I'm horribly bored today so pictures seemed a good idea. Geranium rozanne with wind blown straw on her. Finally live with her by keeping it cut back after spring bloom then let it bloom again in fall.

This will be cut down tomorrow and straw laid down the raccoons are ripping it too shreds looking for worms. They tore out two plants last night.

Roses are about the last to lose their bloom. Should have taken scabiosa butterfly blue's picture. They always bloom till the end. The carex grasses look great. Didn't think to get them either. Here is Cream Veranda looking pink in the chilly weather also a no spray rose.

Hydrangea Bobo looks great start to finish.

Rose Sunrise Sunset a no spray rose. I'll quit for now be back later when everyones wishing for green again.

Excellent pics 'patty'. "White Out" and "Rozanne" especially catch my interest.

(I see you have plant tags in your garden. When did you start doing that and do you have one for plant in your garden?)

('patty', are you now putting straw down as mulch?)

Yes I have labeled all of my plants as at my age it's annoying to be out looking at a plant and not be able to recall it's name even if you could the day before. I get them from Paw Paw Everlast Label Company at quite a reasonable price. The Brothers labeler I found is super easy to use. Pretty good price as well. Tape is expensive but worth it for me.
Yes, I do use straw for mulch. Good finely chopped wood mulch is to expensive here. Ran about 700 dollars to do the beds. I could get some from the tree service places but their chucks of wood were much to large.
A caveat, I'd never use straw if I lived where there were poisonous snakes. Our garden snakes love it. I do need to remove the straw on occasion in wet years or you get to many slugs. I have a compost pile of leaves and straw so I don't mind.
Doesn't look as good as wood mulch but it works.
The plus is soil that's packed full of worms and other life. The plants have never been happier.
One last thing, my neighbors love outdoor evening fires. I provide them with a long garden hose ready to use just in case.

Thanks for the follow-up information.

So you use mulch all during the growing season?

(I ask as I put straw down only in late fall a protective winter mulch).

The roses still look great, especially the white out :0)

How do you know there's only 3 days left? What did I miss?

Yes I do, When I get my straw at the end of the year I buy at least double what I need. I have a good out of the way spot to keep the extra. Cut open the bails and separate a bit so its exposed to winters wrath. That helps kill the wheat seeds for use in spring. Or you can place them in a rectangle with center opening. Place potted plants that don't like winter wet inside on their sides. Cover with other bails.
It works well if you have an out of the way spot.

So it is that we go from this

Where did everything go mom? There's nothin to play with.

wow! amazing picture!

Patty, lovely garden!

Sherry

It's so hard to let go, isn't it? I love the look of full gardens with lots of flowers. Yours looks (or looked) very pretty! It's a shame how the season goes by too quick, and the cold stays too long.
That's a cute kitty.

Aww, cute kitty, and (s)he does look bewildered. Mine are very involved in garden projects also. Yesterday one even took a ride in the wheelbarrow.

Love the pics, great job! I have Sunrise-Sunset too and I really like it. Looks like you have done a terrific job of cleanup and mulching. That has got to feel satisfying!

Great before and after photo. I was wondering if any of the roses are fragrant? That first one White Out, has leaves that don't even look like a rose. Interesting.

Thanks everyone, prairiemoon White Out has no fragrance but that and the fact that is stays under 3 feet is a real plus here. The Japanese beetles very seldom bother her. Kordes rose Kardinal Kolorscape did not have a single jb on her either or thrips. I love roses but in the perennial beds they deposit too many grubs. Funny thing about jb's if you take out every rose they like then they'll be satisfied with the ones they don't like. Finally got a picture of Yellow Submarine very fragrant.
Don't mind a winter break too catch up jobs around the house. It just stays too longgggg!

MXK, Almost missed the end of your message. The of the growing season I should say. There were times in the past I considered blowing the entire thing up. Fortunately (I guess) we get thru those years. Nope you didn't miss anything.

sandyslopes, I do so love the look of peaceful gardens the kind that make you wish to pull over a chair and read a good book. Must be drawn to color. This is about as peaceful as my yard gets.

Beautiful plants, beautiful garden!

Pattyw5. I absolutely LOVE the look of your dramatic cedar hedge of varying heights ... do you know the name of the variety planted?

White Out is a very cute little shrub, Patty. I only have one rose that has no fragrance and that is The Fairy, which I resisted for a long time because of the No Fragrance factor. Now that I have it, I enjoy it as a shrub less than as a rose. It remained healthy all season and had a very long period of bloom.

Your 'Yellow Submarine' is very pretty!

I agree about a winter break, If it was just December, January and February, I'd be happy. :-)

tworosz, I do but must look it up later. Just average type that was sold in all the big box stores. The couple I planted in the empty lot get more sun and are in clay soil which they love. Those are twice as big. I think what keeps these in the yard going is the compost pile of leaves and straw right behind them. Always a little worried about losing them. There's a lot of trees drawing water from that area. Thanks

Nice hostas! The shady areas are great to hang out in. Reading a book while relaxing in the garden is something to look forward to. Until then we can read one by the fireplace, I suppose. .... I'm trying to adjust my attitude about winter. :-)

Patty..I love all the pictures..your garden is lovely. I know it must be a lot of work. I do not use straw, but we chop up leaves and I top dress the beds in December after several hard frosts. Thanks for sharing your garden with me. Lesley

For the past 20 years I've gobbled up gardening information and viewed everyones garden pictures. Not to sound insecure but it took a long time to be brave enough to share mine. Really never thought It looked very good. I guess I am my greatest critic.
Sandyslopes, I remember a few years back when parts of Utah were buried alive with snow that was up to the rooftops. Did you have to live thru that? What I need to help get thru winter is some kind of volunteer work that can keep me more active.
Lesley, Your so nice to everyone. Thank you very much.
This garden has a wild side as well.

I'm glad you got brave enough to show your pictures. I think a lot of us feel shy to show our gardens at first, but it's really nice to see what others have done. I know I get ideas that way.

For instance, I like your graduated retaining wall. That's what it looks like in your hosta pic. I wish I would have done more of that, but I guess it's never too late to try and build some into my hillside.

As for snow, we're getting our first snow of the season tomorrow. :( It can get quite high where I live, but it hasn't made it as high as a rooftops in my area. But it easily covers the mailbox, and some years our paths can start to look like we're making a snow maze.

patty, i don't know if this might be helpful. or if your garden area is just too big for this to be practical, BUT if you had a smaller area- like the semicircle you showed early on, that the coons were uprooting, you could use rocks or landscape staples to secure some melon netting on top of the straw. they don't like that iirc. where are you, w/ all these coons? (I do admit to having a real fondness for them. But then again, i've never had them destructive like that.)
best,
mindy

Great idea Mindy why did I not think of that. I have some old deer fencing that would work. I've always had digging coons and skunks they love eating all the worms. That little area is the one that can't take it because the soil is to loose. You can hand dig a plant in that spot they love.
Thank you!
Patty

SO Sad to see the gardening season come to an end for the year. Gee, what WwILL I do with all my gardening energy? I guess I'll plan my upcoming winter sowing :o)

vala,
The same here. Also without all the extra walking deep knee bends and bending that gardening provides boy am I out of shape come spring.

Pattyw5, you sure have quite the wonderful collection of daylilies :) ... I need to add more myself!