fall in the flower garden

Last week's nor'easter dropped five inches of rain in my yard (and the rest of Durham County). Rain and wind and the time of year meant that this past weekend held a lot for me to do. Of course there were limbs to pick up and piles of leaves to shred for composting and mulch. But because we haven't yet had a hard freeze, I was pleasantly surrounded by a good many flowers.

These zinnias (pictured above) and at least two dozen orange marigolds still spark the front of my vegetable garden. I could have photographed the bright green lettuce and the perfect pansies that are happy in fall weather, but I am too proud of these summery blooms that have kept up their act ever since late June. They are ratty and tired looking but until the first killing frost, I will use my hands to keep the pecan and oak leaves from smothering their last gasps.

On a less mournful note, I am happy to see that the small grassy clumps of grape hyacinth bulbs have returned to their spot in the perennial border. The purplish blue flowers won't appear until mid-to late February, just before the daffodils I ordered are due to bloom. I expect to plant those next weekend, after I get up the fallen canopy from my maple tree that is dropping pinkish red and yellow leaves all over my backyard as I write this.