The long days of summer have slipped away and the feeling of autumn is in the air. A subtle change yet noticeable shift in the light, temperature, and feel of the garden. Life is fresh each morning, but sun-filled days are plenty still. As I write, rain is predicted for tomorrow and in our region, it is most welcome given the many days of dry conditions.
Living in a cool climate, Autumn sunshine is something to be appreciated and enjoyed as much as possible before the cooler days move in. The perennials show a forlorn, tired look and need a cut back and there are signs of late summer damage. The roses have been trimmed and fed for the final time before winter and, are opening for the last hurrah.
“Autumn has always been my favourite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
Lauren DeStefano
Autumn is my favourite season. It brings perfect roses, colours deepen in the bloom and the plants recover from bleaching and summer diseases and pests. During the lazy days of summer it was so easy to avoid tasks. and just enjoy being in the garden. Now, there are plenty of jobs to tackle and ideas to implement with the cooler conditions.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
Albert Camus
The roses have been neglected lately because an injury has kept me out of the garden over the past six months. This time spent out of action has me yearning to get stuck into new projects. I’m keen for any opportunity to muck about in the dirt, a chance to be creative and watch things grow. The excitement is palpable.
“How beautiful the leaves grow old, How full of life and colour are there last days.”
John Burroughs
In the beginning being unfamiliar with gardening in a cool climate, I was curious to know what would do well here and if roses would thrive as they did in the hot dry conditions of a central west rural garden. It is certainly not the same and I’ve noticed far more blackspot and snail damage. Overall the roses are growing well in the cooler climate perhaps with a slightly shorter season.
Now two years on, I’m becoming more accustomed to the cooler garden; the beauty of Autumn foliage, winter bulbs and shrubs that thrive here in a higher altitude. So, my confidence has grown and I am embracing the changes, and the roses are doing well overall.
There is always room for improvement and I have two sections of the garden that would benefit from a design rethink: the courtyard, and part of the front garden, where I plan to remove an unnecessary gate and fence. This will open the front garden space, allow my new silver birch trees to be more visible and provide more room for the roses to grow. The change will also create a more interesting feature at the front entry.
Landscapers love to remove all garden structures and plants to provide a blank canvas for redesigning. I’m a great believer in using what is already there (with some exceptions. This is the case with the courtyard garden area. A lovely private sunny and level space complete with a steel pagoda frame, pillars, lighting and a tall, thick wall of ivy on one side ( not of my choice. ) This will stay because it is a fantastic privacy screen if kept maintained.
The ivy has been removed from where it got away across the top of the garage. In a cool climate three really good trims a year keeps it in check. What will be removed is a huge concrete raised garden bed. So I will be left with a more spacious rectangular area – a blank canvas.
Presently, in this space I have laid turf and it certainly would be perfect as a symmetrical formal courtyard or paved garden area. Do I need more hard- surfaces or more garden areas?
There are so many options to choose from for the surface of the non-garden areas: gravel, large pavers, or a mix of lawn and small stepping stones, full crazy paving, thyme or camomile lawn, or continue with mown grass. Or perhaps turn the lawn area into garden beds with a path across to the door from the garage and add a tree for some shade?
My pivotal interest is in growing roses, and they do not grow well in pots in the courtyard. It is time to plant a few out into new beds.This last summer the roses in the courtyard in pots struggled with heat, dryness and spider mites and would be far better grown in the ground.
A late summer garden has a tranquility found no other time of the year.
William Longgood
Do I plant what makes me happy or consider re-sale value on the home as a priority? These are so many considerations in the use of the space and whether having a fire pit, outdoor lounge area, or outdoor dining space would be useful. The courtyard is a terrific space to harness winter sun during the cooler months and in summer is a beautiful green backdrop to view from inside.
So, whilst restoring the garden after summer there is plenty to ponder on. Meanwhile the sun-filled days bring out more roses. The temperature has dropped and the garden beckons for my attention. It is a gorgeous time of year.
“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Content Di Baker
Roses from the Autumn garden
Title quote F Scott Fitzgerald
