Behind the fall décor

See, it’s like this. We in the Western New York area love our seasons; we really do. But in order to give up on the flowers of summer and the growing season in general, we need some kind of substitute.

Or, I should say, I do. Part of it is celebrating the symbols of the harvest in a little display like this—including pumpkins, hay, dried flowers, and whatever else seems to work.

For me another part is firing up the plant room for all the tender and tropical plants I am overwintering; right now it looks like a mini-jungle in there, except that jungles usually don’t have artwork and bookshelves. It also includes planting the final perennials and—of course—621 bulbs, many of which are being forced for January-March enjoyment. Though I must say I think I enjoy potting them up and storing them in the root cellar even more than when they bloom.

There may be some hay and pumpkins on the stoop, but there also a lot of gardening action going on chez GWI—even in late October.