Garden Ramble

60 this morning, cool and dry. A bright Fall day.

Still no rain, so we have been dry for 2 weeks except for a couple very light showers. I am watering again, trying to keep my perennials alive until dormancy. It would be sad to lose them now.

The pears are really falling now. We have 3 bushels in the cellar and the tree is still loaded. I will give away a lot. I canned 10 jars the other day, and will do more tomorrow. I think I see more pear cider in our future too.

I have been working out in my gardens this week. I weeded the herb garden and mulched it, hoping to keep the rosemary, sage and other perennial herbs safe through the winter. 

This garden always seemed to be last on the to-do list, getting a lick and a promise. Part of the trouble was that runoff from the driveway would keep the soil too wet. By the time it dried out, I was too busy with weeding and canning to deal with it. This year I corrected the runoff problem, and decided to make the space an herb garden. We had raised squash there one year pretty successfully, but failed with cabbage, beans, and strawberries. It is definitely still a work in progress.

A few random photos taken this week to end today's post.

In the big flower garden, I've been weeding, planting more mums, and transplanting iris. It is getting watered every other day.

Zinnias are still going strong in the vegetable garden. 

Another late, and oh so sweet-smelling rose.

A foggy start to the day on Sunday.

Pineapple sage. It got huge this year. I mainly grow it for its beautiful red flowers that don't bloom until late September. Nice to have that late color.

Morning sun on the mandevillas.

This is the first time I have had the little blue lobelia actually live through the summer. It's looking rough, but hanging on.

These are Job's Tears. I used to grow them in the 70s. The seeds can be strung to make a bead necklace.

All for now. To the kitchen I go, to finally make that hot pepper mustard.

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