Hey I fooled you. It’s not the end of summer. Just because the kids are back at school and a few overly enthusiastic leaves have started turning colour, it doesn’t mean summer is over. Not for another two weeks yet. A whole two weeks!
Goldenrod, (Solidago), is a late summer delight.
In 2014, in the northern hemisphere, the autumnal equinox officially launches the fall season on September 22 at 10:29 P.M. So even on September 22nd it’s technically still a summer day. Yay! And then we get the beautiful fall to see and enjoy. Sweater weather brings its own delights. But while I’m still out in the garden in flip-flops, in late summer, here are some things in the garden I’m enjoying now.
- Verbena Bonariensis is forming seed pods, making the stalks bend over with the weight of the heads. I’ll save the seeds when they are ripe and scatter them where I want them next year. They are great self-sowers.
- Cooler temperatures making the ornamental planters look their best. The sweet potato vine has reached beyond the ground by this time.
- Tomatoes are actually—finally—ripening and reddening. I picked a small bucketful today.
- All the Goldenrod. And no, goldenrod doesn’t make you sneeze.
- The heads of sedum Autumn Joy starting to turn pink, and bees are buzzing around the flower clusters.
So, keep wearing those flip-flops and enjoy these last two weeks of summer.