do this every year to, like you, recharge for the big upcoming Fall cleanup. LOL

    As always, wonderful pics of pond and gardens!

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