How can I celebrate when my mind is a whirlwind of angst. I feel guilty sharing about seasonal Fall beauty and “Fall To Do Lists” when across the world in my heartland, Lebanon, my brothers and sisters are in a season of war? My trite “to do” list matters naught compared to their to do survival lists!

Yet, when I’m overwhelmed with sadness, I find escape in my garden, performing mundane tasks while remembering the by-gone peaceful gardens of my childhood where I first lealrned the joys of gardening.

Therefore, let’s start with the positives and celebrate fall gardening chores.

1. Celebrate the beauty of butterfly migrations as these exquisite creatures search out the nourishing nectars of the new fall blooms like aster, butterfly weed, blue or white mist, and scarlet salvias, mixed with the lingering late summer champions like cosmos, coreopsis, globe amarynths, and zinnias.

2. Don’t forget to dead head the spent blooms blanketed with all matter of bees.

3. Save some of your choicest summer blooms for seed harvest as they wither on the stalks.

4. Dig up, cut back, separate and transplate spring bulbs like iris, lily, amarilla. 

5. Cut back, divide, and transplant perennials only as they quit blooming, turn yellow, or shrivel from cold mornings. Leave some seed heads to dry on the stalks for the birds. When trimming, drop 1/2 the quantity of stems, fronds and branches in the flower beds to compost and mulch naturally while cutting up into smaller pieces the other half and add to your compost barrels or piles.

6. Recycle spent potted plants and potting soil in your compost bins. Old potting soil becomes new and enriched all over again when added to compost in the works. I can’t emphasize enough how essential making your own compost is to successful gardening. Plus it makes me feel soo good that I’m doing my part to recycle.

Work hard this fall, rest this winter, and reep the rewards of a well-maintained and healthy garden next spring and summer.

How are you preparing for your next season?