It is fall- September 23

After a absence of a month due to computer problems I am glad to be able to start this again. There is so much to say about the garden it is almost debilitating to have to start. Where to begin?
We dodged a frost a week ago as we had an all time low of 35 in Iowa City. While you might think we were within 3 degrees of a frost, we were actually about 100 feets from a frost. It was actually across the street where there are no trees and a little depression. The orchids all came inside even though many returned outside after huddling in the garage for several nights.
The biggest change I notice is that it is dark in the morning. I am used to gardening at 5 or 5:30 in July. Not any more. I am lucky to have enough light at 6:30 at this point. This is not conducive to doing work outside. The evening is still buggy and I just do not have the energy or inclination to put on bug spray and go out after a day at the office.
But I absolutely know the number one gardening tip for this time of year. It is just get out there and do stuff, do anything. Plant pansies. Transplant iris. Put in a shrub. Pull some weeds or water the annuals that need it. If you get out there and spend some time, it will be just about as nice as in June or July, and the weather can be fantastic. I love watering the impatients when it is about 40 and the spray is almost steaming.

So here are the pictures.

First there is a calla lily. Planting them in late June did mean that they were good into September. The picture is taken September 10.











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This is a Japanese anemone. It is almost three feet tall and with a little moisture should bloom into October.
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These are fall blooming crocuses. They came up about September 1 and look very much like their spring namesakes.
























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This is a euphorbia called Icicle. It is an annual that reseeds itself and then grows to almost 3 feet tall.
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Finally here is a toad lily, with its formal name tricyrtis. I tried them last year and it took a year to bloom. I think they are a keeper. The first two bloomed yesterday. I expect them to be blooming for a month. They are like tiny orchids.


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