End of October.......

Natures colours are brilliant. We have a wonderful tree right next to us that Bud planted years ago. Its a copper colour all year but in the Autumn it outdoes itself


All my plants are inside that are coming in. Well except for two or 3 Boston Ferns. Still deciding on those. I saw one neighbour had put all hers (still beautiful), on the curb for collection. So sad. Still,they really don't do well in the house. I just don't like to see them die. You never know, maybe I can cut them back and feed them well around March and have better results.............There is actually not much going on in the garden now. Gerry got a lot of the raking done but still loads to do.


The streets are looking so pretty, soon to be covered in snow. The weather man keeps threatening but so far so good.





I need to get some bird food soon. I have cleaned the feeders and thrown all the old stuff out for the squirrels. Soon the birds will be expecting them to be full again.
I hope some different birds will come in.




I can't wait for gerry to get the front porch finished so the dogs can go out the front door. Right now they go on the back deck but with Winter coming so comes the critters. Do not wish for them to meet a skunk or anyone else that we welcome here. I have a feeling he is procrastinating and then it will snow and he won't want to do it. So I must nag, sigh. Not much going on out there right now so
not a lot to talk about. All for now.

Autumn.............

Finally some beautiful, sunny days that are cooler, warm enough but not humid. So.......everyone is lined up on the deck close to the house just in case we get frost. The growing season is over so we wont be getting any warnings. Tomorrow Gerry has to work and so I will go get some pots to use to bring in those who need to be repotted. I have to get the bedroom ready for them. I am wondering if I should try to bring in the Boston Ferns, I have done so other years but without a lot of success. They pick up by the end of the year when taken back outside but is it worth the space? The Geraniums take time as well but at least they look OK before they bloom.


Some cuttings from the Coleus and Fuchsia they look pretty in the kitchen window for now. They will root or not, up to them.


I brought this one in too, I repotted it in the Spring when I put it outside. It has doubled in size so I had to put it somewhere else this year and hope it likes it's new spot.


Unfortunately the Angel is stuck on one of the branches so will have to sit with the fairy.
We sat outside in the sun for a while this afternoon. In between I brought in the rest of the garden stuff. I trimmed a few shrubs out back and moved a few things around. Gerry salvaged a couple of logs when the city cut down a tree out front. I am not sure what I will do with them but they had to be moved from where he dumped them out front. I had thought of making a garden seat. That will remain to be seen, if nothing else they will make great plant stands.
I had him move the small pine tree from the driveway out to the front under the big pines. It can go in the ground next Spring maybe in between the two large trees.

For some reason the pines are not doing well.The lower branches are dying off. I like the area to remain thick because the birds and rabbits enjoy them. In the Spring I will buy some evergreen shrubs to fill in I think. For now those two little trees can Winter there.


Gerry moved the first one by mistake but I like it there and moved it to replace the pot of grass that sat in that spot. It has left a bare spot on the grass but will make it easier to work on the garden in the Spring. I hope I have the energy to really work the garden well in the Spring and get it in better shape. I may put the little stone bench there again as it once was.


The back corner will need some attention too come Spring. If I go to the store for pots I will see if they have any Asters. I like planning in my mind and have thought of a path to go back there as I have in other areas with some stepping stones and wood chips. The things already growing have come on their own (the Holly) and from things taken from other places. I think I can pretty it up next year. I have a lot of things to move. I can't spend a lot of money and will have to be resourceful.

Showing this picture again because I do believe that is a spider plant. It's in a big pot, rather too big to bring inside. I would like to save it and the other one in front of it. Those grasses I found did not do well over winter last year. Its so expensive to replace everything every year. The room inside the house is so limited but I do have the bedroom upstairs and now Tristen is not here as often I can keep some there. I do wish I had a good place for them where I would remember to water them haha. I must do some research.
I did prune a couple of roses back and cut some of the smaller shrubs. So much to do in Springtime though, roll on SPring?????

Bringing in the plants............

