A Love/Hate Relationship With the End of the Season

Looking back on the gardening season just passed

Today ’s photos come from Melina Mantey .

It ’s been a marvelous summertime in the garden , but I am now spend more sentence clean up the leftover of windstorm than deadheading my beautiful blooms . I always have a love / hate relationship with this time of class . A part of me is always ready for things to slacken down a bit , to take a step back and let my body convalesce from all of the severe work that go into spring planting and summer maintenance . At the same sentence , I discover fewer grounds to bolt down out into the garden , and that always makes me pitiful . I often rely on my garden to erase all of the mistakes and negativeness of the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. — the plants whisper their assurances as I take the air among them , the dirt rip my idea back to the sun . As I am out there , the color seeps into every stomate as my anxiety subsides , and I am able to head back inside quick to take on the world once again .

However , even as opportunities to go outside start to lessen , I ca n’t help but look back over the retiring few month and happen myself mad about the changes I have made . As someone with an phylogenetic relation for cottage gardens , I decidedly went all out this year , adding more colouring and chaos than in previous old age . I really stupefy intosalvias , black-market mondo grass(Ophiopogon planiscapus‘Nigrescens ’ , zone 6–9),nandina , Geranium‘Rozanne ’ ( Zones 5–8 ) , and any colourful cold - intrepid succulent I come across . I also bought some varieties I had n’t heard of before — Digitalis‘Firebird’,Penstemon‘Pep Talk Hot Pink ’ ( zone 6–9),Lobelia‘Queen Victoria ’ ( Zones 4–9)—and I am very excited to watch them grow with the rest of the garden . You never know what goodies you will line up on the nursery shelves !

As with all nurseryman , I ’m already plotting for next year — prepping beds , researching new plants , keep an center out for twilight garden sales , and just broadly speaking rubbing my filth - stained hands together in plant - crazed gleefulness . Next year ca n’t come before long enough !

Penstemon‘Pink Pep Talk ’ , blue fescue gage ( Festucaglauca , Zones 4–8 )

‘ Endless Summer ’ hydrangea ( Hydrangeamacrophylla‘Endless Summer ’ , Zones 4–9 ) and nandinas ( Nandinadomestica , Zones 6–9 )

Cattail ( Typhasp.),hostas , Euonymus‘Emerald ‘ n ’ Gold ’ ( Zones 2–9 ) , andsedum

Rozanne geranium

Nandina , Echinacea(coneflower , Zones 5–9 ) , Hot Lips salvia ( Salviamicrophylla , Zones 7–10 or as one-year )

Sedum ‘ Matrona ’ ( Zones 3–9 )

A diverse mix of perennials and shrubs

Ukigumo Japanese maple ( Acerpalmatum‘Ukigumo ’ Zones 5–9 )

Scottish moss ( Saginasubulata , Zones 4–7 ) , sedum

Have photo to share ? We ’d love to see your garden , a exceptional ingathering of plants you love , or a fantastic garden you had the luck to visit !

To submit , send 5 - 10 photos to[email protected]along with some selective information about the industrial plant in the exposure and where you strike the photos . We ’d know to hear where you are locate , how long you ’ve been gardening , successes you are proud of , unsuccessful person you learned from , hopes for the future , favorite plants , or comical stories from your garden .

If you want to transport photos in separate e-mail to theGPOD e-mail boxthat is just o.k. .

Have a mobile phone ? Tag your photos onFacebook , InstagramorTwitterwith # FineGardening !

You do n’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out ourgarden photography tips !

Do you receive the GPOD by e-mail yet?Sign up here .

Fine Gardening advocate mathematical product

Pruning simplify : A footprint - by - footfall Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs

Fine horticulture invite a commission for items purchased through golf links on this site , include Amazon Associates and other affiliate advert program .

ARS Telescoping Long Reach Pruner

Scotts Cordless Grass - Shear / Shrub - Trimmer Combo

Get our latest tip , how - to articles , and instructional videos send to your inbox .

Penstemon ‘Pink Pep Talk’

sign you up …

Season’s End in Susan’s Garden

End of Summer in Carla’s Garden

Garden Tools for Bulb Planting and the End of Season

It’s the Season for Taking Stock: What Plants Worked This Year and What Didn’t

Join Fine horticulture for a barren mesh live webinar feature Dr. Janna Beckerman , a famed plant life diagnostician as well as prof emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals expert manager …

When I spotted a particular sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I recognise I was in fuss . With a delightful color pattern …

When we only prioritize plant we want over plants our landscape demand , each time of year is filled with a never - stop list of chores : pruning , pinching , watering , treating , amend , and fertilizing , with …

Endless Summer hydrangeas

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re potential to actuate on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a couplet …