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fall’s finest: savoring some last bits

IT HAS BEEN MONTHS SINCE I uploaded a photo gallery, and right now it’s definitely carpe diem…or carpe not at all, with the last bits fading fast. Here, then, are some of the final stars, the stalwarts of recent weeks, who despite harsh times gave (and give) mightily. Click each thumbnail for plant information, then click again on the jump photos to see them large enough to make a difference. Enjoy.

Related posts:

  1. slideshow: bits of beauty before the fall burn
  2. slideshow: think fall (yes, fall), part 2
  3. blooming this week (2)
  4. more, more, more (and then some)
  5. slideshow: a few glimpses of fiery fall

Comments

  1. I find it interesting that your post is dated November 4th, but when you click on a photo, the photo-post is dated November 3rd.

    Do you happen to know a source for the Korean maple?

  2. Susan says:

    I have added to my plant list for next year, especially the Korean Maple and the azalea.

  3. Margaret — Happy Election Day. The world is watching us on this momentous day. ♥Rosemary

  4. Brian G. says:

    I covet a vista such as yours. Last winter I cut a lot of brush to start clearing a small incline toward the back of my property. This Winter I plan to cut as many ‘weed’ trees as possible to create some sight lines and get more sun so I have a place for my little apple trees coming in the Spring. I think no matter how big or small a property, creating some clear sight lines from one end to another gives, I don’t know, breathing room. I feel like I am choked if my eye hits a wall of trees or brush no matter which direction I look which is the condition my place is in now.

  5. margaret says:

    @Kathy: Not sure the technical explanation, but I loaded the photos last night, then finished the work today. The endless mysteries of WP and technology in general. I have seen the maple in ForestFarm’s catalog, I believe, but more and more nurseries locally are carrying it now as well.

    @BrianG: Like the idea of more mental breathing space…bring on the saws, say no to weed trees.

  6. chris says:

    to brian g, i agree and know exactly how you feel. you will need some tools; i use a geared bypass lopper, a hand saw (chain saw too dangerous in thick brush), and a chipper/shredder

    to appreciate a tree, you need to see it, preferably from top to bottom. brush sucks.

  7. Tammy says:

    I am so with BrianG. and Chris. I have some acreage which has overgrown in spots and needs “breathing room”. Um, if one were to use a chain saw, any recommendations?
    Beautiful photos Margaret. Thanks.

  8. chris says:

    tammy, i use a brushcutter with a saw blade; the blade is whirling way out in front of me, and i feel i can control it safely; a chainsaw just feels too close to me in the close quarters of brush, i feel too unsafe. i usually use a lopper for most cutting when it is too thick for my brushcutter; slow and steady wins the race.

  9. margaret says:

    Thanks, Chris (do you want a job answering questions here?…I am exhausted and could use a long nap like a bear). Totally agree it’s safety first, and whatever tool you feel comfortable with, nothing more. An old friend and woodsman with many decades of safety to his credit wouldn’t teach me to use a chainsaw because I am just don’t weigh enough (he felt) to deal w/kickback if the blade gets stuck. I used to use the saw blade brush cutter; I don’t even do that any more (and when I did, I’d never raise it up, just use it near ground level). Thanks, Chris.

  10. Curtis says:

    How great is that look of your back yard. I like the hues of fall colors against green grass.

  11. margaret says:

    Thank you, Curtis. Soon the leaves will drop along the edge of the state park boundary, to the left in that photo, and a whole old stand of birches will be revealed…especially nice when the (now grass-green) hillside is white with snow. I will take a photo and we can compare…

  12. Beautiful photos! I need to try aconitum as I am sure deer won’t bother that one! I keep adding plants to my “wish list” but am running out of space in the garden. My husband doesn’t want to hear that I need to EXPAND the edges of the garden in to the meadow!

    Hmmm…can we put elastic edges on our gardens…like elastic waist pants for expanding waistlines? :-)

    Cameron

  13. margaret says:

    @Tammy, and @Cameron: Thanks for photo compliments. I am trying…but am an impatient, frenetic type so have trouble standing still long enough to make pictures.

    @Cameron: I like the idea of SUNKEN edging–the kind you hammer in to just above surface level, really almost invisible, and especially if made of metal. But I have all these curvy beds, so the metal would be hell to install. If you find a good product, alert us!

