Not this year. All of the pictures here were taken on the evening of November first. As temperatures hovered in the mid 60s F (unusual for this time of year), I strolled around the garden with my camera capturing what I figured would be the last shots of the season. And I was right. A hard freeze Sunday night dealt the final blow to what had been an exceptionally long garden season.
The end of garden season always leaves me with mixed emotions. Part of me is sad to see it all go-especially the mixed container gardens I spent so much time designing and nurturing. But another part of me is relieved that I don't have to be a slave to it all anymore.
Don't get me wrong, by most standards garden season had been over for a few weeks. Compared to July this view of my patio looks downright bleak. However, I can't remember a year when I had bananas, Cannas and elephant ears still standing (and looking relatively decent) on November first. Last year, a hard freeze on October 12th took everything out early.
So here you have it, the end of garden season 2013 at Idyll Haven. All things considered, it was a good year.
All that remains is the equivalent of a couple of weekends of dreary cleanup. Now that clocks have been ratcheted back, weekends are the only time I have for garden activities and hiking has been taking up a large chunk of that time. November can be bleak but my calendar is quickly filling up with fun stuff like a full moon hike, a Thanksgiving celebration with the best of friends and an out of town high school class reunion.
Somehow it will all get done. I continue to struggle to keep all the balls in the air, but lately that struggle has less of a sense of urgency and more a sense of enjoyment. Just be sure to call before stopping by, Especially if you think there may be a chance that you will need to use the bathroom.
Yes, it was a good year.
Sue~
