Looking out from the middle of the garden into the lower and out to the lake.
Opening the doors to the back deck this morning, I encountered the sweet relief of autumn. As anyone who attended the Dallas GWA symposium can attest, summers in the south can be brutal. Yesterday, in Ft. Worth, several of us trudged around gardens while the sun beat down upon us. Temperatures increased to nearly 100F, and I watched the folks from Canada nearly melt.
In the middle of Dallas traffic, I began my three hour journey north to Oklahoma, and as I crossed the Red River, I rolled down the window and took a deep breath of home. Oklahoma is part of upper south, and we feel Autumn enter a month before our Texas friends.
In fact, storms are flirting with southern Kansas, and our upper northeast corner, in which sits Commerce and Miami, may get rain. My family called me in twice in Dallas, and with excited voices, said it had rained. In states where we receive moisture only in certain months of the year (in normal years anyway), it is always a celebration after the long summer.
Allium tuberosum, garlic chives, which escaped from my garden and now hangs out about the gate like a forelorn pup.
Rain is also a good omen for Bloom Day. As most of you know, Carol of May Dreams Gardens hosts it each month on the 15th, and she managed to come back from GWA, write and schedule her post. That’s a good host and a dedicated writer.
Zinnia elegans, Art Deco Mix seed which I only planted last month. It doesn't take zinnias long to take off so if mildew gets yours, pull them and plant more seed up to early August.
I hope you enjoy these scenes of my garden as it enters its second spring. It’s too bad we couldn’t have visited Dallas during October when they get theirs, but schedules sometimes overlap, and one can’t be everywhere.
Aster ericoides, heath aster, weaving its way through my Blush Knockout rose. The aster will soon bloom a soft white.
As Elizabeth Lawrence said in the quote which inspired Bloom Day, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year . . .,” but it sure helps if you have some moisture too.
The morning glory clambering up the trellis is Grandpa Otts. If you plant it, remember it's pretty aggressive.
A shoutout to all the young writers and bloggers I met at GWA. Thanks for coming up and sharing your stories, and your personal garden triumphs. Your words refreshed my soul like rain in a parched desert. I’m honored you read this little blog, and I thank you for stopping by. Welcome again to my Red Dirt paradise. Iced tea and comfy chairs await in the garden. Why don’t we sit a spell?
I love those blue chairs, Dee! I would love to see your garden in person and take a little break sitting by the Morning Glory trellis. Wish I had known your advice about zinnias earlier–only one of mine germinated. First the seeds were drowned, then they suffocated in the dry heat:) Isn’t this cooler air wonderful? A happy belated Bloom Day!
Rose, I hope you travel to Oklahoma someday and come visit. Thanks for your sweet words. Yes, zinnias will come up especially if its hot. Mine second planting is blooming its fool head off.
Hiya Dee,
What a lot of heat stories. Even this late in the year.
And there is us shivering our sox off.
I can’t remember when I last felt warm, let alone hot.
Dry, yes, but hot? Not since 2006 I don’t think. Let’s share it out a little, shall we:-)
I envy you that lake at the bottom of your garden. Are the banks yours to garden?
Thanks for stopping by.
Joco, we’re still hot and will be for awhile. Sheesh, I wish I could blow that warm air your way.
I’m astounded at your energy to post for Bloom Day after GWA! But your garden is lovely. Interesting that you felt that breath of autumn on the way. As I headed south, the breath of humid misery met me. Hope you got the rain! And it was just too great to meet you at last.
Linda, actually no energy, at . . . all. Carol cajoled me into it. LOL.
Lovely photos! It almost feels cool just to look at the flowers in the autumn light.
Happy bloom day!
Thank you Town Mouse.
I have never considered planting zinnias in August–but what a GREAT idea–I catogorized that in my head for next year!! The zinnias I had seem to have pooped out with the heat, though they are getting a second wind with the cool down! Beautiful pictures!!
Melanie, I often pull up the ones with powdery mildew and plant anew. It’s a good way to freshen up the garden before fall. 🙂
A delightful walk through your garden this morning. I’d love to just come and sit for awhile, you have beautiful gardens. I’ll visit again!
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
You have the prettiest view from the back of your house. Amazing that 3 hours can make such a difference. So 3 hours south of Dallas it is even less like fall. 90s this week and our poor friends from England are really going to feel the heat. I can barely spend even a few minutes out in the garden.
Thank you so much Jenny. The odd thing is I’m so busy looking at the garden that I often miss the lake view.
Your garden looks like a long, cool drink! I’m sure it was a relief to get home after the scorching temps of GWA. Aug/Sept are even hard for Texans sometimes! We had fog and a hint of cool this morning, I can’t wait for fall – so glad you’re having it now!
Thank you Diana. It’s not as cool as it looks though. It is so hot here too now.
hey dee, it was great seeing you at gwadfw! your image of rolling down the window and breathing in the air makes me look forward to the cool(er) weather of fall… if it ever gets here in central tx. here’s to sweet relief.
