Natural Beauty Sunday, October 14th, 2012
An arrangement of dahlias, hardy ageratums and Mexican sage sits on the kitchen window sill. So grateful that I had the foresight to cut the flowering stems before the frost wiped them out. The outdoor insects get confused thinking that these flowers are accessible to them. Frost has wiped out nearly all the outdoor flowering annuals and tender perennials. What remains in the gardens? Lots and lots of perennial chrysanthemums – salmon, pink and yellow varieties. As temperatures continue to drop, the leaves of the trees begin their seasonal color show and eventual abscission. Indeed this fall season is awash in color. The perennial vine, Virginia creeper is beautiful to look at with its vibrant red leaves. The occasional wind will blow a leaf in my direction so that I can admire its beautiful red color. I have been enjoying the reds, oranges and yellows of the garden a lot this year. The colors of the dahlias – yellows, pinks and oranges are reminiscent of lightness and gaiety, the purples of the Mexican sage and hardy ageratums exude peacefulness. I study the intracacies of the flower shapes and range of colors and marvel at the beauty that I helped grow. The rewards of being a gardener are many. It brings us back to our own roots. We are connected, we are beautiful and we grow and change with the seasons too.