As of yesterday...

This is the garden as it looked the past two days I have been working in it.

The trees except one remain green and lush and the shrubs have yet to start turning

their Fall colors.

I can see change almost daily however as the Autumn nights have been crisp and colder.

I worked hard  the past couple of days moving and dividing many perennials and filling in bare spots

in the beds. It is hard work getting things ready for the Winter, but I don't know of too many things 

that bring me more pleasure than this type of work. 

As I walked around the garden this Summer I took note of beds that I thought needed reworking.

Sometimes (most times really) a garden needs to go through radical changes.

When I planted the beds in the garden most of the trees were very young and now

that they are maturing they throw their shade on many of my once sun-loving plants.

This makes for weak and rangy looking foliage. 

So this week has been spent digging, digging and digging some more. 

Many of the roses are blooming.

This is Morden Blush.

 It rained much of last week and so this week I played catch up with the weeding while Dale did

the mowing.

 Moxie rose

I love this rose that I transplanted from my mom's garden. 

It isn't extremely hardy and has to start back from the rootstock every year,

 but the blooms are so fragrant and the color 

is beautiful. 

This rose is Morden Sunrise. 

I still can't get over the sweet peas.

They continue to bloom their hearts out everywhere in the garden,

but especially the bed at the south side of the house.

I can't quit taking pictures of them!

On Friday I harvested the last of the second crop of lavender. 

I have a total of 30 plants in the garden.

Most are Hidcote and some are Munstead.

I prefer Hidcote because of it's deep purple flower

and the plant grows a little tidier than some other lavenders.

Many gardeners here have trouble with lavender because it is a zone 5 plant

and we are zone 3/4 because of our elevation, 

but I have been very lucky. 

I always know that there is no guarantee.

Every year that they over-winter I am thankful.

Limelight hydrangea

The Limelight hydrangeas are in their pinky stage. 

Perfect for cutting and drying.

This is what the grape arbor looked like three days ago when I took the photos,

but when I looked out this morning in the rain, it has changed the prettiest 

yellow and chartreuse green.

I will go out and get some photos of it tomorrow.

Pink Diamond hydrangea.

The Tardiva hydrangea tree.

Endless Summer hydrangea in an urn on the porch.

I usually buy them in the Spring for the urns and then plant them in the garden in the Fall.

and the last of the garden phlox blooming still by the pasture fence. 

I will be back at it this week...

digging, digging and digging some more.

I can't believe these sweet peas!

It's the first of October and the sweet peas are still going crazy all over the garden.

This is really unusual for me.

But I'm lovin' it!

What a joy it is to walk around to this side of the house.

Anywhere in the garden for that matter, because I planted these everywhere. 

Sadly this week will be the last of them because a frost is coming. 

I hate to part with them, but part we must.

I am taking full advantage of them now however, and will until they are gone.

In the guest room.

No scent sweeter than these.

So until next Summer my little sweet peas...

these pictures will have to do!

Hydrangeas

and other fluffy things.

The David phlox is blooming now.

It is a late bloomer in my garden and I love that about it. 

It gives the garden a much longer blooming season than all the other garden phlox

that are now almost bloomed out. 

This hydrangea below is 'Limelight'

I will have a lot of it to dry this year. 

My problem is that it takes so much space to store it, 

before I can use it in arrangements and wreaths.

The riverbank grape that grows on the arbor has a tendency to hinder it's growth. 

A few weeks ago I started really cutting back the vine and I noticed so much bee activity around it and 

even got stung and then noticed there is a huge hornet's nest in the middle of it.

I have got to get rid of it because the children play around the arbor all of the time

and I can't risk them being stung too. I have a grandson that has to keep his epi-pen with 

him all the time because of his bee allergy.

These Limelights grow next to the pergola over the front patio.

 The lavender hydrangea here is planted in an urn on the patio. 

It isn't winter hardy here so I plant them as an annual planting in the pots.

 I have hydrangeas all through the gardens here and love how they really show off in the Fall. 

They are such a great companion to roses in bouquets.

They give them such a beautiful, soft look. 

I can hardly cut a vase of roses without adding the hydrangeas to them. 

The pots are all still blooming beautifully too.

 These little violas are all volunteers from last year in this urn.

Sweet little things saved me some money.

I just had to add the coleus and sweet potato vine.

I LOVE this color combination!

I have been so pleased with the way the garden performed this year even with the late start it got.

The vegetable garden is now giving us plenty of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and  squash.

We are eating so healthy it's ridiculous!

Late Summer's garden.

One plant in the late Summer garden that I can't have enough of is

the oriental lily.

I have many different varieties and am always looking for more.

They can be costly however, so I have to keep myself reined in a bit.

These are the Stargazers.

My favorite is the Casa Blanca.

It is my favorite not only because of it's pure white bloom, but

also for it's fragrance. 

These are planted along the walk and the scent follows you all the way to the front door.

Now is the time when the garden phlox bloom.

They have actually been blooming for about two weeks, 

but I am just now getting around to posting the pictures.

I can't think of the name of this particular phlox, but I love the color.

This phlox is 'Bright Eyes'.

More of the phlox in the garden beds this season.

My mother gave me the rose below and it is one of my favorites.

It's name is 'Moxie'

The shrub below is 'Ivory Halo' dogwood. 

It has a variegated leaf and is the right size to place in a mixed border.

The sweet peas are still keeping the garden full of their wonderful sweet scent.

A gorgeous late blooming daylily.

Amazing color and scent!

 Because the garden will not be blooming forever, I am soaking all this beauty

 in and enjoying every bloom.

Still, everyday I feel so grateful to have all of this out my door

and never ever take it for granted.

Gardening is such a joy!