Posted on by Donna

A Soggy Fall….and a winner!

“I love the fall. I love it because of the smells that you speak of; and also because things are dying, things that you don’t have to take care of anymore, and the grass stops growing.”  ~Mark Van Doren

 

I wish this quote was true this year, but as you can see my garden is pretty green for the end of October even with highs near 40 and lows in the 30s.  And with all the rain we have had-8 inches in 3 days just this week-we are continuing to see things grow. 

Now don’t get me wrong….I am very grateful for the rain.  We had a significant drought this spring and summer so the rain is needed.  Thankfully we are not flooded, and the rain gives me some rest between garden chores.  And if it was colder, the rain might turn into that white stuff that I would rather not see yet.  We did have a flurry.  Of course with the greener garden, I am still able to do some chores.  All in all this slow, wet fall is not so bad and not something I am complaining about.

 

 

And with this slow fall, we are seeing some interesting critters in nature.  Even some monarchs were slow to go after our freeze.  We have seen thousands of migrating birds too.  More than I can remember.  Just this week we saw several flocks of red-winged blackbirds that were made up of thousands of birds.  Then we saw them converge as one group numbering at least 100,000.  We watched the line of birds like a train moving down the tracks for over 5 minutes, and they just kept coming.  They seem to be hanging near the lake across the street, Oneida Lake, which is the largest inland lake in New York.

 

 

Of course some flowers won’t hang around when it gets too chilly or wet so I picked many and made vases recently.  Here are a few of the remaining cosmos, with our last pole bean harvest.

 

 

This multi-colored Knock-Out rose is still blooming, but not the zinnia or Calendula I picked for the vase.

 

 

The Hydrangea are also still putting on quite a show with new blooms….

 

 

And with the aging fall colored blooms on the same bush.  The fall hydrangea colors mixed nicely with the roses.

 

 

I was pleased to see my first and only David Austin rose, The Mayflower, still blooming.  It is stunning in color, shape and smell.

 

And speaking of roses…we have a winner!!

Loredana Donovan who blogs at, Blogging Away, is the winner of the Jackson and Perkins, Four Roses Anniversary Rose.  Many congrats to you, Loredana!

 

I am joining Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful In A Vase on Monday meme. The pictures shared here were created with my iPod Touch camera and two free apps, Pixlr and Prisma.

I am hoping to have my next blogger interview post ready by next Monday……I hope you will join me!

All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2018.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.

36 Replies to “A Soggy Fall….and a winner!”

  1. Hi Donna, beautiful artsy photos! I love all the floral compositions especially the photo with the pumpkins, so Autumnal. Colorful foliage is a bit tardy here too as everything is still green. We had a very rainy summer. Thank you so much for the rose. Looking forward to its arrival!

  2. Hi Donna, like your painterly vases, how pretty! After a terrible drought we too are grateful for the rain. Everything has started to turn green and roses are flowering again. Autumn colour is always late here but I look forward to this quiet, soothing time of year – feel we deserve it this year! Happy autumn days x

  4. When I read of such temperatures I have to remind myself that it is the end of October. Green at this time of year is good. We have finally received some cooler temperatures and leaves are just beginning to show their fall color. Tulip poplars are dropping their leaves so it is beginning to look more fall-like here. Happy Autumn!

  5. I’m glad you’re getting some rain and a bit of respite from garden chores. Your vases are all wonderful! Happy Halloween!

  6. HI Donna! Gorgeous images as always! I’m in the Blue Ridge Mtns in central Virginia, and I too am VERY soggy. Even during the summer it was rain rain rain and now the leaves are thinking that they don’t want to turn the beautiful autumn colors, but hang on a while and shrivel up there on the trees. Ah well, there is always hope for NEXT autumn.

    I was delighted about a week ago to see bunches of snow flurries, making my “toddler brain” dance with glee.

    Wishing you a delightful autumn, even if a bit late!

    1. Wow that is amazing you were soggy this summer. I love the first snowfall but not the months of cold and snowy weather as it keeps me indoors too much. Enjoy the season and wishing you some autumn color.

  7. It sounds like Mr. Van Doren must have lived somewhere other than the American West Coast, where gardening chores pretty much go on all year round. Glad you are getting some rain after a droughty summer.

    1. Yes it seems he probably gardened in the NE Alison where we see the grass and plants stop growing as they have their coats of white for several months….soon!

  8. Your garden still in the pink by all accounts with those vases Donna- slow, soggy season – a suitable alliteration for the mood and winter too is trying to set foot here already with a north wind

    1. I heard your winter was trying to sneak in early…..still here we are in fall although that could change at any time. Yes the rainy weather can easily bring my moodiness and grief out. Sending you much love!

  9. The Mayflower is one of the new roses I have just acquired, Donna, and I am looking forward to a good showing next year.AS always your digital pictures add such a stylish look to your photos – I love them! The sight of all those birds you mentioned must have been wonderful to see – here, we see starling murmurations periodically, always fascinating to watch

    1. Oh I can’t wait to see your Mayflower rose Cathy….this is year 2 for mine, and it is still smallish but putting out quite a few blooms even now. I am so pleased you are enjoying my photos.

  10. It has been an unusually warm fall, hasn’t it? The foliage seems to go from peak to peak through different species. And the rainiest summer I can recall before that. I suppose rain is better than snow!
    I love your arrangement of hydrangeas and roses – so lovely and delicate. Nice to see flowers so late in the season!

  11. Hydrangeas and roses too! That’s wonderful. Of course, I envy you the rain. Our extended forecasts were showing some rain about 2 weeks out but that forecast seems to have disappeared (again).

    1. I love your vase Amanda and look forward to seeing what roses you purchased. And I’ll be sure to check out your Wednesday vase!

  14. We are emphatically in drought. And have been for some time. Most of our rain is winter rain, and this year we got less than 10 per cent of our usual (small) average.
    Loving your garden.
    And David Austan roses are glorious (but spiky) things.

  17. We have had lots of rain at last too Donna and are sooo grateful after the dry summer! Frosts and snow flurries too! Your vases are presented very artistically and it is nice to see you still have so many flowers. 🙂

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