Saturday, October 13, 2012

Autumn Thoughts

I have spent many hours in the garden these past few days, enjoying the cooler weather and the gentle autumn sun.

Lyda's Rose

Roses are still blooming, and so are many perennials, yet I am not happy with the way the garden looks.

Penelope

I think that is because for me summer's end is the season that most vividly brings home the excesses of impulse purchases made in the far away days of spring.

Hips on rosa californica

After everything is cut back in winter and I finally catch a glimpse of bare ground, it is easy to think that another little thing or two can surely fit in somewhere.



 And so they do, and then begin to grow and grow, gradually becoming a disorderly tangle in which I have long despaired of seeing where one plant ends and another begins.



Some of my roses, so cute when they were newly bought babies, have grown rather too exuberantly, spilling into the lawn and grabbing at me as I pass.


Pruning appears more and more daunting, and for a few years now I have had doubts that I can finish it all in the few short weeks of our winter.

William Shakespeare 2000

But I am ever hopeful, and something tells me that soon another little thing or two will find their way into my garden again.




At least I have company for all the work I have to do.

Cooper's hawk (?) on my fence


16 comments:

  1. Masha, the photo of Hips and spider web is wonderful, I love it!Have a nice weekend!

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  2. Masha what a beautiful company you had. I love the raports but they never want to pose for me. Beautiful vieuws out of your garden.
    Have a wonderful sunday.

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  3. Taką jesień to można lubić, gdy w ogrodzie jest jeszcze tyle pięknych róż i innych kwiatów. Róże mogłyby mnie nawet drapać, byle kwitły. O wiośnie i cięciu róż nie myśl na razie, ciesz się, że masz kolorowo w ogrodzie. Pozdrawiam.
    That autumn it can be like when the garden is still so many beautiful roses and other flowers. Roses could even scratch me, as long flourished. The spring and cut roses do not think at the moment, enjoy that you have color in the garden. Yours.

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  4. Lyda's rose, the hawk on your fence and the lovely light shining through the blue Geranium makes this a wonderful post. Pruning roses is a tricky and prickly business. I always feel like the Sleeping Beauty in February/March when I prune my roses. Especially the ramblers can make a jungle of the garden

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  5. BEAUTIFUL photos. Lyda's rose is so sweet in its simplicity. Penelope is one of my favorites. I need to make some cuttings from her for more.

    Is the photo after the rose hips of salvia? I love the colors.

    What a great visitor to you gardens.

    Have a wonderful week ~ FlowerLady

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  6. I'm surprised the hawk got so close! I only see them perched up high here. I think we are never completely satisfied with our gardens. And those impulse purchases are so hard to resist! I have cut down on buying so many, but a few always find their way into the garden. And even though I know that part of a maturing garden is culling instead of adding, I don't know how I could ever say "I'm done. No more plants for my garden"!

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  7. Thank you!

    FloweLady, that is an agastache, a very fragrant perennial and a favorite with hummingbirds.

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  8. I am never happy with my garden, always something wrong here or there. I love the way the rose hangs over the garden bed. Just this morning i was thinking my gardens looking a bit messy - like flower gardens always do, maybe i was better off with foliage plants. Less maintanence. But then i would miss my flowers. Oh well! you can't have your cake and eat it too. Love the shot of the Geraniums, lovely how the sun lights up plants and flowers. Sometimes i wonder if i will be able to prune all my roses on a regular basis as well. Have a nice week.

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  9. I wonder what you'd think of my garden then? LOL Sometimes I despair of the "jungle" look (exuburance sounds better) in my garden but it beats fighting weeds during the hot summers.

    I love, love, love the picture of the sun shining through the purple geraniums. And Lyda rose, that one is so special.

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  10. Nice companion in your garden. ;-) I don't know how you do it either--I can't remember how many Roses you have (you probably mentioned it at some point). But obviously you have a lot of beautiful ones. Don't work too hard.

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  11. Lovely photos Masha, you don't seem to suffer the blackspot we're seeing here over the pond.

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  12. Wow, your roses are still beautiful in this time of the year... you should see mine who really look sadly in the rainy weather we've got now. I love Penelope, she smells so lovely. And what a great company you've got with this hawk! He looks gorgeous.
    Have a lovely day
    Alex

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  13. Hi Masha, I just discovered your blog. It's beautiful! Your pictures are great!

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  14. I really love this time of year in Norcal, but the changing sun plunges parts of my back garden into shade , and the flopping soon follows ! I content myself with driving out to take photos of the coast or the vineyards.

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  15. As always, the photos are stunning, in particular the shot of the rose hips... It's so good to spends time in the garden this time of year.

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  16. Masha, we can be very self critical, but yes it is so very easy to over plant, however so many people like the look which it gives. Great picture of the Hawk and all the others for that matter, you know I am one of the greatest admirers of your photography. Do you really mean that Winter really does only last for a few weeks?

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I am so glad you have stopped by!