September touches of gold -

It's almost over! How did it pass so quickly?

If you aren't really into bright orange 'Halloween' pumpkins there

 now seem to be so many other colors to choose from.

I really love these yellow ones. . . . . . .

Soon the fig tree will drop all its leaves. . . . . .so far just a few

 golden ones have fallen. . . . . . . 

OK I admit I did bring home a couple of small orange pumpkins, for the

front porch. . . . . . . and to welcome the arrival of October later this week!

Note the Swedish Ivy. This was the second summer on the porch.  

it has grown so much whilst hanging outside, and now it's starting to

 bloom with those pretty white 'candle flowers.' 

Later, before the first frost, I will have to find a place to over-winter

 it again - no space in the house.  

If you grow these, any tips are appreciated. 

Can I cut it way back to make it more manageable during the winter?

Would it survive in an unheated space such as the potting shed?

Should I ask my neighbor with the glass enclosed sunroom to

 adopt it for the winter months again?

Thanks.

September song -

"Best I love September's yellow,

Morns of dew-strung gossamer,

Thoughtful days without a stir,

Rooky clamours, brazen leaves,

Stubble dotted o'er with sheaves -

More than Spring's bright uncontrol

Suit the Autumn of my soul." 

~ Alex. Smith ~

The month of September brings the autumnal equinox on

 Tuesday the 22nd - the official date of the new season.  

Usually though we think of the first day of September as

 being the arrival of Autumn.

The garden is changing rapidly now. After the horrendous rains here on Monday night - we were pounded and flooded with 6 inches - things are looking different. 

To top it all off we are now in a heatwave with the heat index temperature reaching 105F yesterday, higher today with as much as 110F of heavy, moist air making any outdoor work or activity not only miserable but very dangerous!

Sadly, no Horse chestnut trees growing here but I do still have one

 copper-hued conker brought back from England many years ago! 

I like to hold it, roll it in my hand and and reminisce about my 

childhood Autumn days.

We spent a little time outside yesterday, early morning, Bob doing storm

 damage cleanup, me digging out the amaryllis bulbs and deadheading the

 now brown and dry blooms from the hydrangeas.

This is my first try at keeping my winter blooming bulbs through spring and

 summer in hopes I can force them back into bloom around the holiday season. 

 I had planted the 4 large bulbs into the garden in May (see their beautiful 

leaves above), and one pleasantly surprised me with a baby!

They now have to remain in a cool place until their re-potting in November.

As cool places are hard to find at present - the potting shed is like an oven -

I've put them in a box and keeping them in the air conditioned house -

just hoping there are no bugs creeping around of course!

Speaking of creeping creatures, while working on the two large hydrangeas

 bushes in front of the porch, a sudden movement startled me and Charlie

 gecko appeared clinging to a stem.  He seems to live in this area of the 

garden where I have placed a large shallow dish which I keep filled with 

water. . . . initially for the bees but perhaps also a good watering place for

 Charlie (who could be Charlene as I did see a very tiny gecko around also

 this summer!).

Last, but never least, another visitor was on the porch this morning, drinking from the fountain and peering in the dining room window with the usual sparkle in his/her eye. . . . . . and I'm sure awaiting a tip top acorn season ahead!!!