WE’RE LIVING ON THE EDGE HERE at A Way to Garden, literally: the edge of seasonal change. These two youngsters sat on the lip of one of the water gardens all day yesterday, sunning themselves like it was summer, taking the occasional lap around the pool. They seem to have forgotten we were close to frost two nights this week, since we’ve bounced into what feels like an Indian Summer. Me, too. You?
I WATCHED A ZOOM lecture the other day that really put into words a lot of the ways my own deepening understanding of ecology is shaking up the way I practice horticulture—from spring cleanup, right on to the last chore of the active year. The lecturer was Rebecca McMackin, director of horticulture for Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, where she leads the team that manages 85 acres of diverse parkland with a central focus on habitat creation of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows to build soils and support birds, butterflies, and other organisms.
We talked about the dynamic tactics they use and when and why–a whole different approach to spring cleanup, where the life cycles of animals (from insects on up) dictate what happens when, garden maintenance-wise. Like why some things don’t get cut back, and others that are still seed-laden when they do have their seeds collected and set aside, then returned to the spot after whatever cleanup is needed there.
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
They look like they are loving life. A great weekend ahead. Enjoy the sunshine.
If you didn’t have a killing frost it is a not an indian summer.
Welcome, Melinda, all the way from TX (where A Way to Garden actually “lives” on a cluster of servers, in San Antonio). The girls are welcome to come meet the frogboys anytime.
@Gardenboy: Picky, picky.
@Annie: Yes, definitely add water and operate a froggery if you can. The best companions ever.
@Susan: Indeed, loving life and our freedom and sunshine.
@Brian G: Bulb-planting does sound ridiculous in this weather, agreed. You make me realize I need to do a proper garden-cleanup post, but the weather says it can’t be so.
I love this photo, Margaret – the chance to see frogs up close may compel me to add a tiny pond or stream to my garden some day.
We’re not experiencing autumn here in Austin – just night temperatures occasionally dipping into the fifties with returns to high eighties every day.
Enjoy the weather and the apples!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I think we hit 50 for a low here north of Dallas…not close to the end yet!
My girls love the Frogboys. I think t-shirts may be in order.
Margaret, I love this photo. However, my concern isn’t about the weather, it’s about the look of suspicion in frogboy’s eyes. They seem to know something’s up:).
Yes, MF, they know something’s up (and not the economy). Like Diana says, we can all use a smile. Sunshine is helping, too. :)
Summer to Autumn is a confusing transitional period, much more so than Winter to Spring. When exiting Winter, the garden pretty much takes care of itself. All of the big chores have been mostly done the previous fall so all there is to do is sit back and watch what sticks it’s head out of the ground until the first mow. When exiting Summer, however, questions abound. Should I start leaf clean up now or wait until the trees are completely bare? All those plants I ordered last month, should I rush to get them in the ground or can I leave them huddled on the driveway for one more week and cross my fingers hoping they don’t freeze to death? I can’t even think about planting the 1800 bulbs stacked in boxes on my porch in this 70 plus degrees weather. Then, of course, there is the question of clothing. Show of hands, who of you have already put away your warm weather garb? Yeah, me too. Maybe this weekend I’ll take a page from the frog boys and sit by a pond, dip my toes in and pretend it’s still Summer. Or maybe I’ll start digging holes. Yeah, the second one.
Some parts of town have had frost and I think we’re supposed to have snow this weekend so I picked bushels of green tomatoes yesterday. At our school garden the kids also picked beans, zucchinis and lovely bouquets of marigold, salvias, evening primrose and kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate.
A kindergardener even had the brilliant idea to wrap the bouquets in giant kiss-me… leaves.
PS Thanks for the smile inducing frog photo.
Great photo! It is still 100 degrees here in my suburb of Los Angeles. I envy your season change!
Shirley
Me picky? I’m just trying to live up to your standards for accuracy.
As far as bulb planting goes, I hold to the Heath’s rule. Two good weeks of ‘sweater weather’ before you start putting them in the ground. The exceptions are those that perish easily like fritillarias and snowdrops. They go in as soon as the box comes in the mail.
Yes, I keep overdressing for garden work – what’s going on?!
My bulbs are already planted — am I in trouble??
Off to change into some shorts and look for frogs…
My BFF (best frog friend) has gone away for the winter. Yours are soooo handsome!
♥Rosemary
http://contentinacottage.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-new-bff-best-frog-friend.html
Don’t know how to break this to you, Rosemary, but your BFF is actually a BTF, toadboy not frogboy. He is probably Bufo americanus, or so he appears, one of my favorite creatures in the garden. A couple of big fat ones live in my barn, and one lives under the stone stoop, and I am always delighted when they show themselves. Learn more about your honey here.
Margaret…Thanks…I stand corrected!
♥Rosemary and her ToadBoy
De-lurking to say that although I’m glad we dodged the frost warnings this week in mid-Connecticut, I still go through waaaaay too many clothes in a day. I start with a sweater in the morning, t-shirt by lunch, start thinking about putting on shorts, and am back in the sweater by dinner (unless the baby spit up on me, but that has nothing to do with the weather!)
But the sun, blue skies and lovely fall trees this weekend remind me how much I love this time of year.
I blogged about our frost-dodging this week at: http://broodawakenings.blogspot.com/2008/10/garden-ghosts-ward-off-jack-frost.html
Please stop by!
Welcome, Meanders, and thanks for de-lurking. I agree: So hard to get the wardrobe right these days, with near-frost to lawn-chair weather all jumbled together. See you soon again, we hope.
Cool photo!
My Lyme was so bad, I missed the end of Summer! The sun is low in the sky, flowers are eeking out those last few surprise blooms. It should be sunny and in the high 70’s (lows in the 40’s) again this week in NJ, however, I see an awful lot of ghosts circling trees and pumpkins glaring from front porches. I love Halloween but I sure do miss the end of Summer
Welcome, Judy. I had not heard the term “rainshadow,” so thank you for the education, and for your comment. Happy fall.
We had frost on the grass yesterday morning when I took the dog out for a walk. That was 10/11/08 here in the Pacific Northwest. I live on an island in northern Puget Sound sometimes referred to as the rainshadow, but what I love about living here and gardening here is the change of seasons.
Hello Margaret! Like you, we’ve been on the edge in Minnesota for the last week, with a lovely run of bright blue skies and sunny days. Today we may have tipped as the front has come through, with a cooler rain. Temps will drop off into the 60’s during the day, and begin a downward trend toward the more typical 50’s highs. We’re lucky, it could be miserable and snowing, and might very well be by Thanksgiving.
Lovely photo of the youngsters…the return of the rains here in Portland signal the end of our dry warm season. I’ve come to welcome their clean, refreshing smell, when the craziness of the harvest calms (except for the apples of course). My hydrangeas show the turning and cold crisp nights by showing that ethereal gorgeous green/blue/plum color. And then I pick them all and bring them inside. I love this time of year.
I adore toads and frogs, and this photo captures their pleasure at sun basking while wet.
Terra
The peach colored mums (Clara something or other) have sprung up so quickly, and are now in full blooom. When the dark red dogwood leaves float down on them and nestle gently in the blossoms the whole scene is just Autumn jewelry…