The temperatures dip just below freezing most nights now and the plastic puffed up ghouls and goblins rise in peoples garden to replace the dwindling flower supply. With children and grandchildren all grown up, I don’t take any pleasure in making my garden look like an advertisement for the dollar store companies any more. That may sound mean spirited (sorry) but I find a display of real pumpkins and squash much more attractive. The pumpkin growing competition is over for another year and the massive gourds must now be recycled but they were so fun to see when all displayed together at the local nursery.

I have a few hangers on in the garden. The Fall Monkshood, Aconitum carmichaelii managed to squeeze out a few blooms in the last few days but it is difficult when your petals freeze at night. When this plant blooms is a reflection on the type of spring we had as it is a very late bloomer and if spring is slow , it often does not make it to bloom. Some years with an early start it can be magnificent in fall.

This vase is a result of scraping the garden for colour.

Peony leaves with their changing colours make a great filler and place to start with fall arrangements. I stuffed in several odd stems, one large sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’,(Its new classification name) one lonely pink Achillea, one Fall Monkshood, Aconitum carmichaelii, a sprig or two of Bowman’s Root, Gillenia trifoliata seed heads, New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)and good old Outhouse Plant or Golden Glow, Rudbeckia lacienata.

Some of the best colours paint our landscape in the fall and along with misty mornings conjure up cozier times to come where both the garden and gardeners can put their feet up a little more. I will be packaging up some seed this week and bringing a few tender plants inside.

Thank you Cathy for the inspiration to keep creating at IAVOM on:

Rambling In The Garden https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/