Autumn 2018 - Fly

One of the many beauties of the native plant garden in autumn is how absolutely little you have to worry about it. There’s no fussing, no watering, no clipping. Just let it grow as it will and enjoy the color shift from greens to golds.

By this time of year, I usually find myself a bit exhausted with the demands of my various garden patches. The charm of those little cherry tomatoes has worn off and I tend to leave them on their plant until they fall off themselves; the chipmunk fiend who has stolen several through the summer gets free reign. All the heavy blooming annual plants like petunias, zinnias, and cosmos, my lone finicky rose bush, and the hardworking rose verbena get to keep their blooms as I am done as heck with deadheading.

The best part is watching all the bright orange and black monarch butterflies heading off on their migration. At this time of year, you can take it to the bank that the monarchs you see are on their way to Mexico. One of my favorite things is reflecting on how far that little butterfly in front of me is destined to go in his or her lifetime. That little insect who weighs a mere ounce or two, will hopefully be roosting in Latin America by the new year. Good luck, little friends.