  14. Donna Oglesby says:

    I have used Ever Edge http://www.everedge.com/ and recommend it. It is not cheap but it curves beautifully and lasts forever. I first used it to keep a bed of vinca from crawling across the yard. For three years it has been invisibly doing the job of holding back the ground cover in a wonderful sweep of a curve. I find it easy to install.

  15. chris says:

    margaret, du rien, and now that it gets dark at 5pm, a hibernation doesn’t sound too bad…

  16. Tammy says:

    Margaret and Chris,

    Thank you for the advice. I like the idea of the brushcutter with the saw blade. The idea of a chainsaw kinda scares me.

  17. gardenden says:

    Donna,
    Any US distributers for the everedge? It looks like a great product…

  18. Molly says:

    don’t discount the chainsaw! I have a stihl with a 14″ blade that I love! One does have to be very careful, but it is invaluable in clearing paths and cleaning up the woods. I consider it a most valuable garden tool, and I can garden throughout the winter with it!

Comment:

The Sister Project

The Confessional

Some stuff really gets A Way to Garden-ers going. Weigh in, or just lurk while everyone else shares about these hot buttons:

Compost, Compost, Compost

I am as proud of my compost heap as I am of any part of my garden. It is the archaeological record of my garden past; it is the stuff from which future gardens will arise. I read a lot about, from sources like these: Garden Organic, a 50-year-old British charity; Journey to Forever (don’t worry, not some into-the-bunker survivalist cult); and the vast Cornell Composting archive. Dig in.

Juicy Bits

375 VISITORS, 1 BIG RHODIE: spring garden open day, in a virtual visit. How it looked, and also what they all asked about

keeping deer out DEER FENCE: I tried every potion and anti-deer trick till I finally got real and fenced. Strategies for every garden situation.

secrets to great tomatoes TOMATO TIPS, seed to harvest: Dozens of tricks for a better crop.

yes, even in dry shade MY 4 TOUGHEST GROUNDCOVERS perform even in the worst spots, like dry shade. Maybe these tough perennials will serve you as well?

5 great small trees GARDEN-SIZED TREES can’t just be the right scale; they need to have multi-season interest, too, to earn a spot here. Maybe you have room for one of my 5 favorites?

10 underplanting do’s and don’ts MAKING MOSAICS—that’s what I call good underplanting of trees and shrubs with a tapestry of plants for many months of enjoyment. Here’s how I do it.

a ribbeting bullfrog whodunit LET BULLFROGS BE BYGONES? No way. Where have all my biggest frogboys gone? The latest frog mystery explained.

stars of the spring shrubbery BEYOND LILACS (and forget forsythia!), a slideshow of some of the finest spring shrubs you may not grow (yet).

speeding up the compost DRIVE BY, HIT-AND-RUN composting is my latest craze, and speeds up the decomposition process while making good mulch quickly. Here’s how.

making a 365-day garden THINK FALL (YES, FALL): Don’t get sucked in by spring-bloomers only when nursery shopping. A great garden happens 365 days a year: Shop smart to make it so.

the facts about bulbs SOMETHING UP with a flower bulb? Paltry bloom, or wondering when to feed or cut off the foliage? It’s all here.

must-read garden poem MY FAVORITE GARDEN POEM celebrates loss, one of gardening (and life’s) realities. It does it with humor: "Why Did My Plant Die?” is a must-read.

12 steps to sanity? HELP FOR GARDENERS: Hi, my name is Margaret, and yes, we operate a 12-Step program here. Welcome.

orchid rebloom made easy I REBLOOMED MY FIRST ORCHID last year (finally!) and it turns out to be pretty easy going. Here’s how.

my seed-starting 101 WHAT ABOUT SEED-STARTING in general? The A Way to Garden method.

crispy refrigerator pickles WHAT IS IT ABOUT refrigerator pickles that makes everybody so happy? Get those cukes growing now. And then some.

hail the stewartia I LIKE PLANTS THAT EARN THEIR KEEP. By that I mean they do more than a week or two of showing off; they look good in more than a single moment, or season. The small-ish to medium trees in the genus Stewartia are a good bet if that’s the kind of multi-season interest you are looking for. Sound good?

can-do pruning REPEAT AFTER ME: I can prune. I can prune. If you follow this simple method for starters, your woody plants will thank you.

the ‘other’ peonies JUNE IS PEONY TIME, the big raucous kind of peony time, but just before that another kind of peony you might want to consider adopting does its subtler, wonderful thing.

which lilac to plant? SO MANY LILACS, so little space. Browse a glossary of some of my favorites before you shop—maybe you’ll like them, too.