Beautifully written, Camp. For Floridians, now comes the best time. In the next month or so, it will start to cool down enough that the roses and other plants can start recovering from the heat. We had an earlier thread about how intense the sun has been this year, as though the sun had dropped a few hundred thousand miles closer to the earth. Even with the most rain we've had in several years, the roses have had a tough time keeping their clothes on. Soon it will be time to sow seeds, both vegetables and flowers, and get my hanging baskets tricked out with new residents.

I really look forward to this time of year, even though it means penning the horses and hauling hay. This sand hill can't keep enough grass on the ground in the winter for them, although I think it would if we got any rain to speak of in the winter.

It's also time for the hummers to leave. I will really miss them. Occasionally, we'll have one stay through the winter, though not often. Otherwise, this is a lovely time of year here--or will be in another month.

Fall is not quite here. There's just a hint of it.We're in the middle of a heat spell and water is becoming more scarce. September is my hardest month. The realities are too harsh for me to start dreaming yet. I've been on a huge project this summer creating a home for the many ramblers that we took cuttings of last summer. We've built 30 rebar arches with more to go. I've planted probably 80 ramblers with more to go. I've loved doing this but the rest of the garden has gone begging and my future is getting all of it together before next spring. Plus like you I do an incredible amount of handwatering. When the first rain arrives next month I'll be an entirely different and happier person.

Fall is the end of my season. The days are noticeably shorter and the nights much cooler already. I will get another flush of blooms before winter sets in for real though. Usually the fall blooms have really spectacular color too. Then they'll all slow way down and start to go dormant and it'll be a long wait until next spring for me. That's when I'll do my dreaming and planning. Sitting in front of the window staring out at the grayness of winter is when I dream most about next year's garden. It helps keep me sane through the dreary months.

In Texas, our cooler weather will kick in in late Sept with cool nights and warm days; the roses will take off, and this is the time of year many of us our cleanup/weeding that built up during the heat. Many years it lasts well into November and I've had roses blooming in December. It's one of the best times of year for us that don't venture out in our torrid heat.

I don't dare plant gallon plants out until the fall here. Even roses in five and ten gallons struggle under the intense summer sun and have to be protected. I envy the fact you can do it now, Pam, and admire the fact you can do that number. I'll be setting out about 40 teas and ramblers if things go as planned.

Funny thing is that it's better here to plant them now. Not so much the five gallons but the one gallons have a hard time because our winters are so wet. I am watering all the newly planted roses regularly. 40 teas and ramblers is a lot of roses. I hope you'll post photos when they bloom.

I can't really relax until the end of October because that month is when we usually have wildfires, although this year we seem to have had them somewhere or other since May, with the horrific Yosemite fire still burning as we speak. October can be cooler or it can still be hot, so my daily hand watering may or may not turn into watering every second day. What I crave most is rain, so that I won't have to water at all for a week or two, and the danger of fires will be over. That's also the time when the roses will recover from the summer doldrums. I don't think I've ever seen so many rose bushes where the majority of leaves range from somewhat dry and unsightly to totally desiccated and truly ugly. I'm more than ready for all that to go away, and look forward to a moist and green fall and winter, should I be so lucky.

Ingrid

We are starting to feel a touch of fall in the evening and mornings here---I love this time of year----Love the "sweatshirt" weather---I don't do much gardening anymore ---no digging or anything too strenuous ---but I still enjoy what is left of my gardens----I enjoy the blooms in the window boxes and the lovely color of the Zinnias with the butteflies and hummers--
thank goodness for GW---I can enjoy all the work you youngsters do and all your lovely gardens--
Pam---can't wait to see all your new ramblers in bloom---
Florence

We are having the hottest weather we have had all year. It won't cool down until mid October most likely. I have a lot to do, but at the moment it is too hot with the exception of early mornings and late evenings.
kay

This post was edited by organic_kitten on Sun, Sep 8, 13 at 23:24

The only fall around here is the leaf decorations and halloween merchandise starting to take over all the local stores. The weather is still stuck on summer.

Oh and the bags of tulips and other bulbs for sale that no salesperson will tell you have to be refrigerated before planting.

Sweatshirts at 7 AM, T-shirts at noon: not Fall yet, but time to pause before the heavy mulching for winter. Intense reading of a wonderful cookbook, "Too Many Tomatoes" as I harvest in a frenzy and cook up soup, stews, ratatouille and sauce, and freeze it all - no more canning. Lots and LOTS of red bell peppers, basil, zucchini and eggplants. The brussel sprouts are almost big enough to pick. Some of my climbing roses are sneaking canes across the veg. beds and I must decide whether to ruthlessly cut them back or gently pin them up.

The roses are over but it's too soon to put them to sleep, i.e., heavily mulch them. A good time to enjoy the deeper blue of the autumn ocean and the quiet of a summer-cottage neighborhood after summer's gone.

Carol