Garden fairies here!
We are garden fairies, and to say that we were displeased by the early snowfall this week would be a correct statement!
But we were not distressed about it because we had been working very hard to get Carol to get things put away since it was already November, and that is something we like her to do in late October.
Honestly, what was she waiting for? Regardless of her procrastination, Seedy and Soddy reported that in the back garden, Carol had indeed pulled plants out of the big pots and covered those pots with black plastic trash bags. Sweetpea MorningGlory hates how they look, but that practice has kept those pots looking pretty darn good for a pretty darn good many years. So we let Carol do it.
Carol also piled everything else that could be ruined, spoiled, or messed up by winter weather in a big heap on the patio and threw an old tarp over it, which she secures by various methods to keep it from flying away with the first big wind. Ol’ Rainbow Tanglefly reported that the tarp held even when it got really windy earlier this week, though he noted there were a few places where she could do better securing it down. We hope she gets out here soon to do just that.
Meanwhile, out in front, Honoria and Hortense said that Carol put away hoses in the nick of time and also got rid of the hanging baskets that were well past their prime and a little bit beyond that as well. And, they were pleased that Carol left the violas and pansies to continue to bloom as best they can until they can’t.
They reported, however, that though Carol put out the heated bird bath, she has been lax about keeping the bird feeders filled with seed.
We are garden fairies. We will convene a committee to discuss how to get Carol to do better at keeping the bird feeders filled. Seedy and Soddy said they would co-chair this committee. However, Granny ‘Gus’ McGarden said that they also need to keep at Carol to relocate leaves from the lawn to the Vegetable Garden Cathedral beds, so they may not have time for the extensive meetings, minute-taking, and follow-up required of such a committee.
Therefore, the birds will just have to be patient. Leaves must be managed!
In other news, Deema Mae Flowerweaver, who has already gone inside for the winter, reported that Carol bought three waxed amaryllis bulbs, hoping for Christmas blooms, plus a pot with three African violets and a pretty cyclamen. To be clear, the cyclamen is in its own pot, but the other pot really does have three African violets in it.
We think the African violets are a sign that Carol is entering her “old lady gardener” era. We are fine with that, but we will not allow her to use that as an excuse to not manage the leaves.
The leaves must be managed! We are garden fairies.
And with that, we must sign off and continue our work in the garden because the snow is gone, and it is getting warmer again. “What work?” you ask. Goodness, do you not read Carol’s weekly newsletter where she has noted that she is having her entire privacy fence removed and replaced in the next few weeks?
We have much to do to prepare for it, which will mostly involve hiding and hoping for the best.
We are garden fairies!
Submitted by:
Violet GreenPea MayDreams, Chief Scribe and Chairman of the Fence Replacement Observation Committee.
P.S. Those snapdragons look pretty good after being snow-covered for two days! Hats off to Seedy and Soddy for taking care of them!
P.S.S. – We are pleased to report that shortly after we wrote this post and published it, Carol went out and filled the bird feeders and freshened up the water in the heated birdbath. We are garden fairies! It appears the threat of a committee forming was all it took to get Carol to take care of the bird feeders. Hooray! No committee needed! On to leaf management!
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