Andrea, it was lovely meeting you. You are such a sweet and dear person.
Love the blue chairs, and aren’t garlic chive flowers the best? I bring my plant in over the winter and it does fine in my dark, cool living room.
Hi Monica, I just wish the garlic chives didn’t want to populate all of Oklahoma. Here, they are very aggressive, but yes, they are pretty.
September glory in your lovely garden, Dee. What a view to welcome you home.
Thank you Joey. It was a welcome sight.
SO good to finally meet you! And I love this post – literally feeling the cool air through my own window as I look at the beautiful pictures of your own garden in all it’s ‘coolness’. OhmyGAWD – I’ve never experienced heat like that before! You Texans are some tough cookies, I’ll give you that!! Big virtual hugs & kisses to you!
Rebecca, loved meeting you too and can’t wait to see your new book. It was really hot in Texas. Cooler here, but then hot again. Hoping for another cool down.
Dee……..so GOOD to finally meet you in Dallas! I second your comments on the rain.
What a gift to come home to. We should take turns visiting each others gardens this fall.
I would be thrilled to celebrate rain. We had a whole day of light mist on Sunday, but it only amounted to .6″. There are people here who wish the next hurricane could veer a little closer – I am not yet that desperate.
Sitting in your blue chairs, gazing at the garden sounds wonderful. I am so glad you finially receive some much needed rain and I am sure your garden is also thankful. The garden looks great even with the hot summer weather it had.
Dear Dee, I could feel that cool morning air while reading your words, and your love for your home. There is no place like it, home that is. I am glad for your rain, we had a little but need so much more. Hope we all get what we need. 🙂
The view is breath taking and I love the blue chairs!
love the look of your blue chairs. if they’re comfy i’d be interested to know what kind they are or where you found them.
thanks, Dee, it’s always a joy reading your blog.
i had no idea zinnias grew so fast. i planted some this year and it seemed forever until they bloomed. of course staring at them every day didn’t make the time pass any faster. haha
Jennie, those chairs were some old ones of my mother’s. She was getting rid of them, and I took two chairs and a chaise lounge. I’ve painted them several colors over the years. Believe it or not, they are plastic. I know, wild huh? They are very comfortable, and I often sit in them and ponder after working hard in the garden. You should join me sometime.~~Dee
i would love to join you! i’ll even help you in the garden.
It has amused me ready the US GBBD posts as you are more obsessed with the weather than we are here in the UK but I think you have had it pretty extreme this year? Glad you are enjoying the cooler weather of autumn
Helen, my weather has been about normal (hot and dry), but the rest of the U.S. is freaked out by their heat and drought. I also noticed most of the posts detailed the local weather. Perhaps, it is also the change of seasons.
aloha dee
i’m enjoying touring your garden with you today, i’m really enjoying my visit. the first photo just says it all with your garden – heaven 🙂
Aloha Noel, thank you so much today. I think you live in heaven being in Hawaii. 🙂
I love the garlic chives — photo and your description. I am just seeing tiny sprouts from the seeds I planted last week. I don’t know how I’d do in the heat of Texas, but my frosty toes and goose-bump covered arms might prefer it to the 60 degrees we have in CT today.
Heather, I’m really not so in love with garlic chives. They are bad boys in my garden much like the autumn clematis. I will need to go out and deadhead all of these to keep them from being worse. I mow the whole thing all summer. Does nothing to discourage them. Thanks for the kind words.
The weather is a cooler 60 degrees here at noon time. Hope you get the same relief. Rain too. The flowers are really appreciating it. I know I have said it before, but I love those blue chairs. You are lucky to be in Texas, or you might be missing them. LOL They look great with the Ipomoea.
Sounds lovely Donna. I’m back from Texas, and I’m glad to be in my Oklahoma garden.
Dee, Welcome home! I can only imagine how the Canadians felt in that heat and humidity! I was reminded of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta; what in the world were they thinking! Your garden looks luscious. I am imagining the breeze off the lake and how delicious fall smells! xxgail
Gail, exactly. I felt really sorry for those who weren’t used to it, and I was glad to get home.
I love the view out to the lake..and would so enjoy a chance to sit and gaze at your garden. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Leslie. Maybe you’ll come to Oklahoma one day.
Hi Dee! Sorry I couldn’t make it down to Dallas. I sure did miss miss everyone.
September really is a great time for gardens, and your blooms look wonderful. I do love how definitions for fall vary from region to region. Our highs have been in the low 70s lately, and it’s been fantastic.
Anneliese, I totally missed you my friend, but I’m excited about the new garden tool I bought from your dad and brother. Look for a post soon.
I would love to come sit a spell in your garden, and admire all the fall blooms. It looks so pretty in the morning light. The view of the garden looking off to the lake is quite serene.
It was great to see you and tour gardens with you and everyone else this past weekend. Now I know what the phrase “hot like Texas” really means!
Thanks for joining in for bloom day and for the very kind words.
Carol, I meant every word of it.