Summer packed up and left taking with it seemingly endless hours to spend in the garden each day. Autumn is slowly making itself known with rain, cooler temperatures, shorter days, and the beginning of another academic year and my return to the jobs. The garden has become more overgrown without being trimmed back regularly for more than a month. The fall plant migration has slowly begun. As the collection of tender plants has grown in both size and number the migration is no longer a simple matter of bringing a few things inside all in one day but has become a Rubik's-Cube-like puzzle of re arranging indoor spaces to accommodate everything. Is it worth the effort to keep two large Trevesia palmata? How many abutilons will make it inside this year? What about all those gorgeous Cordylines? Is it time to test their hardiness by leaving some outside? Can I bear to keep only cuttings of Begonia 'Gene Daniels' and Begonia luxurians and let the huge plants go? Where did all of these plants come from? Seasonal decisions clutter my mind as fallen leaves and drooping foliage obscure paths. Both mind and walkways are increasingly filled with cobwebs. It's truly a messy season.
This container, a gift of an old college friend years ago, has been calling out to be used.
Cuttings made between hauling plants around on Sunday afternoon, Hydrangeas, Lunaria annua, seed heads of Iris foetidissima, Clerodendrum trichotomum, Fennel, and various grasses, crowd and spill out of the container, refusing to stand up straight in the middle, reflecting the chaos that is my garden at the moment.
Joining the autumnal crowd is a thrift-store ceramic pot on the left that reminds me of a burst seed pod, a pod by an Oregon artist couple and a glass pumpkin. Happy chaotic autumn!
Had to laugh as you will see from my note to you that my container is also by an old college friend. Wish I had room to bring more things in as it takes so long to get tender plants to a good size one hates to give them up.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great fall-themed container! And yes, holding a chaotic jumble. I spent last week organizing the chaos inside the greenhouse so that I could start moving plants inside soon. I think I've got room for everything. My upstairs guest room can take some overflow.
ReplyDeleteWe play the same game with our tender plants. We've learned the hard way not to wait until the last second to deal with them. You only have to dig plants out of the ground in the dark once to learn your lesson. We'll start in the next few weeks bringing things into the greenhouse. the last thing we do is take cutting of all of the coleus and any plants we want a little insurance on. I hope you manage to have space for all of your plants this fall (and aren't outside finishing up at 9:30pm).
ReplyDeleteIsn't it good to be able to use your cuttings in a Monday vase - and thank you for taking time from your plant removals to post it!
ReplyDeleteI've yet to begin the migration but it's on the schedule for this week. I've been mentally adding up the containers, trying to recall what's new this year to predict how it will all work in the basement and the "greenhouse" (which won't be built for a few weeks yet — due to busy schedules)... we shall see! Good luck with fitting all your plants back in...
ReplyDeleteLove the mess of autumn and especially how you brought it to life in your display!
ReplyDeleteYou create the most wonderful vignettes. Your curio cabinet must be even larger than Cathy's prop closet! When I'm feeling overwhelmed by my garden, I remind myself of the challenges faced by those of you in the PNW who must haul your precious plants inside for the winter. Best wishes with the migration!
ReplyDeleteI don't envy you with your migration problems, Peter, I feel overwhelmed bringing a dozen inside! I've pledged to make my sunspace more livable this year... I'll have to be ruthless with the stragglers... we'll see if I can make good on that promise!
ReplyDeletePeter: You always have a way with any materials--so creative! It's so interesting that you had such a hot summer, and now autumn is hitting you so much earlier than it is for us here in the Midwest. Days of 90s last week, and 80s this week have us holding onto the dream of summer. Weird weather patterns, but eventually ... I know, we must surrender to the autumn vibe.
ReplyDeleteComplex arrangement, very sophisticated!
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely mess, just like autumn.
ReplyDeleteI love how you compose your bouquet,Peter, very pretty. About time to test some plants to their hardiness - I do the same experiment with Poinsettia leaving it in a greenhouse, night temps are very low.
ReplyDeleteYes it is that time of year. I can't imagine trying to bring in all that you have to bring in. I won't whine about my piddling amount of plants. If I had the space you have to store plants I would be in your very predicament. Happy IAVOM.
ReplyDeleteWow! Love that container.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully chaotic and reflective of the season. I feel so lucky this time of year: the only plant migration that will take place is a tuber begonia gifted by a blogger friend. It will sleep in the attic till February :-)
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how many times I've tried and failed to grow Lunaria. Should be dead simple, but not in my dry shade garden. Great in arrangements!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting collection and it should last a while too. Similar activities are going on here. Plants are playing musical chairs and plenty of rain is watering them in to their new home. I want to move some things inside but need to clean my greenhouse and practice some pest control first. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI love your autumn collection in your lovely vase. Oh dear I haven't started bringing in tender plants yet but I am dreading it as my succulent collection has multiplied in a very scary fashion. My rubric cube is much smaller than your nice big greenhouse. How I wish I had somewhere like that to play in all winter.
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