Just two weeks ago, this is how my garden appeared. I'll spare you the details of each photo, but you can click on the collage photo below to enlarge and see more detail. My husband and I were headed out for a vacation, chasing fall color in the northeastern part of US and a bit of Canada, so I snapped several images of what were likely to be my last garden blooms and remnants thereof.
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| 2014 Final Garden Blooms |
The yearly cleanup has begun in the yard. The perennial hibiscus, hostas, and irises have already been cut down, as have the tree butterfly bushes and snowflake viburnum. More plants will be cut back in the days to come, and soon the frost will come, and the hydrangea bushes will drop their leaves.
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| Side lawn with central maple. Hibiscus, hostas and butterfly bushes are cut, and spirea (L, foreground) soon to be sheared. Hydrangeas (back right) will drop their leaves after frost. |
Annual summer beds have been cleaned out, and are now ready for the pansies. The liriope has been cut to the ground this year, although in previous years we have left it through winter, or left an outer edge and cut the inside mounds. It seems to help keep blowing leaves out when left at the edges, but this year we opted for the crew cut. After ten years, the mounds have merged into one, large mass.
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| Front beds, annual flowers removed and liriope cut to ground. Kousa dogwoods will soon change and drop their leaves. |
On the river property across the street, our huge sassafras tree is turning color at the top. Leaves seem to be darker in tone this year, overall.
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| Sassafras tree (tallest), beginning to turn color. |
This Saturday (October 18th), West Virginia celebrates the 35th anniversary of
Bridge Day at the New River Gorge Bridge in the town of Fayetteville, where base jumping from the bridge is allowed on this one day only. The weather looks promising, and it should be a great day in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia.
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| New River Bridge, WV, world's 4th longest steel, single-span arch at 1700', on a 3030' foot long bridge |
Base jumping is not for the faint of heart, especially when all you've got is a skinny river with lots of rocks nearly 900 feet below you. I'll take the tourist approach and just watch - for the time being. But, skydiving is on my bucket list.
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| New River Gorge lookout at Hawks Nest, WV |
It's all good here in homeland, and I say that after returning from a great trip to some great places. I love all the seasons (well, okay, I only like winter up until Christmas Day, which is, what, about four days worth?), and am happy we live in a climate with a fairly equal share of each season.
How's your fall shaping up?
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