The sun is shining, the air is crisp, the thermometer hovers just under 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Time to put the flowers up for winter. And that means editing.
This morning, I took a break from my mad writing goal of 20,000 words per week–I almost got there–and spent an hour digging out the bed in front of Jim’s barn.
About ten years ago, I planted sedum Autumn Joy there, thinking they’d look green in summer and dusky pink in fall. Turned out great for two years, and then the plants got scraggly. Horse nettle added its nasty self in that bed, along with some pernicious vine I’ve never identified. Then I learned that Autumn Joy–also known as Never-Dies with good reason–needs dividing every couple of years.
I divided the sedum and cut back the number of plants to reduce my work load. But then added iris and daylilies, forgetting that these too need dividing at least every two years.
One of the daylilies is especially gorgeous. That big clump at the far right of the photo? It looks like this in bloom:
If I had places for them, I could get five fans (plants) from that clump. But as William Faulkner said, ‘kill your darlings.’ Just as true in gardening as in writing.
Speaking of, my latest published short story–and warning, it’s a little dark–is at Page & Spine Magazine.
Liked the story! Therapy is not always so one-sided is it? You would know! I love my Autumn Joy and have divided and shared it with many other gardeners over the years. I like to cut it before it freezes and put it in a vase and it will root and can be planted in someone else’s garden. It was one of my better buys at the nursery!! Your lily is gorgeous. I just dug up 2 day lily beds and transplanted one and the other batch is going up to the neighbors’ – hopefully can get it all planted tomorrow. I also dug up an iris bed that just wasn’t doing well – think it was getting too much shade. Those iris are also headed up the hill to Darren and Denise’s! My day lilies are all just the old standard orange ones. I have never planted any of the pretty colors and had them come back. Oh, and I have Stella’s that are finally doing well! They were hit and miss for the first few years.