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Monday, November 29, 2010

I Am Completely In Love With My Garden Today


The air is cool, but, it's warm in the sun. There is color here and there to catch the eye. 'Lovely Fairy' is blooming, having survived several freezes and frosts. She's lovely against the afternoon cool blue sky.

Rough Leaved Dogwood*

In The Garden of Benign Neglect, the last of the Rough Leaved Dogwood leaves cling to the branches and dance in the breeze....I am thrilled this lovely native is happy in my garden.
High above are leaves still waiting to join the ones on the ground

Fall lasts a long time in Middle Tennessee....way into December in a mild year. These are the days that southern gardeners long for when the oppressive weather of summer makes working in the garden a chore and not a joy. These are the days that I fall into love with my garden all over again and notice everything about it!
~Like the watery reflection of the autumn colors on the skylight.

Panicum vigatum with captured oak leaf
How brilliant grasses still look~

Gold in a pile of browned leaves.
The veins illuminated on dried mistflowers and
The aster leaves curling as they dry.

Amsonia hubrechtii's curtain call

Everywhere the leaves and flowers are curling up and turning inward...It's the dance of garden life.

Colchicum bloomed while I wasn't looking!

These are the days when many southern gardeners divide and transplant old garden friends; we add new plants and bulbs to the garden...

1000 Tommies* are planted beneath the Bottle Tree

These are the days when I have the energy to build a small wall from the rocks that were uncovered and moved, so I could plant the bulbs and new plants.

These cool and sunny days are perfect for me to sit in the garden and dream about my love~Clay and Limestone.

xxoogail

44 comments:

  1. Helen@gardeningwithconfidence.comNovember 29, 2010 at 5:49 AM

    Gail, it looks gorgeous. I can see and feel the love. Falls in my part of NC are similarly long and loved.

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  2. Sending you big hugs from New Hampshire, where our lake is beginning to freeze...

    xxxxxx

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  3. Dear Gail, these are the days of miracles and wonder...

    So nice to hear your voice full of love and admiration for your own special space. The photos show well the why of it! :-)
    xxxooo
    Frances

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  4. Clay and Limestone is a mighty lovely place in the fall. Great job on the rock wall and it's so nice to love your own garden. It shows!

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  5. Fall in Tennessee is simply the best! Your fairy rose still looks so pretty!

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  6. Yes, fall makes up for summer's blast furnace and reminds us all why we garden. So glad you two made friends again.~~Dee

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  7. I so know how you feel! Our fall and winter weather here in my part of Texas is our reward for making it through another hellatious summer!

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  8. Great photos Gail! Yesterday was beautiful to be out and about wasn't it? Love the switchgrass and the back lit leaf photos!

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  9. It sounds idyllic & looks it too. I can't imagine having roses blooming now. The colors are just lovely.

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  10. I think I could easily fall in love with your garden too!

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  11. I can see why. It is so beautiful this time of year. Love your photos.

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  12. I know what you mean about Autumn's garden. Autumn in So Cal, also, offers so many diff opportunities than Summer days. I love your new rock wall. Makes me want to get in there & plant some daffodils!

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  13. Oh Gail, I love that title - your pictures totally justify the love! Wonderful autumn light - can't wait to see all those crocuses under the bottles!

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  14. Your roses are great Gail. I notice more textures and colors this time of year since they are becoming more sparse to find.i have 5 catalogs, not sure why they are so early, but I usually have my new garden planned in January.

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  15. I love this time of year as well. I've done "most" of my fall clean up but there are still a lot of plants that need to be cut back. I'll get the rest finished after Christmas - I make all my gifts and am way behind!!

    BTW - do you mind if I take that kindness quote and add it to my blog page?

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  16. Gail, Your fall garden is lovely. This time of year makes it especially fun to be a southern gardener. All those projects and dreams of the grueling summer can actually come to life!

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  17. I can see why you fell in love. You have captured a lot of beauty in your photos. Did I see 1000 tommies...wow, looking forward to seeing them bloom.

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  18. Your garden is looking lovely. During Autumn and Winter it is so good when the sun comes out to tempt us to take stroll around the garden. If there is no sun I make do with looking out of the window which is not so satisfying!

