Fall in My Garden

Red Berries

High Bush Cranberry

I planted this bush several years ago because I love cranberries, and I wanted the ability to pick some from my yard. However, these berries taste nothing like the low-growing cranberries that grow in Nova Scotia. The berries taste horrible. I’ve tasted them before the frost, after the frost and after may frosts, but they still taste horrible. However, the birds enjoy them in winter.

Ninebark

This shrub has been growing in my garden for more than two decades. Last winter, I cut it back hard because it had grown lanky and wild. This summer, if filled out better than the first few years of it living in my garden.

Hosta

This hostas has been in my garden for more than ten years. I’ve cut off a few roots from the edges to spread it to other parts of the garden, and it doesn’t miss a beat. What I love about hostas is I can ignore them for years, and they still thrive.

Horse Chestnuts

One of the only trees on this property when we moved in 24 years ago was a horse chestnut. Every year, the ground around the tree fills up with these gorgeous nuts.

Pansies

My pansies are still blooming. I love this happy little flower. It’s tough and will survive in -5 degree Celsius. In fact, it prefers temperatures between 0 and 15. It’s truly Canadian.

Oak

This is the great oak with leaves starting to turn yellow. The leaves on this tree are the last to turn and the last to fall. They hang on all winter and fall in mid-spring. It’s also the last to leaf out, so each year, I’m asked by those who don’t know, “Is that tree dead?” Nope, just taking it’s time.

Lettuce

My lettuce bolted in the heat of July, and I left a few to go to seed. While I gathered many seeds, some fell to the ground, took root and now I have self-seeded lettuce plants growing. I should be able to harvest leaves for a salad in a few weeks.

Thistle

This brilliant little flower caught my eye while walking through the garden. Thistle is the symbol for Scotland, and so it’s no surprise it appears on New Scotland’s Coat of Arms. Because of this, I named my first ram Thistle.

Pumpkins

These were grown in my garden this summer from seed harvested from pumpkins last fall. The orange one, probably about ten pounds, was my biggest pumpkin. I’ll save the seeds again and feed the pumpkins to the chickens, who love them.

Herb Planter

I’ve been harvesting from this planter all summer, and it’s still growing. The summer savory succumbed to frost, but the thyme, parsley and sage live on.

Parsley

Speaking of herbs, this curly-leaf parsley is still thriving. I’ve harvested many branches over the summer, and by the looks of things, I’ll get another harvest before cold temperatures kill it.

Apple Tree

This is the apple tree that stands guard and provides shade for our mailbox. It had no flowers this year — the first time ever. That mean no delicious, tart apples to enjoy this fall. This image captured the damp, dreary, foggy day.

Turtle

This turtle stands guard over the garden. I haven’t learned his name yet, but I’m sure time will reveal it. I’m told my spirit animal is the turtle, and they have appeared in my life many times.