Here we are on October 1st…. the year just flying by!

On the first day of fall, Mother Nature flipped a switch and we went from summer to autumn in an instant. The days are lucky to make it above 20 Celsius, and the nights are down right chilly. We haven’t turned the heat on yet, but only because I’m stubborn and have lots of sweaters and quilts.

I try to make it to November 1st without having to turn the furnace on… but it’s hard to say if I’ll make it this year. It’s usually a little warmer than this at the beginning of October.

The last week has been mostly rain (where was it all summer???), and since the nights haven’t made it quite to freezing (though it’s been close a couple of nights), the yard is still bright and green, and there’s still lots in bloom.

The catio garden is still pure garden chaos. While I was at Mom’s last weekend, Dave had to bring the cats in at night. Apparently, Relic was being stubborn, and Dave had to chase him around the catio yard. According to him… this garden is too “cluttered”, and the plants were trying to trip him up as he tried to get Relic in the house. I have to admit, you do have to watch your step, but I can’t help but smile when I’m out there, cluttered or not. (Though changes are in store for next year).

Hopefully as you’re reading this, I’m outside planting spring bulbs. There wasn’t a lot of spring colour this year, but now that the main beds are in, next spring is going to be very different.

The roses had a hard summer this year. The heat and the drought are not ideal, and several of the plants weren’t in the best condition when I bought them.

Chrysler Imperial (Red) performed the best, but it had to battle Sawfly larvae all season (you can see the bites they’ve taken out of the petals). I didn’t get a tonne of blooms from the roses out back, but Good as Gold (Yellow) fared the best. Both Chrysler and Red are enjoying some last blooms in the cooler days. I hope the others have put down good roots, and will have a better year next year.

One of my biggest delights was the Honeysuckle. I thought Honeysuckle bloomed once a year and that was it. But this one has bloomed on an off all summer, and it’s STILL blooming! I expect this will be the last for it, but what a treat it’s been. It’s grown right to the top of the catio in just one season, and I hope next year it fills in more, and provides some shade for the kitties as they play.

Another wonder has been this Thunbergia. I bought it on a whim at the hardware store back in June. I hung it on the side porch and it’s brought a smile to my face every time I go out. I love it’s cheery yellow flowers, and the way it’s just grown and grown and grown. Sadly, it’s an annual here, so I’ll have to see if I can get another one next year.

Above are a few late-bloomers. Blue Delphinium, Globe Thistle, and New England Aster. The first two were among the plants I bought in mid-summer, and the Aster is another of my new native plant collection. All should be even more spectacular next year.

Unless we get a good, hard frost, all the current bloomers should hang on for a few more weeks at least. But there’s no denying the end of garden season is coming.

The Toad Lilies have started to bloom and that’s always a sign the season is coming to and end. But we’ll enjoy every minute for however long it lasts.