Autumn! A Season for Change

In many cultures, the season of Autumn is associated with clearing out, taking inventory, and setting out on a new pathway.

I came across this quote the other day from poet, Carl Sandburg:

It is necessary - for a man to go away by himself - to sit on a rock - and ask, 'Who am I, where have I been, and where am I going?"

I like this this quote; I like the idea of being outside and taking an inventory. It's hard not to be humble when surrounded by Nature. I've found that whether I'm gardening or looking at myself, I need to be ruthless as to what's working and what's not.

One of the hardest things for me to do, as a gardener, is to take out a plant that's just not making it. I'll cut it back, fertilize, and wait two more months to see if anything changes. Then, finally, out it goes. It teaches me that some things can't be fixed.

I often move plants. I have a holding zone that I use after I purchase those late season, tired looking plants. They're placed off to one side of the garden to regain their strength and beauty. After a couple of seasons, I'll put them into one of my perennial beds. Or, I may have to move a plant because of the growth of surrounding plants. Off it goes to another part of the garden! These practices have allowed me to see that by a some simple movement, I can change the way I see the big picture.

The planting zone that I'm in has recently been changed from 4 to 4b. It's an opportunity to try a plant that I may not have considered before. Maybe it's time to add lavender to the herb bed. The herbs face south, getting sun all day long. The bed is somewhat protected from the wind, so I think that lavender has a pretty good chance of making it through the Winter .I'll never know unless I take the chance.

I hope that if I look at where I am, keep an open mind to change, be willing to take a few risks, and have faith, my garden may become a more beautiful place to visit.