Changing of the guard

It’s almost November and change is definitely in the air! It’s time for a changing of the guard. Out with the old and in with the new.

Of course the basic structure of my garden will remain the same, the backbone and foundation on which it was founded. I have great respect and appreciation for these unchanging parts of my garden and work hard to keep them healthy.

But to keep all the garden looking good and thriving, it’s necessary to make some periodic changes. Generally, it’s a seasonal task and frankly, removing the old, spent, decaying plants and putting in something new, fresh and exciting is one of my favorite gardening chores. So, over the weekend, I pulled up all of my summer annuals, primarily rows of white pentas and verbenas and pots of begonias. I chopped down the okra tree and pulled up the last remaining tomatoes, all to make room for something new.

It’s always difficult to determine what to replace the old plants with because there are so many choices. Everyone has favorite plants they want to include in the garden. My vote is always for plants that are dependable and pleasing and ones that get the job done.

This year, like almost every other fall, I’ve planted dozens of pansies. I know quite well that they will not put on much of a show until spring but when I plant in fall, it’s with an eye toward the future. Planting in fall, rather than waiting for spring, allows them to put down roots and settle in before they are asked to perform.

In addition to the pansies, I also planted quite a few snapdragons and parsley. In the small area that I fenced in to keep the squirrels out, I put in lettuce, Swiss chard and kale.

I already have a lot of perennials so I only put in a few new and unusual things. I’ve always wanted to try tickseed sunflower, Bidens aristosa, and this seemed the perfect year to do that.

I love all seasons in the garden. And, I love all plants. But for the health, beauty and longevity of the garden, I know that change is good and now seems a good time to make those changes.