It is September 1st already but the subtle signs of summer’s end have been appearing for several weeks. On the daily commutes, I have been observing the colours of the trees. Very slowly, they have been losing the brilliant green of summer and taking on an olive hue. It will not be long before the trees treat us to one last blaze of colour before they hibernate for the winter. Weeds along the roadsides, and grasses in the ditches have been changing. Pink crown vetch, oxe eye daisy and loosestrife have given way to golden rod, wild carrot and asters. Cattails and wild grasses now tower over the ditches. It doesn’t seem that long ago they were just beginning to peak over the tops of the ditches. Our gardens are subtly changing. In the pumpkin patch, the dark green of the immature pumpkins is showing just a hint of the bright orange to come. Tomatoes are ripening so quickly that keeping up with them has become an overwhelming task. The annuals are not blooming quite as prolifically. And the perennials are all but done for the season.

As we change our calendars, we make a subconscious transition from summer’s crazy, vibrant colours, to fall’s brilliance. The busy gardening routines of watering, fertilizing, trimming, planting and pruning, will soon give way to preparing our beloved gardens for the long sleep ahead of them. But not yet! There are still several weeks of growing ahead and the green fingered will keep their summer gardens going in defiance to the coming fall. We will integrate autumn colours into our gardens and outdoor decorating. If they clash a tiny bit with the summer hues, so what? The plant police will not arrest us. Our gardens, are, our gardens, and we can do whatever we want (and whatever Mother Nature allows)!