September's Song

By all these lovely tokens

September days are here,

With summer’s best of weather

And autumn’s best of cheer."

- Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885

Ah September and the days grow shorter and cooler. The birds sing loudly outside my window and  I arise early to begin editing my boulder garden which had become overgrown with exuberant Lantana . 

Since we have such a long growing season here I added more evergreens -Mahonia, Japanese  Ligustrum, Lorepetalum, Mugo Pine and golden privet, to name a few. I also want to be able to see the boulders which are native to this area.

The many birds that visit my garden love the bubbling solar fountain.  I don't feed the birds in the summer but providing water is more important as they are able to easily find lots of insects. I just wish they would devour the Japanese beetles.

I ordered a truckload of compost and topsoil to spread over my newly dug garden bed then I topped it with the leaf and pine needle mulch that had been aging over the winter in my front yard forest.

Rainfall has been abundant this growing season and the roadside meadow garden has flourished without much help from me.

            

              Above :  Brazil Verbena in the background, daisies and artemisia ,

               three prolific colonizers in the meadow garden.

I dislike the roundy/moundy mums sold each Fall at the Garden Center and last season I planted hardy garden mums that are now blooming and  brightening up the garden with their lovely yellow color.  I'm going to add some spider mums this Fall but will have to special order then since they're not available at local garden centers.

'Bolero' hardy garden mum , a prolific bloomer and spreading perennial.

Another Fall favorite is Goldenrod which I combine with purple Asters.

In the vegetable garden I sowed seeds of 5 types of Kale, spinach and Chinese broccoli.  I'm going to add some cabbages and leeks as well.  With the occasional use of row covers the winter veggie garden will thrive.  

I used to dread the coming of October in my Chicago garden as it meant the end of the gardening season but here I look forward to it.