It's that time. Time to get things inside before the first frosts hit us. It has been wet or too hot, or humid. Just not garden weather at least for me. I could imagine my Dad being out in Wellies and rain coat but not me, I am not that dedicated. I live in hope that Winter kills the weeds and I can get out digging early enough to get things done in the Spring. I would like to at least trim back the shrubs though...........but the big job now is getting the Geraniums repotted and brought inside. I wasn't going to but they look too nice to just let them die. True they are then late blooming but ah well.


The Geraniums are so pretty after the rain.





There are several house plants that must come in. The problem is where to put them.



I also want these to come in as they did so well last year inside. Then I need to repot some cuttings from a couple more I have my potting soil now so I can start that project. I like plants that can be reproduced to give more.


Then there's about 4 Spider plants out there that need to be repotted and brought inside. No idea where everything will go at this point. I had a look around the garden to get some ideas for next year. My Pine trees have a lot of dead branches on the lower parts
I liked them when they were bushy because I know the rabbits love it under there. SO I think I will extend that area and remove the Day lilies and replace them with a row of evergreen shrubs. The lilies will do better in the garden anyway. So roll on Spring haha.We need to do something with the grass too its all weeds and moss out front. I better start saving now haha.



It's about all I can do now, is plan for next year and hope that it's better. Pull stuff out and do as much as I can without spending too much in doing it.

Rain................

We got just a little rain yesterday, not enough to help really. The leaves are falling without changing colour. The oaks coming down in chunks. I bet that's the squirrels. I need to gather the acorns if we have any this year. The Mountain ash is heavy with berries and the Robins are feasting.



It must be time to fill the feeders because I had two visitors looking for food. I kept them empty to keep the Squirrels away but maybe it's time. I will have to go shopping.


I don't want to discourage the birds but at the moment the cats are enjoying the outside especially since I found some new cushions. I stopped at a yard sale the other day quite by chance. I found 12 seat cushions at a dollar each. So I have replaced all mine. What a deal. Now they all match except the Shade garden ones but now they too have a set of the old ones that at least match. Woo hoo, what a deal.


I finally got Gerry to paint the old wooden bench and a stool for me. So with the new cushions it looks quite nice, the cats seem to think so. So I moved things around a bit and put the bench up by the back door. If it ever cools down I can sit out there again.
The two chairs are back together again and its better than the bench being there.

The patios new cushions and the Shade gardens too


It will almost be time to start to bring in plants to Winter over. I am not sure what I want to bring in this year but most certainly will bring in the Geraniums.



I usually bring in the ferns but it takes them all summer to recover and are not that expensive. They are very messy house plants. Its just such a shame to lose them all though. BUT it's not worth it. I must bring in my usual two house plants that usually sit in the kitchen window but, they are bigger now so I may try them in the dining room instead. Several of my African Violets have died off.


The front porch is painted and still needs the rail. I bet Gerry will put that off as long as he can. He is working with Tim for awhile which will at least give him a bit of extra money,but no doubt that will go on bills. Still I can hope. I really want to be able to let the dogs out the front this winter.

Time to begin sewing for the change for the Autumn......if I can do it in time haha. Probably have to go straight to Winter haha. Well actually I am pretty sure I have enough Christmas fabric to do that by then at least. Meanwhile if I can get Gerry to clean up his mess in the garage maybe I can find my Autumn decorations. I can do that this weekend. Hardly any activity in the garden. Just a few braved the heat.



The weeds are doing well though. Today I swept the path out back and its all such a mess. I think I will go around with the wheel barrow tomorrow before it gets hot and pull some of the purple bell flowers that spread like crazy before they drop seeds and also the Tiger lily's. They are ungainly and I can do without those. There are also some wild flowers that ended up being really straggly, they need more light so they can go. Lots to do. Not a lot of satisfaction at this time of year but I have dirt to spread and several other clean up jobs. I think I will try a spray bottle with a mix of vinegar and salt again to get rid of weeds between stones. It worked before so maybe that will stop them coming back in Spring.