Has anyone beside me noticed that the sun isn't at hot anymore? Actually, truth be known, it's been more than nippy outside lately. It seems as though it was just last week when the temperature was in the 80's and the sweat was dripping into my eyes; today it's under 60 and I wishing I had another sweater on! Will I ever be happy with temperature outside?
Like a lot of you, I ordered my bulbs and new perennials some time ago and now it the time to plant! So far I planted 6 dozen daffodils and grape hyacinths, 3 azaleas, 4 camellias, 12 liriopes, and 12 sword ferns – and that's all that just went into the ground. Another 6 camellias are waiting patiently in their 1-gallon pots, and along them, are 4 pint-sized roses.
However, the 4 5-gallon roses from last year are also still patiently waiting for their “forever” homes in the big rose bed along the side of the house. I haven't gotten to them YET, but the clematis plants are in their intended raised bed and 2 hydrangeas are finally planted under the pergola! (At least those cans are empty!)
Tomorrow is supposed to be pie making day along with the rest of the pre-prep for the holiday, but I still have visions of making to the front yard to clean up the irises, roses, and pink coneflower plant which the harbinger of fall – that plant grow so tall and bloomed so profusely this year and always (!) dies back to a dried up plant when the cold weather comes, so cut it to the ground I will. Also the replacement Dusty Miller from Annie's Annuals took over the front bed, leaving the Geums to try to raise their flowers where they could be seen, so it's time for a lot of judicious pruning there too. The buds of the ‘Star magnolia' are starting to plump now although it put out a branch of new GREEN leaves giving the effect of a mostly dead/dying bush still trying to live. It's kind of fun to give the branches little taps and see the leaves fall to the ground.
At this time I'd like to thanks the wonderful people who manned the Vallejo Farmers' Market booth! It was both fun and informative to work with each and every one of you! A big shout out to Patty for keeping us on track with her weekly reminders AND keeping the schedule up to date! More thanks are due the wonderful “customers” we see every week who keep us on our toes with questions and suggestions to each other during our Saturday visits. People who garden are some of the most generous and thoughtful folks and it does our little hearts glad to speak with you! We have left the market for the year but will return in mid-January. For those Master Gardeners who haven't joined us, please do this next year; for those “customers” and friends who seek us out, please come back – we enjoy talking and discussing with you. For those people who have passed us by in the past, please stop by – we love meeting friends we haven't known before!
Happy Thanksgiving and: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, or any other way of enjoying the season!! Happy New Year!!