It’s time to begin “The Fall Cleanup” in the garden.
Parts of my garden were a TOTAL mess! Between hot weather, a good growing season, and, yes indeed, neglect…they were in need of some careful attention.
Here are my three projects I’ve been working on and perhaps they will help you get started in your own garden cleanup.
#l. Give Your Perennials Some Love
I cut back some of the perennials. I don’t always like to do this as the birds just love those seed heads. Those tall Rudbeckia maximus seed heads are like manna to the gold finch: they were right outside our dining room and so charming to watch.
I call these “graduation portraits.” The final image, for the season, of various flowers…
#2 Refresh Your Planters
I really love planters and have a growing collection. Our Japanese Maple, in the enclosed terrace area, is impossible to dig around and thus, I can’t plant anything of any size in the ground. Planters to the rescue!
We love the orange, especially mixed with the deep blues and teal.
I’ve filled it with an Acuba japonica ‘Picturata’
I have one other Acuba (different variety) that has done SO well in this spot. I’m hoping to have some greenery to cut and use in the future…love the variegated leaves!

I was even able to reuse those Coreopsis from the front fence area(see below): here are two of them, surrounding some white pansies.
3. Reassess what is working and what is not!
This spot by the white fence, at the entrance to our path and house, had become a dead zone.When we first moved here there had been nothing at all in this spot. The first thing I had done was to put a hanging planter on the fence. But I soon learned that nothing at all would grow in such intense heat, no matter how much I watered. For two years, I tried….
Above: kind of sorry looking. Those are Coreopsis and one lonely Stella d’Oro daylily.
Below: I moved the blue planter to this spot and put in some brand new plants. While this is ok…I want to find just the right shape urn/planter that will be taller and in a neutral, earthy tone. I’ll let you all know when that happens!
I’m thinking of something like this:
but perhaps not quite so formal.
Love these cement planters which are natural looking but very contemporary.
That’s it for the garden this week. It’s been hot here, but we’ve had wonderful showers almost every evening. How about you? Have you started any clean up?
Libby, have you had much rain? We desperately need it in DC. My garden is so parched. And I definitely need to reassess. I’d like more drought tolerant plants…..thinking grasses. Cheers, L
Loi: Yes, we get showers/thunderstorms a lot these days. Our weather has been much more overcast/cloudy/gray than yours for the last month I think. I’ve even turned off my irrigation system! But, of course, it’s still hot and humid and the pool is open until the 27th which is very, very nice!
Hi Libby, we had our first rain in two months the other day, the temperatures have dropped 20 degrees, and suddenly fall seems within sight! Mums are showing up in the garden stores. When the pansies and violas arrive I’ll know its time to refresh my garden. Meanwhile, I’m still weeding…
Love your black wrought iron gate with the beautiful curved top!
Suzanne recently posted…How to Build a Solar Powered Armadillo Fence
Hi Suzanne: Here is the post I had done when we installed that gate : https://www.libbywilkiedesigns.com/2011/08/fabulous-finds-front-gate-finished.html
It was a real find and we just love it!
Yes, I’m looking forward to the pansies and snapdragons… any day now!
WE NEED RAIN so the garden has suffered GREATLY this year…………But roses are 75% off so I think I may go shopping later today!!I do need to get out there and clean up!THANKS for the REMINDER!
LA CONTESSA recently posted…THE MAKING of PESTO