Edmonton airport

Sunday, September 24, 2017

A Remembrance of Gardens Past – Autumn


It seems to me that September this year in Saskatoon has been unusually green even into the end of the month. There are a number of factors that cause deciduous trees to change colour, including shorter days and longer nights, colder temperatures, soil moisture and sunlight. We had a very hot summer and recent weather hasn’t been cold enough to start the colour changes, though we also haven’t had much rain. Nature can still be mysterious.

I may have to cut my grass once more and I’ve still got annuals blooming this year. My garden notebook from the past shows the variety in the season over a number of years, and it seems that we have had long falls before. Still, I remember snow and frost in September, though I’m glad to see that holding off this year,

Sept. 6, 1998

I’ve been preparing for spring by taking out some more grass at the back and planting pink tulips in front of the anemones, and a couple of white iris in front of the chrysanthemums.

Sept. 14, 1999

I have brought in all my tomatoes, left out carrots, beets, some lettuce and peppers. Will see how they do.

Sept. 16, 2000

Yesterday and today were incredible days for September – hot, sunny, no wind. Sat in the yard a lot and just basked in it.

Oct. 14, 2001

Dug the last of my carrots, drained the hoses and cleaned up the yard a bit. My pink chrysanthemums are blooming in gay profusion in the back yard. (These have since died out, but I miss them. Have to look for more in 2018).

Sept. 21, 2002

A long fall – still have roses blooming, cosmos, golden Marguerite, and delphiniums for the second time.

Sept. 15, 2003

Cut some lavender, which is blooming for the first time ever.

Oct. 9, 2004

Malva still blooming, chrysanthemums in full flood with butterflies, white delphiniums having a second bloom.