And nothing says "fall" quite like mums.  These are my favorite.  Even though they aren't, I love calling them red rovers.  Actually, each red rover blossom is 5-6 inches across, and these are little, maybe 2 inches.  But the color scheme is the same, and I love seeing them in the fall.  They make me smile.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Another sure sign of fall is the monarch migration.  

 

We have been seeing lots of monarchs in our neighborhood:  some in my marigolds, and some in our neighbors' gardens.  The trick to get them to come to your garden?  Plant lots of flowers.  Marigolds, zinnias, butterfly bush, echinacea, asters, cleome, coreopsis, cosmos, and four o'clocks are real attractors for butterflies.  Most of these grow easily from seeds, and the butterflies just love coming to them.  

 

Another joy of autumn.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

You know that Fall is in the air when the dogwoods start showing color.  

 

Today is the Autumnal Equinox.  It occurs at 2:19 pm when the Sun enters the sign of Libra.  Today:  day and night are nearly equal.  After today, the days will start getting shorter, and the nights longer, until the winter solstice.  

 

But the best part of fall is watching the trees lose their chlorophyll and show off their oranges, reds and yellows.  

 

I will show you our world as it changes in the next few weeks.  

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

Jon cut down the sunflowers last Thursday, and I plucked out the seeds from the flower heads.  I left these two heads for you to see.  And look at all the seeds:  a couple quarts.  I will save some to replant next spring, and the rest can go in the bird feeders.  Hey, I don't need to plant all of them, and the birds love them.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

As we were walking along the trail, these bright red berries caught my eye.  It is Strawberry bush, or Hearts a-bustin' with love.  Anyway, it is a species of euonymus:  Euonymus americanus.  Same genus as the burning bush, whose leaves are starting to show red.  

 

Even though "strawberry bush" sounds edible:  IT'S NOT.  Physicians once used the seeds as a tonic, laxative, diuretic and expectorant, which all sounds purgative in nature to me.  However modern science considers the fruit, seeds, and bark POISONOUS.  I am running with that, and just appreciate how pretty they are in the wild.  We even have some in our neighborhood.  Look, but don't touch.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was stepping out of the garden when I saw this vine right near the path.  I did a double take.  Yep, it is Virginia Creeper, not poison ivy.  See the five leaflets?  Remember, you can shake hands with five fingers, not three.

 

Little reminders are always good.  Helping you stay safe.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

The goldenrod is blooming all over the sides of the mountains.  I love seeing it in the sunshine.  Later that same day, we saw a whole field of it.  WOW!!!

I hope you see some in your travels.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

And here they are reaching toward the light.  Not ready to harvest yet, but well on their way.

 

I love growing sprouts;  instant gratification.  ;)

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

And this is why Buddleia davidii is called Butterfly Bush.  See the Tiger swallowtail?  

 

Butterflies and moths love this bush because there are lots of tiny flowers all in one place.  There are long trusses of blooms on new growth, and some grow up to a foot long!  That is a lot of nectar in one spot.  

 

Be on the lookout for Butterfly bushes in your neighborhood;  maybe you'll get to see the butterflies enjoying them.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I sowed curly kale seeds two days ago, and this is what I saw this morning.  Can you see the soil erupting?  Those are the seeds sprouting.  I don't know why, but this always tickles me, to see the little sprouts pushing their way up.  I'll show you again in a couple days.  They are amazingly fast growers.

 

Soon it will be time to add sprouts to our omelet, turning it into a "sproutlet," according to our friend Nick.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!