Now I lay me down to sleep

The garden is cleaned up and the foliage has changed colours. The roses are still blooming though!

 The view of what will be the white flowering garden next year.

 The Sedum kamtschaticum has started to change colour on the rock walls.

 Heuchera 'Creme Brulea' is this beautiful all year round and really stands out now with the dark mulch

I should of zoomed in on this shot but I wanted to get as much of the grasses as I could. Shows you how tall they got in the end.

The yellow mums are still blooming and the Sedum here is also showing up red against the turquoise blue of the new pot.

I love how these grasses stand out so white with the blue of the spruce. They actually add a neat sound element in a gentle breeze.

 I like that at this time of year I can see all the "bones" of the garden. The things that are here through every season.  I certainly would not of put three Dwarf Alberta Spruce in a straight line diagonally across this garden... But, then it hit me this summer that perhaps in its own way it created repetition as well as direction by pulling your eyes across the pond. I've thought of trying to prune them into different textures such as spirals etc. But I'm not sure that would look right in this garden. So for now they have stayed just as they are.

 I'm still loving how this foliage looks so pretty and bright. This was one 4 inch pot.

 If you look up by the stairs there are three hydrangeas that flower a blue.....when they bloom!
Which is an issue. They froze last year and were cut back yet bloomed in late spring. This year they seemed okay and then a late frost killed off there emerging buds and they grew from the crown again. There foliage grew very well but they never bloomed again this year. I'm wondering if this is not the best positioning for them. The glass end of the house is the south end. Anyone with experience with growing Hydrangea's please advise. I had thought of moving some large Yucca's there if they would be better suited.

 You can see the river bed which creates a natural break in the beds for planning purposes..

I'm going to go ahead and cut the grasses in this area down as they can't be seen from the house anyways and it will help cut down on the spring time work. I had thought of putting in a pergola here and then have Wisteria growing up it. A project now left for spring if it is to happen.

 Love how many blooms this Hydrangea gets on it. A friend suggested that I cut some down and hang them upside down to dry so that I could have a bouquet all winter. I however have enough actually growing plants that I really couldn't think of where I would put them so never did.

 For someone who really didn't like ornamental grasses......I have to say I do love the ones that are growing in this garden. I have given away pickup loads of them. I have a lot more that are going to get moved, but the ones I've shown here are pretty safe.  I have an area out in the lawn that has trees spread out and creates more work mowing around each one. I've suggested that we create a bed around the trees so we don't have to mow around them. Perhaps some grasses along with some Viburnums would be a solution.

Here's what is left of that original 20 yards. Not nearly enough mulch. Hopefully I will be able to get some more in the spring.
My prayers go out to all the people who have lost so much. It certainly has made me stop and be thankful for the many blessings in my life.
Thanks for stopping by.


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