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  19. Our autumn seems to have been over very quickly which is a pity as I love autumn, as much as spring. I think if I had to cope with your temperatures I would be feeling like you do

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  20. I would be too, Gail. It is so lovely. Guess I will have to keep coming here to stay cheered during the long winter.

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  21. I love your garden, too! Fall is truly a special time here in the Deep South. The crisp, cool air is so refreshing, and the colors are glorious. But...today is cold and dreary and now I'm thinking winter!

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  22. I can sure see why you have fallen in love once again with your garden. It has so many lovely spots and gives you shots to share. Big Hugs.

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  23. You are lucky to have blooms and such pleasant weather! Your garden looks lovely!

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  24. Sounds perfect Gail. and looks about like it did here two months ago! ha. Long, mild falls are definitely to be envied ~ I would look forward to this season if we had what you're describing more often.
    I'm glad you're in love with C&L again. It's a beautiful place for sure. Have you got all three thousand of those crocus bulbs planted?!!

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  25. I can see why you love your garden right now, Gail--so beautiful! The light just seems to make everything glow as well. Fall is definitely over here--no snow yet, but winter has arrived.

    Can't wait to see those 1,000 Tommies in bloom next spring!

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  26. Gail, what a lovely oasis you have! And it's so nice to fall in love with your garden all over again. Thanks for a lovely post.

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  27. So beautifully said, dear Gail. Your passion shines in all that you post. Do hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful. I am so thankful to be a sharing friend.

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  28. You really captured the sunlight with this post, Gail. As you said, "These are the days that southern gardeners long for during the oppressive weather of summer." Amen!

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  29. Keep posting stuff like this i really like it

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  30. Hello Gail, not surprised you are in love with your garden when it is full of such lovely colour. Delightful! I have a scattering of snow and no lovely Autumn foliage left.

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  31. Fall and Spring both energize me in the garden!

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  32. I am enjoying fall in the garden as well. I tell my husband it is a scavenger hunt...fall gives you new things to find...a dogwood here, a maple there, and on and on. I look forward to adding a few stones on the wall in my backyard as well.

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  33. It's all great, isn't it?
    Would never want to live without my gardens.
    It's even nice to see that stray leaf stuck in a bush or plant...have that all over the place.
    Love the reflection in your sky light,nice job.

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  34. It is good to be in love and filled with gratitude for the beauty around you. Love the golden grass and the skylight reflections.

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  35. Fall is so special, especially in the years that the reds and oranges are blazing, and the yellows are clear.

    We've have a wonderfully long one, with the frosts just zapping this or that, as the temperatures became lower.

    Now we're into a winter look, with rain and gray skies. But we need the rain, so I'm not complaining.

    Lisa

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  36. I agree with you entirely. However, I have been waiting for the first frost/freeze so I can pull the rest of my summer annuals. We had it Monday night.

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  37. Sweet reward after a long, hot summer Gail.

    Beautiful!

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  38. Thank you for sharing your treasures! Your photos are beautiful; on the sunny days I feel just like you about autumn, then on the days like yesterday when it was soooo cold I dream of spring. This autumn has been mainly good here with lovely, sunny, blue sky days alternating with rain (we need the rain - well some at least). Christina

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  39. These beautiful fall days are a gift aren't they? It looks like heaven in your garden.

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  40. Beautiful photos, Gail! (Did You Crawl Up On Your Roof???) Btw: how are you feeling these days?

    Happy December(!) and Winter. :-)

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  41. Fall was long and glorious here in Virginia, too. We had our second hard freeze overnight, which put an end to what little was left of the growing season. Your photos are beautiful!
    Connie

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  42. Oh it us easy to see why you love your fall garden. I love the golds and the spot of pink. I tend to stay inside during the months of July and August, but once fall arrives, it is hard to keep me inside when the garden beckons :-)

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  43. This is such a lovely heart warming post Gail. I really thought I had commented before. I meant to come back after picking to tell you how happy I am you have this time to enjoy your garden. I know it can be so hot and hard to garden in the summer. I hope the warmer weather lingers for awhile longer so that you can sit longer and dream about your garden. You have captured the light so beautifully in these photos. I love the grasses with the single floating leaf and all the curls. ;>)

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