It's been a mild October so far, the morning glories are going nuts
out there, I love the Heavenly Blue blossoms, and they last all day
with this damp drizzly weather we're having. The pineapple sage that
is usually nipped by the frost before it blossoms is blooming like mad
out there, so much so that my oblivious to flowers husband commented
on how nice they looked out there by the street. The Nicotiana
mutabilis are so tall this year, and so lovely still, the daturas are
still putting forth lovely white blossoms and the bees are enjoying
every minute of it.

I've been digging the new section of the garden, removing the
dandilions that multiplied out there - I let them go because they're
so inportant for the bees, but enough's enough, the ones in the veggie
garden have got to go. They can run rampant in the lawn ;-

The bulb order will be here soon, and I'll get the garlic in the
ground by the end of the month. Then everything will be tucked in
nicely for the winter nap. I do love the seasons and yes, even
winter. The Winter Solstice is my favorite solstice, it means the
return of the light. The cold, grey dullness of winter has to be
endured to get the soft renewal green of Spring.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Ann wrote:
It's been a mild October so far, the morning glories are going nuts
out there, I love the Heavenly Blue blossoms, and they last all day
with this damp drizzly weather we're having. The pineapple sage that
is usually nipped by the frost before it blossoms is blooming like mad
out there, so much so that my oblivious to flowers husband commented
on how nice they looked out there by the street. The Nicotiana
mutabilis are so tall this year, and so lovely still, the daturas are
still putting forth lovely white blossoms and the bees are enjoying
every minute of it.

I've been digging the new section of the garden, removing the
dandilions that multiplied out there - I let them go because they're
so inportant for the bees, but enough's enough, the ones in the veggie
garden have got to go. They can run rampant in the lawn ;-

The bulb order will be here soon, and I'll get the garlic in the
ground by the end of the month. Then everything will be tucked in
nicely for the winter nap. I do love the seasons and yes, even
winter. The Winter Solstice is my favorite solstice, it means the
return of the light. The cold, grey dullness of winter has to be
endured to get the soft renewal green of Spring.


That was neat, Ann. Facing losing Faerie Holler, being homeless, losing
the gardens.....it's all almost too much........then the faeries, the
local residents who love what I still have here despite the chaos of
drought that has gripped us so fiercely that I feared that I'd lost the
'Diablo' Ninebark that "Gardengal" Pam had sent me years ago that I
haven't heard from in a few years now.....but upon walking around the
western bed, I went through the crisp and pitiful yards and there were
little green leaves about 2/3rds of the way down! I snapped off huge
trunks of 4's a few weeks ago while calling Sugar to PLEASE come inside
and lately I've noticed these HUGE lunar???? moths that are larger than
hummingbirds! And my Cereus cactus is blooming for a second time this
year!!!!!! All the flying dinosaurs are soooo pleased at my spreading
out a huge buffet for them from all the seeds I'd stashed away and
forgotten about, putting out all the suet and such, and the visitations
have uplifted me when I'm despondent. Now the evenings are cool to
cold, the days are unseasonably warm and I see there are survivors who
persist despite my ignoring and being so brutal about not watering. What
survives will be dug up if I have a place to take them. I will NOT
leave some things behind that are totally irreplaceable like the huge
"Dragon lily" bulbs (I suspect they're huge Regal lilies) because
they're the size of cantaloupes..........And there are lots of
containers to consider tucking away at two friends house for
safekeeping. I've already given away my supply of horded garden stuff
like greensands, organic amendments,bulb granules and what not I'd been
stock-piling for two years now......Ethyl will benefit in the long run
and it saves me the worry of where I'd store it or leave behind.
However, there will be a pallet or two with my garden paver blocks I've
bought and built up beds with now. That's just too much money to leave!
Hellebore, unusual hosta's, the 16 year old tree peonies. A piece or
three of Blue Enigma Salvia......maybe trim the Indigofolia and put it
into a pot...........it's something to give me horticultural ponder.

But then there's also the trimming down of 35 years of accumulation and
pack ratting to just necessities........

Our lake is down it appears 40 feet below normal, I've never seen it so
dusty and dry in my life. But the bumblies and other pollinators are
rampant here in FAerie Holler so it gives me comfort for now. And now
there are mockingbirds that have decided to serenade me and the crickets
and peepers that appreciate the slight moisture I allow. I've been
strict this time figuring it helps to let Mom's Nature cut things back
for me.

No bulbs this year to plant, but I see signs of survivors that are
quietly waiting for spring to wow me I hope in containers. And that one
lone cyclamen deserves to be put into a pot so I won't leave her behind.
She bloomed for me this year and she was sooo cute!!

I will keep in touch as I am able. I miss all of you and love you very much.

maddie, up on the ridge, back in FAerie Holler, overlooking English
Mountain in EAstern TEnnessee, zone 7, Sunset zone 36 and NO rain
yet...............(-14 inches below normal so far this year)