It’s the first of September and I honestly can’t remember the last time we had a decent rain. I’ve resorted to irrigating my garden beds, which isn’t nearly as good as a long, cool, soaking rain. In southern Indiana, August and September are generally the driest months of the year and they are living up (or down) to their reputation.

My mother used to say Spring and Fall are the only good reasons to live around here. But, they only last for two days each. I believe she was right! The last few years, it seems we’ve had two seasons instead of four: a long, cool to cold to cool and very rainy season lasting from about November to early March; maybe two decent days we can call “Spring”, then a warm to hot to hotter to hot to warm, very humid season from mid-March to mid-October and if we’re really lucky, a couple of lovely days for Autumn.

My Gardening Projects

Other than finally completing my raised bed herb garden, the major project we accomplished this summer was mulching the heck out of most of the gardens. There are two small ones left to mulch – on either side of the driveway. They had been so chock-full of brown-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia triloba), there was no way to mulch (see the photo above). About mid-August, the brown-eyed Susans went dormant and their leaves turned brown so I cut them way back. I’ve dug up most of their roots, leaving some at the back of the garden as they get four or five feet tall. Next year, I’ll try not to let them get quite so out of control. I hope to leave room for other plants. Maybe a more English country garden look, with old-fashioned flowers like cosmos, poppies, zinnias and cleome. Of course, coneflowers, garden phlox and more asters are on the planting list, too.

Blooming Plants

The pollinators are running a bit short on late season nectar sources in the gardens. There are a few hostas blooming, the zinnias are still going strong and I just planted six more coneflowers: Pow Wow Berry White, Sombrero, (deep Southwestern red) Cheyenne Spirit (in two colors – a peachy orange and an earthy russet) and Pow Wow Wild Berry (an intense magenta). Their colors are absolutely gorgeous (I may have to buy more) and butterflies are crazy about them.

The garden phlox is still blooming nicely, the Chelone and the Autumn Joy sedum are just beginning to bloom – all butterfly magnets for certain! The Autumn Joy has flopped open in the center, which doesn’t bother the butterflies, but does bother me a bit. Next year, I’ll pinch back the stalks to achieve a fuller (and less floppy) appearance.

Cool weather is probably another six weeks away. There are still some projects I’d like to get accomplished: construct a second raised bed garden and install fencing around both of them to keep the deer out and re-do the deer protection fences around the two Asian pear trees, since they need more room to grow. Oh yes! I can’t forget to mulch the two driveway gardens! Stay Green, Good Friends!