Sunday, October 18, 2009

Kiss The Summer Flowers Goodbye

In summing up this growing season in one word
it would have to be abnormal.

Here in Ohio we only had about two weeks worth of
what we would call 'Summer' , where the temperatures
were in the upper eighties or near ninety.
Now for some of my gardening friends this would
have been a blessing to have some cool days with their
record heat and droughts.We had adequate rain fall
this summer where my rain barrel was always filled
with water and the overflow which runs into a cistern
to help water the garden did not go dry but for two weeks.
It sometimes goes dry the first of July when we are entering
into our hot, humid and dry season of July through August.
So with the cool days of only into the upper seventies for
months this was in fact a cool summer and abnormal.
And now we are into Winter temperatures before we even
enjoyed the Fall.

Ohio is a very agricultural state so the farmers are
struggling to get their soy beans from the fields with
wet cold weather and their corn crops are having a hard
time to get dried out so that it can be picked and brought
in from the muddy fields to the mills.
This summers cool weather delayed and blighted the
growing of vegetables and flower gardens also.
This is one of the toughest years I have saw for mildew
on everything with the wet days and cool nights.
Many of the flowers were slow or not preforming as
they generally would have and with some,as my hydrangeas
they never even got blooms.
I am not writing all of this to complain about the
weather but more as a record for myself to compare
with other growing seasons.
Also it makes me cringe to think that if we had all
of this cool and wet in July and the dog days of August
what are we in store for this Winter.
I have seen warmer Decembers than the weather that
has come upon us here in September and October.
The warm up spell we generally have in October into
the seventies that we call Indian Summer looks like a no
show for us this year.
A hard freeze of 27 degrees is coming to us tonight
so with that I will be kissing whatever flowers that are
left a sad goodbye.



The containers and beds of impatiens that were
gathered under the trees to keep them from frost burn
will be a mess of mush tomorrow.



The only remaining purple potato vine that the
deers did not manage to eat will be a withered mess
in the morning. So the bulbs or potatoes from it will
be dug up tomorrow to be brought in for vines for
next Spring.



The remaining Browillia that were left will bloom
no more this year.






So will the Marine Helitrope and the remaining
petunias.








Goodbye to the Rose Lobelia.



The flowering Nicotiana that was such a
flowering machine this summer will be
dead in the morning.



Lord Baltimore Dahlia was finally cut down and the
roots brought into the basement to hang until next Spring.



The last of the geraniums that could not be brought
in for lack of room will be sad looking flowers after
tonight.










The Flowering Stock which took forever this
summer to bloom now will go before it has had
a good season of bloom.





Goodbye Alyssum you were such a trooper this summer
but I will have you back next Spring.



The last of the Osteospermum after today.



I will miss the Roses this Winter more than any
of the flowers.





But as with all gardeners there is always next Spring,
new seeds to try this Winter, new Proven Winners
to look forward to next Spring, and new plants to
look forward to in 2010.

So we will spent the Winter going over our gardening
logs and notes to improve our beds next Spring.
What did not get planted or moved this Fall will be there
waiting for us in a new year.

It was an abnormal Summer but it was also full of
gardening firsts and flowering surprises.
Not the best growing year but still one filled with beauty.

Happy Gardening Everyone!




14 comments:

Ellie Mae's Cottage said...

Your post perfectly described the weather and gardening conditions that I experienced in Massachusetts. We had all the same problems right down to my hydrangea not blooming. Let's hope this winter is a little kinder to us. -Jackie

Jimmy said...

I love your quote on the comment window. For some reason your new posts are not flagged on my blog. I'll keep checking back for more of your gorgeous photos.

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

It is hard to say goodbye to all the beautiful flowers!!!! It will make us all looking forward to Spring(-:

Robin's Nesting Place said...

We had a freeze last night and it pretty much finished off the rest of my flowers. It is sad to see.

Helen said...

You sure have a lot of beautiful flowers left that will get killed. I know you really hate to see winter come. I dread the cold weather myself. It is harder on these old bones the last few years. Helen

Darla said...

That's a lot of beauty to lose in one night! The weather has been weird all over this summer.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I'm sorry to hear about the farmers in your state. I don't always think about the greater effect the weather has than just our area.
Winter is a great time to plan and get ready for spring. It is a good time to think about changes to make.
Glad you were able to capture the beauty of your flowers before the frost comes.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Lona, You have me in tears, partly grieving for your beauties, and partly for the ones I already lost. But, I'm here to tell you there's hope that some of those will survive for awhile. We had snow for a day, and temps in the 20s for several nights, and much did die, but the sweet alyssum and several other flowers are still blooming.

Our winters in Nebraska seem to be coming earlier and staying later each year. Our summer was similar to yours, too. I am thankful that we are having a bit of a warm up to more fall appropriate temps. It was in the 60s today, and I got some of the dead annuals taken out.

Muhammad khabbab said...

This is interesting, all those flowers which are fading at your side are rising in our regions. Phlox, stocks, petunia, heliotrope, geranium, lobelia, dahlia all just started their journey just now. Thanks for sharing these beauties.

Victoria said...

Beautiful photos..just gorgeous! I love that heliotrope.. the color is so strong and rich! I love the smell of them too! And what a charming dahlia..very pretty! You have loads to look at still..very beautiful post!

lynn'sgarden said...

Lona, all these terrific photos make me wish Spring is just around the corner! You are the first to mention the year 2010...where did the year go? Yes, we'll muster through another winter~dreaming and planning for next year's beauties ;)

Jeanne said...

I loved those pictures of your garden. Thanks so much for sharing. Here in Virginia, our long, slow sweet autumn didn't happen this year. We had our first frost this morning. Cold this year! But I look forward, as always, to fall, winter and spring...always the delights of the changing seasons in the garden. Thanks for a wonderful post!

Phoenix C. said...

Planning the next year's garden is such fun - I always look forward to doing this.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it sad when you have to say goodbye? Turns out I didn't have to say goodbye to anyone just yet. But the time draws near!